YOU’RE THE GONG THAT I WANT
Grease star becomes dame in honours list
GREASE star Olivia Newton-John leads the world of showbiz on the New Year’s honours list and said she was “extremely excited” to be made a dame.
The British-born Australian actress and singer was among a glittering array of figures from the arts to be honoured. They included Elton John, Queen’s Roger Taylor and acclaimed director Sam Mendes.
Made a dame for services to charity, cancer research and entertainment, Newton-John, who moved to Australia with her family as a five-year-old, said: “As a girl born in Cambridge, I am very proud of my British ancestry and so appreciative to be recognised in this way by the United Kingdom.”
Mendes, who directed two Bond films as well as multiple international theatre productions, said he was “amazed, delighted and extremely proud” to be given a knighthood. D-Day veteran Harry Billinge is made an MBE for services to charitable fundraising.
Battle of Arnhem veteran Wilfred Oldham, from Bury, receives an MBE for services to commemorations and UK/Dutch relations. Tory MP Iain Duncan Smith, the architect of the brutal Universal Credit system, is knighted.
Queen drummer Taylor and Snow Patrol lead singer Gary Lightbody have been made OBEs.
Sir Elton John gets an upgrade, being appointed to the Order of the Companions of Honour – granted to those who have made a major contribution to arts, science, medicine, or government.
Coronation Street actor Derek Griffiths – who played Freddie Smith from 2016-17 – gets an MBE for services to drama and diversity.
Culinary household names Ainsley Harriott and Nadiya Hussain, who won the 2015 series of The Great British Bake Off, are made MBEs, while chef and author Nigel Slater becomes an OBE.
Wine writer Robert “Oz” Clarke becomes an OBE for services to journalism, while BBC Radio 1’s longestserving presenter Annie Nightingale is made a CBE for services to radio.
Holocaust survivors Mindu Hornick and John Hajdu each become an MBE for services to Holocaust education and commemoration.
In total, 1097 people will receive awards, the Cabinet Office said, with 50.7 per cent of them going to women – the secondhighest for a New Year honours list, after 51 per cent in 2014.