A number of well-known names feature among the list of people honoured by the Queen in her Birthday Honours list for the Jubilee year.
Total Eclipse Of The Heart singer Bonnie Tyler is to be made an MBE for her services to music, while elsewhere in showbiz, Homeland actor Damian Lewis, presenter Clare Balding and fashion designer Stella McCartney are made CBEs.
Beloved children's illustrator Sir Quentin Blake joins author Sir Salman Rushdie on the list of Companions of Honour. This is a prestigious honour which can only be held by a maximum of 65 people at a time.
Read more: The stories of the North East community heroes honoured in the Queens' Birthday list
Meanwhile, MBEs are set to be served up to MasterChef duo John Torode and Gregg Wallace for services to food and charity.
Reacting to the honour, Gregg Wallace said: “From a council estate in Peckham to being recognised by the Queen is for me something akin to a fairytale story. I am incredibly, incredibly proud.”
Coronation Street star Helen Worth, who has played long-running favourite Gail Platt for almost 48 years, said it was “truly wonderful” to be made an MBE at the age of 71. Her fellow Corrie star Antony Cotton, best known for his role as Sean Tully on the long-running soap, has been recognised with an MBE for services to British Army, personnel and veterans. A patron of Help for Heroes, he has been involved with the military community since 2008 and was named as the first celebrity ambassador for military charity the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association (SSAFA).
Ian Rankin, author of the Inspector Rebus novels and winner of several national and international awards, is knighted for services to literature and charity.
There are also a number of awards being handed out in the world of sport. From football, five-time Champions League winner and former Tottenham winger Gareth Bale and Liverpool player James Milner are made MBEs, while ex-Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand becomes an OBE.
Eve Muirhead, of Great Britain’s women’s curling side, will be made an OBE after helping the country to top the podium in the Winter Olympics in February. Her teammates Jennifer Dodds, Hailey Duff, Mili Smith and Victoria Wright become MBEs along with coach David Murdoch.
And cricketer Moeen Ali is made an OBE in the list. He said: “It’s an honour to be recognised, it’s amazing and my family are really proud and happy. More than anything, I know it makes my parents happy.”
Outside of the celebrity world, names which became well-known during Covid-19 also make the list. NHS England national medical director Professor Sir Stephen Powis and AstraZeneca chief executive Pascal Soriot are knighted and England’s Chief Nursing Officer Ruth May is made a dame as they appear among a host of names recognised for their effort during the pandemic.
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