Bake Off's Paul Hollywood and GOT's Emilia Clarke receive New Year Honours
Buckingham Palace has announced a number of prominent entertainment figures who are featured on the 2024 New Year Honours list.
Among those honoured are Game of Thrones' Emilia Clarke and Great British Bake Off judge Paul Hollywood, who have both received MBEs.
Clarke will receive her MBE alongside her mother Jenny for co-founding brain injury recovery charity SameYou, after surviving two brain haemorrhages herself.
The actress, who played Daenerys Targaryen on the hit HBO series, said it was "life-enhancing and magical" to be honoured with her mother.
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"It's such an incredible honour, such an incredible privilege, and the most important thing for us is that it's for everybody with brain injury. To have this near-death experience and to have gone through the sort of the darkness of it all, and then come out of it, we're so lucky," she said.
Award-winning director and producer Sir Ridley Scott is made a Knight Grand Cross, an upgrade from his previous knighthood, while author Jilly Cooper becomes a dame.
BBC Radio DJ Tony Blackburn has been given an OBE, while fellow Radio 2 host Steve Wright receives an MBE for services to broadcasting. Sports broadcasters Jeff Stelling and Hazel Irvine have also been made MBEs.
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In the music world, Dame Shirley Bassey is made Companion of Honour for her services to music, while X Factor winner Leona Lewis earned an OBE for services to music and charity.
Bassey becomes the 64th living member of the order, which can only hold 65 members at any one time. "My heart is full of emotion and I am truly humbled," she said.
Academy Award-winning lyricist Don Black received a CBE, while Glastonbury co-founder Michael Eavis has also been recognised for his services to music — earning a knighthood.
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Several of the England Lionesses were celebrated after they finished runners-up to Spain in the Women's World Cup. They include Millie Bright, Lauren Hemp and goalkeeper Mary Earps — who was recently crowned the 2023 BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
Friday's list (Decmeber 29) marks the second set of New Year Honours signed off by King Charles III following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, last year.
Last year's Honours list saw Line of Duty star Stephen Graham, comedian Frank Skinner and Countdown co-host Rachel Riley being rewarded.
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