New Year's Honours List

[-:Undertaker:-]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-30633687

New Year's Honours List

- Companions of Honour awarded to a select few.
- Knighthoods and Damehoods handed out.
- Names assigned to the Order of the British Empire (GBEs, CBEs, OBEs, MBEs)
- Full list can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_New_Year_Honours

Dame Joan Collins (DBE)

The creators of the World War One ceramic poppy display at the Tower of London have joined acting grandees Joan Collins and John Hurt on the New Year Honours list.

Ceramic artist Paul Cummins and theatre designer Tom Piper are both made MBEs in recognition of the Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red installation which attracted five million visitors.

The acting profession is strongly represented on the list, with Collins and Kristin Scott Thomas becoming dames and Hurt knighted. There is an OBE for Emily Watson, as well as James Corden and Sheridan Smith, who appeared together in TV sitcom Gavin & Stacey.

A total of 1,164 people are honoured by the Queen on the New Year list, three-quarters of whom have been recognised for work in their communities. The awards are split equally between men and women. And a further 87 recipients are named on the Foreign Office list which recognises service overseas.

About five million people visited the poppy installation

Dame Joan, who was made an OBE in 1997 for her contribution to the dramatic arts, is recognised this time for services to charity. She said she was "thrilled and truly grateful". Dame Kristin, who is shortly to play the Queen on stage in The Audience, said she was "thrilled, astonished and worried that I might suddenly wake up".

Among the other new dames are fashion designer Mary Quant; broadcaster Esther Rantzen, founder of the Childline and Silver Line charities, and Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy.

Trevor Hicks and Margaret Aspinall, who campaigned for a quarter of a century for the families of the 96 football fans who died in the Hillsborough disaster, are made CBEs. A new inquest into the deaths is still going on.

Women's Rugby World Cup winners Sarah Hunter and Rochelle Clark are among the sports stars recognised with MBEs.

Athlete Steve Cram, a former 1500m world champion, becomes a CBE in recognition of his recent work as chair of the English Institute of Sport.

The same honour goes to novelist Ali Smith.

Meanwhile, an inquiry is to be carried out into the apparent leaking of a string of names from the list before they were officially announced. Sir Bob Kerslake, the outgoing head of the Civil Service, said he was "concerned", describing the situation as "highly regrettable".

Well done to most, although shame the hereditary titles remain dormant still.

No idea when they're officially awarded although I suspect they'll be done throughout January by the Queen and other Royals.

Thoughts?

[FlyingJesus]

Ugh still didn't get one what a waste of a year

[AgnesIO]

Will never understand how people like James Cordon end up with an honour.

What exactly has he done this year to make him worthy of any title? Being an 'actor' doesn't count.

[FlyingJesus]

Also a writer and producer, and does a load of charity stuff. Not his biggest fan but he's def more than just a comic actor

[AgnesIO]

Also a writer and producer, and does a load of charity stuff. Not his biggest fan but he's def more than just a comic actor

That bit is still irrelevant, in my opinion.

The second part is more relevant - unfortunately, he and the co-star of Gavin and Stacey received their awards for services to drama, not charity.

[FlyingJesus]

How are writing and producing irrelevant to an award for services to drama

[AgnesIO]

How are writing and producing irrelevant to an award for services to drama

My argument is that he is not deserving of the award - he has done nothing particularly amazing over any of the other of the raft actors, writers and producers.

[-:Undertaker:-]

I can't stand James Corden either but apparently I was told he did at least a few years ago admit he was arrogant, so at least he's self-aware.