In 1992, Brandreth was elected to the House of Commons as the Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) for the City of Chester constituency.

[3] He moved to London with his parents at the age of three and was educated at the Lycée Français in South Kensington, and Bedales School in Petersfield, Hampshire, where he befriended Simon Cadell.

[6][full citation needed] Christopher Hitchens suggested that Brandreth "set out to make himself into a Ken Tynan.

In 2007, he guest-starred in the Doctor Who audio play I.D.. From July to August 2009, he hosted the game show Knowitalls on BBC Two.

[10] In October 2019, Brandreth appeared in series 3 of Richard Osman's House of Games, winning two of the five episodes.

In 2020, Brandreth and actor Sheila Hancock replaced Timothy West and Prunella Scales in a two-episode series of Great Canal Journeys, travelling down the River Thames.

[2] On several episodes of Radio 4's political programme The Westminster Hour, Brandreth has shared his thoughts on how to make the most of being a government minister.

[28][29] He appeared on the Radio 4 programme The Museum of Curiosity in August 2017, to which he donated a button that was once owned by a famous actor.

[30] In April 2019, Brandreth began co-hosting a podcast titled Something Rhymes with Purple alongside lexicographer Susie Dent.

[33] Interviewees include Judi Dench, Björn Ulvaeus, Miriam Margolyes and Keir Starmer.

In the 1980s, Brandreth wrote scripts for Dear Ladies, a television programme featuring Hinge and Bracket.

[34] Brandreth created the stage show Zipp!, which enjoyed success at the Edinburgh Festival and had a short run in the West End.

[39] Brandreth has written a book entitled Have You Eaten Grandma?, about the English language and correct grammar.

[22] In August 2014, Brandreth was one of 200 public figures who were signatories to a letter to The Guardian opposing Scottish independence in the run-up to September's referendum on that issue.

[44] In May 2016, Brandreth told The Spectator that he was likely to vote for the UK to stay in the European Union in the following month's referendum on the issue.

[45] In 2019, Brandreth confirmed that he had voted to remain, but accepted the result of the referendum and believed that the government had to "get Brexit done".

He has appeared on television talking about rail strikes wearing a jumper that features a steam locomotive, and wore a sweater bearing the words "The End" on the day Boris Johnson resigned.

[47][51] Aside from Brandreth himself, the brand's models and prominent customers have included Joanna Lumley, Floella Benjamin, Hugh Bonneville, Jane Asher, Elton John, Pete Davidson, Ziwe Fumudoh, Blanca Miro, Dwyane Wade, Keith Richards, and Diana, Princess of Wales.

[50] In 2023, the Petersfield Museum opened an exhibition dedicated to Gyles & George and Brandreth's personal collection of jumpers.

Five years later, with Brown working as a television reporter and Brandreth in theatre, the couple decided to have a "quiet wedding".

They were married at Marylebone Register Office on 8 June 1973, with actor Simon Cadell, Brandreth's best friend from school, as a witness.