Discover the British individuals featured on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Europe list: From success in entertainment to sports.

Forbes has once again released its coveted 30 Under 30 Europe list – and it comes as little surprise that a host of famous Brits have made the cut.

From talented individuals in the entertainment industry to rising stars in music, the UK is well-represented in this year’s annual list. The list aims to recognize and celebrate the young disruptors, innovators, and changemakers in the region.

Among the standout names in the entertainment category are Ella Purnell, known for her role in the popular Amazon series Fallout, and Harris Dickinson, whose performance alongside Nicole Kidman in Babygirl has garnered attention.

In the music genre, Lola Young, who gained rapid fame through her TikTok hit Messy, and Myles Smith, the winner of the Brit Awards Rising Star accolade, are just a few of the notable names making an impact.

Meanwhile, Chelsea and England star Cole Palmer and Gold medal winning Olympians Keely Hodgkinson and Alex Yee are a few of several European athletes making a splash in the sporting world. 

Here Mailonline takes a closer look at some of these British stars and how they have earned their place in this year’s coveted list.  

Ella Purnell – 28, Actor

Ella Purnell wowed audiences last year as the star of hit Amazon drama Fallout, in which she displayed such a flawless US accent that Americans were convinced she was one of their own.

But Ella was actually born in Whitechapel to Suzy, a yoga teacher, and, Simon, a Scottish businessman, and raised in nearby Bethnal Green. 

Her parents split when she was two and mum subsequently married Jon Squirrell, owner of the exclusive Vault Gym in trendy Shoreditch.

Ella took acting classes from the age of nine at the Sylvia Young Theatre School and she got her big break in 2008, aged 12, when she beat hundreds of other girls for a role in West End musical Oliver!

Acting helped pay for her education at the exclusive £25,000-a-year City of London School for Girls, where she first developed her knack for accents.

All the while her career was going from strength to strength and has included 2010 British film, Never Let Me Go, Disney’s Maleficent and Julian Fellowes’ ITV period drama Belgravia, in which she played Lady Maria Grey.

Harris Dickinson – 28, Actor 

Harris Dickinson’s career skyrocketed to another level last year after starring alongside Nicole Kidman in Babygirl.

The 28-year-old took on the lead role as young intern Samuel who begins an affair with CEO Romy – played by Kidman. 

The erotic thriller was praised by critics, with audiences blown away by Harris’s charisma on screen. But surprisingly the actor almost opted for completely different career. 

By the time Harris was 17 he dropped out of school – where he was trying to study film and theatre – and almost opted for a career in the Royal Marines.

However, he returned to the theatre in Walthamstow after his coach at RAW Academy persuaded him, which led to him being cast in a play called Angels by actor Pauline McLynn.

Dickinson was just 18 years old at the time and the role led him to be accepted into the Royal Academy theatre school in London.

However, work was slow to star with, despite being cast in a Volkswagen commercial and tried going to Los Angeles for pilot season.

In a bid to stay afloat, he would work at Hollister to save money for his trips back and forth, hoping for his big break to arrive.

His big breakout didn’t come until 2017 when he was cast in the American coming-of-age drama film Beach Rats, which was directed by Eliza Hittman. 

Since then he has landed roles in a number of films including A Murder at The End of The World alongside Emma Corrin, The Iron Claw with Zac Efron and Allen White, the WWII drama Blitz. 

Lola Young – Singer, 24

She’s been dominating the UK’s music charts thanks to her popular track Messy – and yet, most households probably still don’t recognise Lola Young’s name.

The south-London-born songstress – who suffers with a rare schizoaffective disorder – made history after becoming the youngest British female artist to score a solo number-one single since Dua Lipa in 2017.

She also earned the title of the first current British artist to have a UK number one since Chase and Status and Stormzy in August, the youngest since Dave in 2022 and then Dua Lipa in 2017.

Her musical instincts kicked in from an early age, with the hitmaker saying she has been ‘singing since I could talk’.

She begun writing songs at just 11 years old before going on to win a national open mic competition aged just 13.

But she is humble about her talents and previously said her achievements were all down to ‘hard work’ and that being ‘born with the voice’ was ‘not the case at all’.

Previously describing her musical influences, Lola said she was raised on a diet of Joni Mitchell and Prince and feels inspired by artists who she considers poets first.

Myles Smith – Singer, 26

Myles Smith secured his spot on the Forbes 30 under 30 list following a huge rise to fame in 2024, which also saw him take home the Brit’s prestigious Rising Star Award earlier this year.

The British singer received his first guitar, a gift from his mum, at the age of nine, and the rising star taught himself to play the instrument along with the piano.

His confidence then grew as he began performing on the local open-mic circuit from the age of 12 at several pubs and Irish bars.

In 2020 Myles started uploading cover songs to TikTok and in 2022 he went viral with his version of the Neighbourhood’s Sweater Weather.

After releasing a handful of acclaimed original songs like Solo and My Home, he signed to Sony’s RCA label in 2023.

His smash hit Stargazing charted and went platinum globally earlier this year, and at the time of writing, was closing in on 550 million streams on Spotify.

Earlier this year, The Guardian also named the star as ‘one to watch’ after he released his occasionally country-adjacent bops.

His singles since have been gathering acclaim and charting in their own right, culminating in an exclusive virtual concert on Fortnite Island, and he also released his second EP called A Minute…

Keely Hodgkinson – Athlete, 22

Keely Hodgkinson earned her is the new megastar of British athletics after blowing away her opponents over half a mile in a historic 800m win at the Paris Olympics. 

It came just three summers after a then 19-year-old Hodgkinson stormed to a surprise silver, breaking a British record set by Dame Kelly Holmes for 26 years.

Since Tokyo Hodgkinson had finished been runner-up at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, and back-to-back World Championships, but claimed two European tiles.

Despite her significant highs and successes on the track, it hasn’t always been plain sailing for Hodgkinson, with the athlete heartbreakingly having to face a tumour battle during her teen years which left her partially deaf in one ear.

The tumour was non-cancerous, but it still proved to be an extremely tough and emotional experience for Hodgkinson, who was 13 at the time, to deal with.

The mastoidectomy impacted Hodgkinson’s running hopes too, as she was forced to limit her training in 2015, which meant her form at youth level took a slight dip.

She later explained how her recovery was ‘quite a weird experience’, before eventually returning to full fitness.

Alex Yee – Athlete, 26

When Alex Yee scooped a gold medal in the men’s triathlon at the Paris Olympics last year, his hometown of Lewisham erupted with joy.

Yee, 26, also champions the southeast London borough that raised him like a badge of honour, with his Instagram bio reading: ‘Lewisham to the World’.

Growing up, Yee spent his spare time at Kent Athletics Club, honing his skills that would take him to dizzying heights.

But a crash at a Triathlon World Cup event in 2017 threatened to snatch his star status before he ever had a chance to truly claim it.

The then-19-year-old, who was set to sit his A-Levels days later, suffered broken ribs, vertebrae, and a collapsed lung following a high-speed bike crash during the event in Caligari, Italy.

Yee was not disheartened by the severity of the accident, and one year on, he returned to the scene of the accident to take part in the 2018 Cagliari World Cup, where he finished in eighth position.

In the same year, he ran his first Olympic distance triathlon at the Under-23 World Championships in Queensland before securing his first World Cup win in Cape Town.

His successes led Yee to his first-ever 2021 Olympics in Tokyo, where he claimed silver in the men’s triathlon. Then last year he went one further as he claimed triathlon gold for Team GB at the Paris Olympics.

His career successes led him to be awarded Member of the British Empire in 2022, despite him initially believing the invitation to be a joke.

Cole Palmer – Footballer, 22

If Cole Palmer isn’t already a household name, the onus is on the household to get with the times. 

The ease at which he is able to perform on some of the biggest stages of world football has seen him stray into the headlines time and time again this season.

But while he currently plays for west London side Chelsea FC, his humble origins in Manchester meant he grew up idolising the Red Devils. 

A photo from his childhood shows Palmer in one of United’s old AON-sponsored jerseys. His idol at that age was Wayne Rooney. But something had to give when Palmer was scouted by Manchester City at the age of eight.

In the 2022/23 season, Palmer became a regular for City off the bench, stepping on the turf 25 times. He would often feature on the left wing and played in some critical games in all competitions, taking on Liverpool, Chelsea, Sevilla, and others.

In the summer, his star really rose when he scored in the UEFA Super Cup final against Sevilla and the Community Shield against Arsenal, but there was simply too much competition at the Etihad.

Chelsea snapped him up for £40m at the start of the 2023/24 season and has since proved to be one of their best signings, having registered 41 goals and 24 assists so far in the royal blue of west London.

Mabel – Singer, 28

Mabel – whose full name is Mabel Alabama-Pearl McVey – is the daughter of Swedish singer Neneh Cherry, who has released six studio albums; the first of which, Raw Like Sushi, reached number three in the UK Albums chart.

She has been nominated for a Grammy Award and has two Brit Awards under her belt – and while her daughter Mabel is certainly catching up to her mother, the young singer hasn’t quite reached Neneh’s heights yet.

Her debut single Finders Keepers, released in 2017, reached number eight on the UK Singles Chart.

This was followed up two years later with the release of her album High Expectations at number three in the Albums Chart – which later went platinum.

In 2020, just three years after bursting onto the scene, she won a Brit Award for British Female Solo Artist.

Lissie Mackintosh – Presenter, 22 

Content creator turned Formula 1 presenter Lissie Mackintosh wants to use her platform to promote more female role models in racing. 

The 22-year-old – who has amassed more than 300,000 followers on Instagram alone – said the hardest thing about her recent rise to fame was 

‘The content creation side comes with thousands of people being able to say whatever they want to me,’ she told Sky Sports News in 2022.

‘It was tough in the beginning, there were loads of comments like ‘stay in the kitchen’, ‘know your place”. 

But she now uses such hate to spur her on into becoming a role model for young girls herself, which she believes to be her biggest purpose. 

And with the likes of Nico Hulkenberg, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz having already appeared on her channel – there are no signs she is slowing down. 

Luna Carmoon – Director, 27

Luna Carmoon’s Hoard received a standing ovation following its premiere at the 2023 Venice International Film festival. 

The film, which focuses on how childhood trauma can be carried into adulthood, was praised by critics and features Stranger Things actor Joseph Quinn. 

At 27 years old, it is likely just the start of a glittering direcoral career for Luna who is now looking for inspiration for her next project. 

Having grown up in south east London, the self-taught filmmaker is keen to immortalize the capital in her own unique way. 

‘I love London. I’m not a patriot, but I love where I’m from and the people that I’ve grown up with. That’s what inspires me,’ she told Deadline. 

‘I just want to do my Downham trilogy. That’s what I’m working towards. And then I might run away and become a carpenter or sell out.’

Frankie Corio – Actor, 14

Frankie Corio was just 10 years old when she was cast in indie film Aftersun alongside critics’ favourite Paul Mescal.

Dubbed a ‘rising star’ by Hollywood veteran Cate Blanchett, she was nominated for Best Actress at the BAFTA Scotland Awards, making her the youngest person ever to make the shortlist for the gong.

Corio lives with her mother Leona, a teacher, and father Frank, a bathroom fitter, in Livingston, West Lothian, with her older sister Mariella, 15, and brother Lorenzo, seven.

However, her part in Aftersun – directed by Edinburgh-born Charlotte Wells – saw her swap Scotland for Turkey as she played Sophie – the daughter of struggling single father Callum, played by Mescal.

And despite her rocketing prospects, the young star often takes time out to give advice to other young actors.

Jack Sylvester – Producer, 29

Jack Sylvester is a co-founder and executive producer of the hit podcast The Diary of a CEO which is fronted by millionaire Steven Bartlett. 

It has featured guests including the likes of Frank Lampard, Molly-Mae Hague, and even claimed Matt Hancock’s first interview when news of his affair was revealed. 

The 29-year-old was ‘pivotal’ in growing the podcast – which boasts over 10 million subscribers on YouTube – to one of the ‘world’s leading business shows’, according to Forbes. 

He achieved a BA degree at Leeds Beckett University before joining Flight Studio – The Diary of a CEO’s parent company – in 2023.