Results day 2016: 10 people who prove you don't need good grades to be successful

Simon Cowell, Steve Jobs and even the former Education Secretary managed to make it to the top despite not making the grades

Benedict Cumberbatch admits he was distracted in school by "port, girls and all sorts of other things"

Scottish Highers, A-Levels and GCSEs – they can be the cause of extreme stress and anxiety, especially on results day.

That ominous envelope containing your grades may feel like the most important thing in the world at the time, and the ticket towards your eventual successes or failures. But believe us when we tell you -this is certainly not the case!

If you don’t get the grades you wanted, don’t despair. There are plenty of options in and out of school and university, regardless of your interests and abilities.

Besides, some of the most successful (and richest) people in the world made their way to the top of their game without a single qualification in hand - and no, they weren’t all born with money.

Don’t believe us? From writers to actors and critics, here are just some of the examples of people who demonstrate you don’t need good grades to be the best.