Stars of the big screen and small, medical chiefs leading the UK’s battle against coronavirus, political figures and musical greats are among those recognised in the Queen's New Year Honours list.
England’s chief medical officer (CMO), Professor Chris Whitty, deputy CMO, Jonathan Van-Tam, and Wales’ and Scotland’s CMOs, Frank Atherton and Dr Gregor Smith, have been given knighthoods.
There are also damehoods for UK Health Security Agency chief, Dr Jenny Harries, and Dr June Raine, chief executive of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), after a year in which the threat of new variants arose and more than 130 million vaccinations were administered.
The Government’s chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, who was originally knighted in the 2019 New Year Honours list, is elevated to a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath.
The Cabinet Office said nearly one in five (19%) of the honours are for Covid-related service.
Scientists have played a central role in keeping the public informed during briefings throughout the year in response to Covid-19 and are being recognised for services to public health and science.
Sir Patrick said: “I am really pleased to see so many outstanding scientists and engineers recognised in this year’s honours, including those that have been working tirelessly as part of the response to the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Meanwhile, The Queen has knighted former prime minister Tony Blair.
The longest-serving Labour PM said it was an “immense honour” to have been made a Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, the oldest and most senior British Order of Chivalry, to which appointments are in the Queen’s gift, without advice from the Government.
Buckingham Palace also announced Labour peer Baroness Amos has become the first black person to be appointed to the Order of the Garter, while the Duchess of Cornwall is also appointed to join other senior royals.
“Her Majesty The Queen has been graciously pleased to appoint Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall, GCVO, to be a Royal Lady of the Most Noble Order of the Garter,” a Buckingham Palace statement said.
“In addition, The Queen has been graciously pleased to appoint The Right Honourable Valerie Ann, Baroness Amos CH to be a Lady Companion and The Right Honourable Anthony Charles Lynton Blair to be a Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.”
The newly-styled Sir Tony said he was “deeply grateful” to the Queen and added: “It was a great privilege to serve as prime minister and I would like to thank all those who served alongside me, in politics, public service and all parts of our society, for their dedication and commitment to our country.”
On the list, 15.1% of recipients are from an ethnic minority background, slightly higher than the line-up in June, but just 35.9% of recipients at CBE level and above are women.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “These recipients have inspired and entertained us and given so much to their communities in the UK or in many cases around the world.
“The honours are an opportunity for us to thank them, as a country, for their dedication and outstanding contribution.”
Celebrities receiving 2022 New Year Honours
After documenting her husband Derek Draper’s battle with coronavirus, Kate Garraway has been made an MBE.
Consumer champion Martin Lewis has been made a CBE for services to broadcasting and consumer rights.
Two of the nation’s favourite soap stars have also been recognised this year; Actress June Brown, best known as chain-smoking Albert Square stalwart Dot Cotton in EastEnders, and Coronation Street actor William Roache have been made OBEs.
READ MORE: Kate Garraway shares 'devastating' update on husband's Covid recovery
Joanna Lumley has said she is “astonished, thrilled and touched beyond words” at being made a dame. And actress Vanessa Redgrave joins Lumley, also being made a dame.
Matching his on-screen character, James Bond star Daniel Craig has been made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George, the same honour given to 007.
In another Bond connection, producer of the films, Barbara Broccoli, has been made a CBE.
More contributors to the silver screen have also been recognised, including pioneering director Horace Ove, who has received a knighthood.
Joining him, Deliverance director John Boorman has also been knighted.
In music, songwriter Bernie Taupin, best known for his long-running and fruitful collaboration with Sir Elton John, has been made an OBE.
Melanie Brown of the Spice Girls – perhaps better known as Mel B or Scary Spice - has been made an MBE for her work with domestic violence charity Women’s Aid.
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Frontwoman of influential 2-tone band The Selecter, Pauline Black, paid tribute to her home city of Coventry after being made an OBE.
Dancer and choreographer Ashley Banjo has said he is “humbled and extremely proud” to have been made an MBE following a year in which he became a spokesman for issues around racial equality.
Comedian Adam Hills said he did not tell his family he had been named in the New Year Honours list because he was “still not convinced someone isn’t playing a prank on me”.
Loose Women star Katie Piper has been made an OBE while being handed a CBE are veteran broadcaster Moira Stuart and author Anthony Horowitz.
Writer, broadcaster and former politician Trevor Phillips, along with Sadler’s Wells boss Alistair Spalding, have been honoured with a knighthood.
READ MORE: Loose Women star apologises after swearing live on TV
Sports people receiving 2022 New Year Honours
The list is dominated by sporting figures from the pool to the velodrome, but none of England’s Euro 2020 finalists have been included, with the exception of assistant manager, Steve Holland.
Holland has been awarded an MBE in recognition of helping the side to the final, their first major final appearance in 55 years.
Britain’s Olympic and Paralympic heroes from Tokyo take centre stage with golden couple Jason and Laura Kenny receiving a knighthood and damehood respectively.
Gold medallists Hannah Cockroft, Tom Daley, Adam Peaty and Max Whitlock were among the other star names from the summer to be recognised with OBEs, while US Open tennis champion Emma Raducanu has been made an MBE.
Chelsea Women manager Emma Hayes has been awarded an OBE after helping the Blues retain their Women’s Super League title in 2021 and reach the Champions League final.
Team GB won 65 medals in all at the Tokyo Olympics, with cyclist Jason Kenny becoming the country’s most successful Olympian of all time when he won his ninth medal overall – and seventh gold – on the final day of the Games.
He has now been awarded a knighthood, while his wife Laura becomes a dame after her two medals in Tokyo made her the most decorated female Olympian of all time.
She has won six Olympic medals overall, five of them gold, after winning the Madison and a silver in the team pursuit in Japan.
Fellow track cycling star Matt Walls has been awarded an MBE following his omnium gold, while Beth Shriever and Charlotte Worthington receive the same honour after their gold medals in the BMX racing and freestyle respectively.
Men’s cross-country mountain biking gold medallist Tom Pidcock is awarded an MBE, while British Cycling’s performance director, Stephen Park, also becomes a CBE.
Diving star Daley’s first gold medal at his fourth Games was one of the most popular, and he has been recognised with an OBE for services to his sport, LGBTQ+ rights and charity. His 10-metre synchro partner Matty Lee has been awarded an MBE.
Gymnast Whitlock becomes an OBE after claiming gold in the men’s pommel horse in Tokyo – his third Olympic gold medal in all.
Peaty, who retained his 100m breaststroke title, has also been awarded an OBE after he spearheaded Britain’s best-ever performance in an Olympic swimming competition as the team took home eight medals.
He also took gold in the 4x100m mixed medley relay, and his team-mates in that event – Kathleen Dawson, James Guy, Anna Hopkin and heat competitor Freya Anderson – have all been awarded MBEs.
Double gold medallist Tom Dean also received an MBE along with his 4x200m men’s freestyle relay team-mates Calum Jarvis, Matthew Richards and Duncan Scott.
British Swimming performance director Chris Spice was awarded an OBE.
Hannah Mills also becomes an OBE, with her 470 class sailing gold medal-winning team-mate in Tokyo, Eilidh McIntyre, recognised with an MBE. The 49er gold medal-winning pairing of Stuart Bithell and Dylan Fletcher-Scott have also been awarded MBEs.
Gold medal-winning boxers Lauren Price and Galal Yafai have been honoured with MBEs, as have the triathlon mixed relay gold medal-winning team of Jonny Brownlee, Jess Learmonth, Georgia Taylor-Brown and Alex Yee.
The latter two also won individual silvers in the women’s and men’s events respectively.
Andy Anson, the chief executive of the British Olympic Association, has been honoured with an OBE for services to sport, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Eight-time Paralympic gold medallist Jody Cundy has been honoured with a CBE, while OBEs have also been awarded to Tokyo Paralympic champions Natasha Baker, Cockroft, Kadeena Cox, Aled Davies, Bethany Firth, Hannah Russell, David Smith and Sophie Wells.
Swimmers Reece Dunn and Maisie Summers-Newton, cyclists Jaco van Gass and Ben Watson, triathlete Lauren Steadman and athletes Owen Miller and Thomas Young are among the other Paralympic gold medallists from Tokyo honoured with MBEs, while British Paralympic Association chief executive Mike Sharrock has been awarded an OBE.
Former footballer Gary Bennett’s work with the Show Racism The Red Card group has been recognised with an MBE, while former England football captain Bobby Moore’s widow Stephanie has been awarded an OBE for services to bowel cancer research funding.
Jamie Jones-Buchanan has been recognised with an MBE for services to rugby league and to the community in Leeds, while six-time World Superbike champion Jonathan Rea from Ballymena in Northern Ireland becomes an OBE.
Civilians receiving 2022 New Year Honours
A campaigner against violence towards women and founder of campaign group We Can’t Consent To This, Fiona Mackenzie, has been made an MBE.
The award comes after a year which saw the kidnap, rape and murder of Sarah Everard, the suspected murder-suicide of Gracie Spinks and the deaths of police community support officer Julia James and teacher Sabina Nessa.
Two charity fundraisers receiving the British Empire Medal at the ages of just 11 and 12 are the youngest honours recipients on record.
In any other year, 12-year-old Max Woosey from Devon would have found himself the youngest person ever to be honoured, after raising hundreds of thousands of pounds with his epic camping exploits.
But Max was joined on the New Year Honours list this year by Sheffield’s “Captain” Tobias Weller, who had only been 11 for a month when he was told about his honour on Christmas Day.
Special honours are given to people who make outstanding contributions to their community and the country, with the New Year Honours list acknowledging 1,278 people in the UK this year.
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