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Actors Idris Elba and Meera Syal have been named among the recipients of knighthoods and damehoods in the New Year Honours list, which also recognises Olympic ice skating legends Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean with top distinctions.
Elba, widely known for his roles in The Wire and Luther, was knighted for his services to young people, in recognition of his work through the Elba Hope Foundation. The charity focuses on community empowerment, education, youth advocacy and sustainable development.
Reacting to the honour, Elba said: “I hope we can do more to draw attention to the importance of sustained, practical support for young people and to the responsibility we all share to help them find an alternative to violence.”
Comedian, writer and actor Meera Syal, best known for The Kumars at No 42, was made a dame for her contributions to literature, drama and charitable causes.
Former NHS England chief executive Amanda Pritchard also received a damehood. She said the honour belonged to NHS workers delivering care at the frontline.
Several other prominent figures were knighted, including Patrick McCabe, a former United Nations official recognised for his work clearing unexploded ordnance in Gaza; Tristram Hunt, the former Labour MP and current director of the Victoria and Albert Museum, honoured for services to museums; and Roy Clarke, the veteran television writer behind Last of the Summer Wine, Open All Hours and Keeping Up Appearances.
Torvill and Dean, who captured Olympic gold at the 1984 Winter Games and later became household names as the faces of Dancing on Ice, were appointed dame and knight respectively for services to ice skating and voluntary service. The duo described the recognition as “wonderful and humbling at the same time”.
Dean said: “It’s been mentioned by fans and supporters, but it’s something that we never realised might happen.”
Torvill said the timing of the honour felt especially meaningful, coming after their final performance on the ice earlier this year. “It was a big thing for us to mark our career before retirement, and then receiving this award at the end of the year, it’s just finished everything. It’s perfect,” she said.
