Our fine town of Harlow has had its fair share of entertainment stars grow up and live in the area. Founded as a new town in 1947, there have been two generations of people born and bred on the Essex-Hertfordshire border. 

If you’re sceptical about Harlow’s biggest claims to fame, read on as we shine a spotlight on the biggest names to have flourished out of dear-old ‘Pram Town’. 

Victoria Beckham 

50-year-old former Spice Girl, Victoria Beckham, was born in Harlow in April 1974. Although she was eventually raised in nearby Goffs Oak in Hertfordshire. 

Her marriage to David Beckham was comfortably one of the biggest entertainment news stories of our time. Posh Spice marrying “Golden Balls” was the coming together of two of the biggest names in British popular culture. They’ve been married for 25+ years now, although some have previously claimed the pair have secretly divorced, with their partnership being nothing more than a ‘distant business relationship’. 

This has been refuted on multiple occasions, although an explosive book by ex-BBC journalist, Tom Bower, suggests they have divorced and opted to cut a deal to save their family brand. 

The assets and brands involved with both Victoria and David Beckham would make it incredibly important for UK divorce lawyers to work hard to divide businesses, assets, and investments fairly. 

Although the Beckhams have property in Florida, they also own and live in the Cotswolds and London. This means their marriage would be bound by English legislation. In England and Wales, any divorce settlement reached must see all marital assets shared equally. It must also factor in the welfare of children from the marriage. While three of the Beckhams’ kids are now adults, their youngest, Harper, is aged 13 and her welfare would no doubt be a top priority with the courts. 

Rupert Grint 

36-year-old Rupert Grint was born in Harlow in August 1988 and studied at Richard Hale School in nearby Hertford. Grint shot to stardom as an actor in the Harry Potter movie series. Grint went on to feature in all eight Potter films, mastering the role of Ron Weasley. 

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In the early 2000s, Grint started to secure work outside of the Harry Potter sphere. He appeared in Thunderpants, Wild Target, Charlie Countryman, CBGB and Moonwalkers, before one of his most recent performances in Knock at the Cabin. 

Jo Joyner 

47-year-old actress, Jo Joyner, was born in Harlow in May 1977. She went on to study at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, securing a BA Honours in Acting. Joyner is best-known for her role as Tanya Branning in the hit BBC soap opera EastEnders. Joyner also played the role of Mandy Carter in Channel 4’s popular school drama Ackley Bridge. 

Since then, Joyner has played roles in Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators, performing as Luella Shakespeare, before appearing recently in Netflix drama series Stay Close. 

Rik Mayall 

The late, great Rik Mayall was a figurehead of comedy in the 1980s and 1990s. Born in Harlow in March 1958, Mayall was brought up in the town at Pittmans Field. The family then moved to Worcestershire when Mayall was only three years old. It was there where he would spend the remainder of his childhood. 

His future comedy partnerships with Ade Edmondson, Ben Elton and Lise Mayer were some of the strongest and most entertaining in British comedy. Shows like The Young Ones and Bottom cemented their reputations for character comedy and slapstick humour. 

Click here to learn more about these four stars who held Harlow dear to their hearts: 

• The Rik Mayall tribute painted on Harlow Playhouse after his death in 2014. 

• A brief Victoria Beckham biography on her 50th birthday.