Editorial Bear

Recently, The Independent published The Pink List.

A list of Britain's 101 biggest gays, it contained a startlingly varied list of of gay men and women who have contributed to Britain's recent financial, political and entertainment successes.

I even knew one of them - journalist and author Paul Burston, who I hope to publish an interview with shortly.

It made me think about a minority group I belong to - ginger people. Ironically the percentage of gay people in Britain is roughly one fifth of the number of redheaded people, so I wondered which redheads were currently making it big in Britain.

Here's who I came up with:

J.K. Rowling: The hottest redhead by far, J.K. Rowling has amassed a personal fortune of over a BILLION dollars, thanks to the adventures of fictional wizard Harry Potter. With the finale to the Hogwarts saga just about to be released - and the latest movie hitting the cinemas - J.K. Rowling's stratospheric rise seems to show no signs of slowing.


Chris Evans: A man who's name is almost synonymous with "ginger," Chris Evans celebrated his hair colour and set up "Ginger Productions," which he later sold to cement his fortune. Despite heavy ridicule, Evans remains a favourite with television and radio audiences and was named Music Radio Personality of the Year in 2006.


Prince Harry: As third in line to the throne, Prince Harry has recently hit the headlines because of "will he/won't he" discussions regarding his deployment to Iraq. A lieutenant in the Blues and Royals regiment of the Household Cavalry, Prince Charle's youngest son has clearly grown up from his boozing, drug fueled teenage years and now seems devoted to an army career. It's very sad that the young prince has been humiliated by the media circus regarding his Iraq ambitions.


Lorraine Heggessey: Lorraine Heggessey made headlines in 2000 when she became the first female Controller of BBC One, making her mark by insisting on the re-commissioning of hit science fiction show Doctor Who. She's now still making TV waves as Chief Executive of talkbackTHAMES, delivering Golden Globe winning television dramas such as Friends and Crocodiles and Gideon's Daughter.


Catherine Tate: One of the most recognizable and popular faces on television at the moment, Catherine Tate's comedy sketch show has created a whole new generation of catchphrases - including the famous "Bovver'd?" Guest starring in the Doctor Who Christmas special and bantering on screen with Prime Minister Tony Blair has cemented this talented comedian's place in British comedy history.


Anne Robinson: Known as The Queen of Mean, Anne Robinson wasn't always the dour puss you see on television's hit quiz The Weakest Link. As host of Watchdog and Points of View, she was the nation's favourite and most trusted redhead. It wasn't until 2000 that The Weakest Link revealed Robinson's true character and she soon became the ginger people loved to hate, on both sides of the Atlantic. Now worth over £60 MILLION, she was voted on of TV's 50 Greatest Stars in 2006.


Rebekah Wade: No stranger to controversy, Rebekah Wade's career in journalism has been marked by enormous scandal and meteoric spikes in sales. She was the youngest editor of a national British newspaper in 2000 when she took the helm of News of the World, but it's as Editor of The Sun that this redhead's really made her impact - both writing and hitting the headlines. Described as a "ginger ninja" for her attack on husband Ross Kemp, Wade has managed to keep The Sun Britain's favourite newspaper.


Clair Cooper: Stunning redhead Clair Cooper was crowned Miss London in 2006, purely by accident. A production manager for live music venue Jazz Cafe, she entered the competition for a giggle and ended up winning the crown. After her victory, she admitted: "I think at long last, my years of practising walking in cripplingly high shoes must have paid off."


Paul Collingwood: Last summer was the year cricket relocated it's place in the nation's heart. It was the 2006/07 Commonwealth Bank Series in Australia that saw the rise of sterling British Cricketer Paul Collingwood, who put in three match winning performances at the end of the competition and was hailed by the British media as helping "secure the trophy for England." After Britain's poor performances in the 2007 world cup, Collingwood has been tipped to take the captaincy next season.


Rupert Grint: Winner of the Young Artist Award for Most Promising Newcomer, Rupert Grint is educating a whole generation of teenage girls that ginger can be sexy. As Harry Potter's best pal Ron, British actor Grint is probably the biggest redheaded cinema star there is at the moment - and with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix about to be released, his popularity shows no signs of diminishing.


Alan Ball: A man who's made an incredible contribution to football, redheaded Alan Ball only hit the headlines recently when he passed away. The youngest member of the historic 1966 England World Cup team, he scored over 180 goals at league level, before managing major teams like Pompey, The Saints and Manchester United. In 2000, he was awarded the MBE for his services to football.


Kelly Hoppen: She's the biggest thing in interior design at the moment. Which is a good thing, apparently. Nicknamed the "Madonna of Decor," redheaded Hoppen is famed for her simple but opulent style of design and the self-taught decorator can boast many celebrity customers and features in international newspapers and magazines.


Ginny Dougary: Award winning journalist for The Times, Ginny has made a career out of breaking new ground. Her books include The Executive Tart and Other Myths and Amazonians. She's also raised a few eyebrows with her musical talents, penning the controversial David Blunkett: The Musical and writing a choral piece dedicated to the hardships of growing up ginger.