Fitness guru Joe Wicks will be among a host of high-achievers to receive royal honours at Windsor Castle on Wednesday.
The 36-year-old fitness and nutrition specialist, known as the Body Coach, broadcast free live workouts for months throughout the pandemic which were viewed by millions worldwide.
In 2020 Mr Wicks was awarded a Guinness World Record after 950,000 people watched his lifestream in March. In the same year year he donated proceeds from sales of his fitness videos to NHS and also raised £2m for Children in Need with a 24-hour fitness challenge.
On Wednesday, Mr Wicks will be honoured for his services to fitness as well as charity in the UK and abroad.
Mr Wicks, who was made an MBE in the Queen’s 2020 birthday honours, previously spoke about a tough childhood in which he thought he would not amount to achieve “anything great”.
“But I’ve turned it around and I really am proud I’ve become this person who’s helping people,” he said.
Also collecting awards at investiture services at Windsor Castle today will be Queen drummer Roger Taylor and Trigger Point star Adrian Lester.
The 72-year-old rocker will receive an OBE for services to music in the morning while acting couple Mr Lester and his wife Lolita Chakrabarti are due to pick up honours in the afternoon.
Oliver award-winning Mr Lester, 53, who plays bomb disposal operative Joel Nutkins in Line of Duty creator Jed Mercurio’s latest drama, was made a CBE in the 2020 Birthday Honours.
Ms Chakrabarti, whose credits include ITV’s Vera and a production of Hamlet directed by Kenneth Branagh, has also been made an OBE for her services to drama.
TV judge and former Strictly Come Dancing contestant Rob Rinder will also collect an award – alongside his mother Angela Cohen. The pair are being recognised for services to Holocaust education.
The mother and son duo appeared in the BBC One series My Family, The Holocaust and Me in which they explored Jewish families’ stories.
187 people in total are due to receive honours during the ceremonies at Windsor on Wednesday.
