PLAYER PROFILE – Victoria Coren Mitchell
May 13, 2024 3 min Read
Victoria Elizabeth Coren Mitchell was born on August 18, 1972, into a distinguished literary family in Hammersmith, West London, and raised in Cricklewood, North London. Her father, Alan Coren, was a renowned humorist and journalist, while her brother, Giles Coren, is a prominent journalist and television presenter. Growing up in such an intellectually stimulating environment, Victoria developed an early affinity for wit and wordplay, which shaped her interest in storytelling and writing.
Educated initially at independent girls' schools, including St Paul's Girls' School, and later at St John's College, Oxford, where she studied English, Victoria often felt like an outsider—a sentiment that honed her observational skills. These skills would later prove invaluable, both at the poker table and in her writing career, allowing her to perceive nuances and details others might overlook.
A Prolific Career in Writing and Broadcasting
From an early age, Victoria displayed a talent for writing. At just 14, she published a short story under a pseudonym in Just Seventeen magazine and subsequently won a competition in The Daily Telegraph to write a column about teenage life. Her writing has been versatile and impactful, including works like Love 16, and her poker memoir For Richer, For Poorer: A Love Affair with Poker, which offers a deep dive into her poker life and the broader world of professional gambling. Victoria's career in broadcasting is equally noteworthy. Since 2008, she has been the engaging host of the BBC television quiz show Only Connect. Her clear, accessible presentation style has made her a household name in British media. Her work extends beyond television; she adapted the newspaper columns of John Diamond into the play A Lump in my Throat, which was performed at various prestigious venues and adapted into a BBC Two docudrama. Moreover, she and her brother Giles wrote an introduction for Chocolate and Cuckoo Clocks, an anthology of their father's best comic writings, further cementing her standing in the literary world. This blend of deep literary roots and a robust presence in media and poker underpins Victoria's unique and respected position in both the literary and gaming circles.
Groundbreaking Achievements in Poker
Victoria's poker career is marked by several historic milestones that set her apart in the world of professional poker. As the first woman to win an event on the European Poker Tour (EPT), and the only player (that we are aware of) to claim victories in both a televised professional tournament (EPT London 2006) and a televised celebrity tournament (Celebrity Poker Club 2005), Victoria's achievements have had a profound impact on the sport. Her unparalleled success continued as she became the first player to win two EPT Main Events—first in London in 2006 and then in San Remo in 2014. These victories not only showcased her formidable talent at the poker table but also helped shatter gender stereotypes in what has traditionally been a male-dominated field. Victoria's regular participation in games at the Victoria Casino in London's Edgware Road, and her frequent commentary roles for major poker broadcasts such as the William Hill Poker Grand Prix, Late Night Poker, The Poker Nations Cup, and the World Poker Tour, have made her a familiar face and voice in the poker community. Despite never reaching a grand final in Late Night Poker, she triumphed in Celebrity Poker Club, underscoring her versatility and competitive spirit in both professional and celebrity circuits.
