Actress Sheila becomes a dame
SHEILA HANCOCK said she feels “an immense sense of duty” after becoming a dame in the New Year Honours.
The actress, 87, has been recognised for services to drama and charity and joked “I may be lowering the tone”.
Dame Sheila, who from a working class background has been part of British cultural life since the 1960s with roles on the stage and screen, told the PA news agency she was “very flattered” at the honour.
She said: “I’ve never felt myself this sort of person. It just doesn’t happen to people like me. I feel I may be lowering the tone. I feel slightly miscast, let’s put it that way.
“But I also feel an immense sense of duty as a result of it. Far from feeling, ‘how lovely, wonderful and good me, pat on the back and now I can sit and enjoy myself,’ I actually feel challenged by it.”
Dame Sheila, who was married to the actor John
Thaw before his death in 2002, started her career in the theatre, finding success in both the West End and on Broadway.
Her career flourished with comedy performances on the BBC, with roles in sitcoms including The Rag Trade, Mr Digby Darling and Now, Take My Wife.
Meanwhile, Coronation Street star Sally Dynevor has said she is “still in shock” at being made an MBE for services to drama.
The actress has played the ambitious Sally Webster in the soap since 1986, having made her television debut a year earlier in an episode of police drama Juliet Bravo, playing Wendy Cunningham, a troubled schoolgirl who becomes a heroin addict.
Noughties UK garage star Craig David has been made an MBE for services to music.
The singer and rapper found overnight fame with the release of his debut album Born To Do It in 2000.