Alan Turing is named BBC's 20th Century Icon after passionate speech from Chris Packham

BY STEPHANIE CHASE

 

GETTY IMAGES / FINE ART IMAGES / HERITAGE IMAGES

 

Scientist and World War Two codebreaker Alan Turing has been named 'The Greatest Person of the 20th Century' in the live final of BBC Two's Icons series.

 

On Tuesday (February 5), Turing won the public vote after being up against fellow finalists Dr Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, Ernest Shackleton, David Bowie, Muhammad Ali and Pablo Picasso.

 

Advocating for Turing was presenter Chris Packham, who delivered a passionate speech about Turing's life and legacy.

 

Packham explained how Turing worked to crack the Nazis' Enigma code during World War Two, shortening the war and lessening the number of lives lost.

 

Full Story: https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/reality-tv/a26149025/alan-turing-bbc-20th-century-icon-chris-packham-speech/

Do not only remember his genius, but also how society and law chemically castrated him and then drove him to suicide. 

He was a vital necessity for his generation, but his generation was not ready for him.

4 hours ago, klauskunkel said:

Do not only remember his genius, but also how society and law chemically castrated him and then drove him to suicide. 

He was a vital necessity for his generation, but his generation was not ready for him.

I'm a huge admirer of Alan Turing but his great name is trivialized in this absurd contest pitted against people who cannot be compared let alone ranked in some kind of order.

5 minutes ago, jayboy said:

I'm a huge admirer of Alan Turing but his great name is trivialized in this absurd contest pitted against people who cannot be compared let alone ranked in some kind of order.

Just be happy his name pops up once in a while and that his story is known. Poor guy.

Just now, jayboy said:

I'm a huge admirer of Alan Turing but his great name is trivialized in this absurd contest pitted against people who cannot be compared let alone ranked in some kind of order.

I'm only surprised that David Beckham didn't win it.

 

It would be good to see more recognition given to others who worked at Bletchley Park as well, such as Gordon Welchman and Tommy Flowers.

A worthy winner, especially considering a few of the nominee's we were allowed to choose from were clearly just in the running to satisfy the BBC's snowflake audience and producers.