Christine Hamilton isn’t a celebrity neither an influencer, star or entertainer. She hasn’t won a reality show, undertaken a significant role within the showbiz landscape or become a social media sensation. Instead there’s an unconventional, unique approach to her journey through entertainment which is still difficult to fathom. Yet for over two decades, Hamilton has defied all odds to become an unlikely household name. The loyal and stoic rock behind Neil Hamilton; the former conservative MP for Taton, Christine Hamilton has cheerfully embraced the era of the disposable celebrity, becoming something of a national treasure, known for her strong opinions and traditional values. The term batalax has strong, negative connotations but Christine is proud to have earned that title and loves being a media butterfly.
The political world hasn’t always enjoyed such a lucid relationship with the media and entertainment. Up until the 1960’s, MPs very seldom appeared on television and never crossed the border into Light Entertainment which was seen as intellectually subordinate. This was all about to change in 1963 when David Frost’s That Was The Week That Was cultivated a new sense of deference which held politicians to account. Surprisingly Christine has always been a firm supporter of this approach to top level politics and believes that it’s essential for a successful, democratic system.
Hamilton came to national attention in 1994 when it was alleged that her husband Neil and fellow politician Tim Smith had been bribed by the then Harrods owner Mohammed Al Fayed to ask parliamentary questions on his behalf. The following few years was a turbulent time for the Hamiltons which culminated in Neil losing his seat at the 1997 general election. By this time Christine’s larger than life personality had become an interesting sub plot to an already colourful story. Facing financial hardship, the pair accepted an invitation to appear on the BBC satirical juggernaut Have I Got News For You where their slightly eccentric approach to life was allowed to come to the fore. Apart from giving them a substantial sum of money which was vital to keep them financially afloat, Have I Got News For You also proved that Neil and Christine’s chemistry was something that the public seemed to like.
Suddenly the new era in politics had created a bespoke niche for the opinions of former politicians to share their side of the story. Following a successful appearance on the BBC talk show Kilroy, Christine and Neil became a popular booking for entertainment shows. Yet in 2001 an offer from the writer and documentary filmmaker Louis Theroux would ultimately change the trajectory of both of their careers forever. Louis Theroux was a relatively unknown broadcaster in 2001, best known for his BBC2 series Louis’s Weird Weekends which examined eccentric characters and how they behaved. Now he wanted to put his original stamp on the celebrity interview and Neil and Christine seemed perfect choices.
This was one of Theroux’s first interviews with noteworthy characters and despite his revealing interview style, he was extremely mindful of capturing the Hamiltons in the right manner. Being relatively unknown was a benefit for Louis as he was potentially able to ask probing questions in a slightly innocent way. However, after a while, he became invested in his subjects and wanted to portray them in a dignified way. This created a unique, unexpected bond between documentary filmmaker and his subjects which wasn’t necessarily the initial intention of the piece. For this reason, Christine has remained incredibly fond of Louis and isn’t surprised by his worldwide popularity and recognition.
If Christine could tame the bright brain of Louis Theroux then the Australian jungle would be a doddle. In 2002, the concept of gathering ten celebrities in the outback seemed a bizarre idea and when first approached by ITV, she turned it down. However, when asked again later in the year, Christine had a change of heart. The success of Big Brother had sparked a new era of reality television but very few shows had put celebrities in a natural environment, subjecting them to gruesome trials. This was a new experience for both ITV and the celebrities involved and it was a significant gamble on everyone’s part. Christine believed that the show would be superficial and there would be an area off camera where the celebrities could eat, drink and use the facilities. Yet realisation soon struck when she was stripped of her luxuries and indulged on a diet of rice and beans with Tony Blackburn and the late Tara Palmer-Tomkinson.
Ironically, what originally appeared to be a dreadful idea actually became one of the highlights of Christine’s career and helped to change the negative perceptions of the Hamiltons. From then on, public opinion began to shift in favour of the Hamiltons and Christine became something of a social commentator, appearing on magazine platforms including Radio 2’s The Jeremy Vine Show. Through this, she has earned the title as “The British Batelax”: a crown which she is proud to hold. Over a quarter of a century on from the Cash for Questions controversy, Christine Hamilton has gone from being the talk of the tabloids to a cuddly national treasure. It was an absolute delight to welcome the lovely Christine Hamilton to Beyond The Title and in a divided world, it’s reassuring to know that there are still some great people who are a credit to public life. Long live the quintessential British Batelax!
Beyond The Title