Alastair Campbell was born in 1957 in Yorkshire where his Scottish Gaelic-speaking father was a veterinary surgeon.
He studied at Cambridge University then joined the Mirror Group as a trainee journalist, becoming the Sports Editor at local title The Tavistock Times. Campbell soon graduated to national newspapers, becoming political correspondent for The Mirror then News Editor for the now-defunct Today newspaper.
His route into politics came as an adviser for Labour leader Neil Kinnock and, when Tony Blair succeeded John Smith, he became his press secretary. It was the start of a successful partnership that would win three consecutive elections, with him taking on a number of roles including Downing Street Press Secretary, the Prime Minister's Official Spokesperson, Downing Street director of communications and spokesman for the Labour Party, and campaign director for the 2005 general election.
Since then he has enjoyed success in several areas, including a return to journalism with a role as editor at large of The New European and chief interviewer for GQ. He also works as a freelance political advisor, is an ambassador for several mental health charities, has written 17 books and is the co-host (along with Rory Stewart) of the hugely-popular The Rest is Politics podcast.
Here are 13 interesting things he's said over the years.
9. Alastair Campbell on...royalty
"There are many reasons for the decline in royal esteem. One is that so many of the royals are thick.” | Getty Images
10. Alastair Campbell on...politics and the media
"For all its faults, our political process is a good one, and the means by which much meaningful change is made. That is not a very fashionable view to hold, but as someone who has operated at senior levels in journalism and politics, around a decade in each, it is my respect for the media that has shrunk, and my respect for politics that has grown.” | Getty Images
11. Alastair Campbell on...Brexit
"The fact that Johnson is now universally viewed as a liar makes the facts of Brexit’s failure more palatable to those who backed it. It was his fault, Farage’s fault, Rees-Mogg’s fault, the media’s fault, not theirs." | Getty Images
12. Alastair Campbell on...Bill Clinton
"Clinton is a big personality who has led a big life, and for some of the media conventional wisdom to boil it down to a view that 'all people are really interested in' are a few moments of madness in the Oval Office gets him, the importance of the presidency, and the significance of his life, all wrong." | Getty Images