As political rebrands go, it's an unlikely one - say his critics.
The shadow Chancellor, John McDonnell - former hard man of the left this week playing peacemaker in a row between Jewish groups and Labour over the party's stance on anti-Semitism.
On Profile this week, Mark Coles goes in search of the real John McDonnell.
A journey which takes us from his working class Liverpudlian roots, his time fighting Thatcher at the GLC and into parliament where his hard left politics reviled New Labour and where two decades on he's got his revenge...reshaping the party in his own image after he helped elect Jeremy Corbyn as leader.
From bingo to making marmalade....we get the lowdown on John McDonnell.
Producers Smita Patel & Darin Graham Editor Emma Rippon.