KNIGHT FEVER
Bee Gees legend Barry made a Sir
BEE Gee Barry Gibb is gripped by Saturday Knight Fever today after being made a Sir by the Queen.
The singer, 71, is joined in the New Year Honours List by new Dame, Strictly judge Darcey Bussell.
STRICTLY Come Dancing judge Darcey Bussell has said she is “truly humbled” to have been made a dame for services to dance in the New Year Honours.
Music legends Barry Gibb and Ringo Starr were among the other big names to pick up gongs, with both being awarded knighthoods.
Gibb, who is recognised for his services to music and charity, dedicated the honour to his late brothers and former Bee Gees bandmates Robin and Maurice.
He said he was “deeply honoured, humbled and very proud” to be recognised, adding: “This is a moment in life to be treasured and never forgotten.
“I want to acknowledge how responsible my brothers are for this honour. It is as much theirs as it is mine.”
Describing how he felt when he learned about the award, the singer, 71, said: “The magic, the glow and the rush will last me the rest of my life.”
Fellow musician Starr, whose real name is Richard Starkey, was revealed to be in line for a knighthood for services to music days ahead of the announcement.
His award comes 52 years after he received an MBE as part of the Fab Four and about 20 years after fellow bandmate Sir Paul McCartney was honoured.
Starr, 77, said: “It’s great. It’s an honour and a pleasure to be considered and acknowledged for my music and my charity work, both of which I love. Peace and love. Ringo.”
Bussell, who was the youngestever principal at the Royal Ballet aged just 20, said she was “happy accept the gong on behalf of dance groups everywhere”.
The 48-year-old added: “Dance is such a beautiful art form, it is inspiring and provides joy, social cohesion and wellbeing.”
Several other stars from the world of showbiz received royal recognition.
Author and journalist Jilly Cooper is recognised for services to literature and charity, actor Hugh Laurie for services to drama and former British Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman for her contribution to fashion journalism.
All will have their OBEs upgraded to CBEs.
Among the 1123 people honoured is 80s star and self-described “maverick” Marc Almond, who receives an OBE for services to arts and culture.
The 60-year-old, whose hits as one half of electric duo Soft Cell include Tainted Love, said he was “totally excited” to be recognised, adding: “I can’t really be a rebel any more. I think it’s time to leave it to younger people.”
Breakfast TV veteran Eamonn Holmes, 58, is awarded an OBE for services to broadcasting.
Lynne Franks, the PR guru who inspired Absolutely Fabulous, also got an OBE and said she hopes it will “shine a light on her work empowering women”.
Away from the mainstream, grime music features on this year’s list, with Richard Cowie, aka Wiley, receiving an MBE for services to music.
Wiley, 38, who has been described as the “godfather of Grime” and a pioneer of the underground scene, said: “I’m honoured to be receiving an MBE. It feels like the school grade I wanted and didn’t get but now I’m finally there.”
In a more controversial move, former deputy prime minister and prominent Remain campaigner Nick Clegg, 50, is to be made a knight for political and public service.
Clegg’s award has provoked criticism among some Brexiteers, while critics on the left claimed the former Lib-Dem leader was being rewarded for being a crony of former Tory PM David Cameron.
Also receiving knighthoods are Tory MPs Graham Brady, 50, chairman of the party’s 1922 committee, Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, 64, and Christopher Chope, 70, while Cheryl Gillan, 65, vice chairman of the committee, is made a dame.
On the Labour side, Preston MP Mark Hendrick, 59, and Commons deputy speaker Lindsay Hoyle, 60, are knighted.
War Horse author Michael Morpurgo joins them with a knighthood for services to literature and charity.
Morpurgo, 74, said he had Joey, the equine character from the 1982 children’s book which became a major play, to thank for his award.
He said: “There was never a knight that has owed so much to his horse as this one – and in fact, we will give the knighthood to Joey and call him Sir Joey.”
Women make up just less than half of those honoured, with 551 earning an award, and 9.2 per cent come from a black, Asian and minority ethnic background. The oldest people to be honoured are 101-year-olds Lieutenant Colonel Mordaunt Cohen, who receives an MBE for services to Second World War education, and Helena Jones, who is given a British Empire Medal for services to young people and the community in Brecon, Powys.
Lucia Mee, 18, is the youngest to be recognised, with a British Empire Medal for her work raising awareness of organ donation.
The magic, the glow and the rush will last me the rest of my life BARRY GIBB