Captain Sir Tom Moore becomes British GQ’s oldest ever cover star at 100

British GQ announces that former British Army officer Captain Sir Tom Moore will be honoured with the Inspiration Of The Year award at the 23rd annual GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2020, in association with Hugo Boss.

At 100 years old, he is the oldest British GQ cover star in the magazine’s 32 year history and has been exclusively photographed and interviewed for British GQ’s January/February 2021 issue, available on newsstands Friday 4 December.

In walking 100 laps of his garden, the Second World War veteran set out to raise £1,000 for NHS charities in March, during the first UK-wide lockdown for the Covid-19 pandemic. Instead, on his 100th birthday, his appeal topped £32 million. The journey continued, not in his garden, but on talk shows, breakfast television and interviews, all for the benefit of causes that touched his own life across the century.

Dylan Jones, Editor-in-Chief of British GQ, says: “If this year shows us anything, it’s that hope can come from the places you wouldn’t expect. Captain Sir Tom Moore is the absolute embodiment of our Inspiration award for 2020 and we couldn’t be prouder to celebrate him at the upcoming GQ Men Of The Year Awards.”

On finding out he is British GQ’s oldest cover star at 100 years old, Captain Sir Tom says: “Well, that’s something special, isn’t it?” before adding, “And maybe next year, I’ll be the oldest again!”

In his cover interview, Moore discusses his new-found fame, The Captain Tom Foundation and being knighted.

On his charity walk in his garden, which became a national phenomena: “The walking, of course, “was something I brought on myself”, but “that blossomed into something absolutely outstanding. When I started walking, I never envisioned that sort of money would appear. But I thank the whole family, and my daughter Hannah in particular, as without her this would never have blossomed as it did.”

He has sat, by his daughter Hannah’s reckoning, for some 700 interviews in the span of six months: “I do appreciate that all the people are wanting to speak to me,” he says, “and I want to speak to them, because what has gone on so far, it’s really outstanding. I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.”

His outlook on life: “Negative thoughts don’t seem to be part of me. I always think of the beneficial things.”

On The Captain Tom Foundation: “I think there are so many lonely people in need of help... their lives are rather grim and so many people are in need of help.”

On being knighted by the Queen: “I remember saying, ‘I hope the Queen is gentle with this sword!’”

You can read the full interview here.

The British GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2020, now in its 23rd year, will honour the inspirational men and women who have shaped the world’s cultural landscape across entertainment, activism, style, sport and more in 2020. This year, for the first time in British GQ history, the Men Of The Year ceremony will be held virtually. The full ceremony will be available to view via British GQ’s YouTube channel on Thursday 26 November 2020 at 8pm.