Miles Kington
British humorist who popularised Franglais through columns and books.
Miles Beresford Kington (13 May 1941 – 30 January 2008) was a British journalist, musician, and broadcaster. He is credited with popularising Franglais through humorous skits mixing French and English, and wrote for Punch, The Times, and The Independent.
- born
- 13 May 1941
- died
- 30 January 2008
- field
- Journalism, music, broadcasting
- nationality
- British
- known_for
- Popularisation of Franglais
Lore & Background
Miles Kington was born in Downpatrick, County Down, Northern Ireland, where his father, a captain in the Royal Ulster Rifles, was posted. He was educated at Bilton Grange prep school and Trinity College, Glenalmond, then studied Modern Languages at Trinity College, Oxford. During a gap year he worked as a translator in New York City and lived in Greenwich Village. After Oxford he briefly wrote with Terry Jones, but the partnership did not click.
Kington began his writing career at Punch, inspired by American humorist S. J. Perelman. In the late 1970s he started his Franglais columns, written in a comical mixture of English and French, later published as books and made into a short TV series in 1984. He also presented Steam Days about Britain's railways and one episode of Great Railway Journeys. He played double bass for the cabaret quartet Instant Sunshine.
He wrote a humorous column for The Independent from 1987, after six years at The Times, and also wrote for The Oldie. He wrote two stage plays: Waiting for Stoppard (1995) and The Death of Tchaikovsky – a Sherlock Holmes Mystery (1996). He died at his home in Limpley Stoke after a short illness from pancreatic cancer, having just filed his final copy for The Independent.
Reader's Guide
Miles Kington's significance lies in his popularisation of Franglais, a playful blend of French and English that appeared in his Punch columns and subsequent books. This work, along with his long-running humorous columns in The Independent and The Times, established him as a distinctive voice in British comedy writing. His Franglais sketches, which pretended to be a study course, resonated with readers by gently mocking language barriers. Beyond writing, his musical career as a double bass player for Instant Sunshine and his television work on railway programmes added breadth to his public profile. His legacy includes a memorial bench near the Kennet and Avon Canal, and a posthumous radio serialisation of his final writings. The quotation 'Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad' is frequently attributed to him.
Did You Know?
- Kington worked as a translator in New York City during a gap year and lived in Greenwich Village.
- He switched from trombone to double bass at Oxford because of a shortage of bass players.
- His final copy for The Independent was filed just before his death from pancreatic cancer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Miles Kington?
Miles Beresford Kington (1941–2008) was a British figure who worked across journalism, music, and broadcasting. He is best remembered for making Franglais—the playful blend of French and English—accessible to a wide British audience.
What was Miles Kington's main creative contribution?
He popularised Franglais by writing humorous skits and columns that mixed French and English in a light, comedic style. His work appeared in Punch, The Times, and The Independent, as well as in books.
What fields did Miles Kington work in?
His career spanned journalism, music, and broadcasting, making him a multi-disciplinary creative. He is listed under all three areas rather than being confined to a single discipline.
When was Miles Kington born and when did he die?
He was born on 13 May 1941 and passed away on 30 January 2008. His life and career therefore spanned much of the latter half of the twentieth century.
Why is Miles Kington still discussed by fans of British culture?
He remains a reference point for anyone interested in the history of Franglais in the UK, since he is widely credited with bringing that linguistic play into mainstream British humour. His columns and books gave a whole generation a taste for mixing languages for comic effect.
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