World-renowned teacher, author and broadcaster Bobby Seagull has been honored with the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the King’s New Year Honors List.
Who is Bobby Seagull?
Seagull was born in Newham, London, to parents from Kerala, India.
He often shared the story behind his name; while his last name is Jose, his father adopted “Seagull” after the inspirational Jonathan Livingston novel Seagull by Richard Bach in the 1970s.
Mathematics teacher Jay Bobby Seagull, 41, was recognized for his committed work on behalf of public libraries.
Seagull first rose to fame during his outstanding 2017 appearance on the BBC’s University Challenge, where he captained Emmanuel College, Cambridge to the semi-finals.
His infectious enthusiasm has made him a viral sensation. He used his newfound fame to promote mathematics and motivate students.
Bobby Seagull made a live television appearance on BBC Breakfast, where he shared his enthusiasm for the MBE while revealing he had kept the news a secret from his family. “I thought: should I message my family on WhatsApp? But I thought this deserves more than a thumbs-up emoji.”
He added, I would tell each person in turn… I have a little niece called Emma and I told her I had an MBE and she said, “Uncle Bob, MBE.” Uncle, Bob, MBE.’
The viral moment
A viral math question Seagull posted on Threads by Bobby Seagull, a British primary school maths teacher and TV personality, disrupted the internet in mid-August this year, and everyone suddenly needed a protractor.
Students, teachers and social media baffled by tricky math question shared
Bobby Seagull posted this viral math puzzle that his friend’s 7-year-old received at school.
After his University Challenge appearance, Seagull maintained a prolific public career. Her work has included co-writing a quiz book in 2017 with Eric Monkman called The Monkman and Seagull Quiz Book and ambassador for National Numeracy, where he advocates for greater confidence in mathematics.
