Stephen Fry, Gareth Southgate and Keely Hodgkinson awarded New Year's Honours

30 December 2024, 22:31

Actor Stephen Fry and former England manager Gareth Southgate have been knighted in the New Year Honours.

Sir Stephen, 67, known for shows such as Blackadder and QI, was recognised for services to mental health awareness, the environment and to charity.

He said that he felt "startled and enchanted" after receiving the letter informing him of the knighthood.

He added: "When you are recognised it does make you feel a bit 'crikey', but I think the most emotional thing is that when I think of my childhood, and my dreadful unhappiness and misery and stupidity, and everything that led to so many failures as a child.

"And for my parents, really, what a disaster. I mean every time the phone rang, they thought, 'Oh, God, what has Stephen done now'. It was a sort of joke in the family."

Sir Gareth, 54, is knighted for services to football, after leading the Three Lions to the finals of Euro 2020 and 2024, and the semi-final of the 2018 World Cup.

Creator of the Tracy Beaker series, Jacqueline Wilson, has been made a Dame Grand Cross (GBE) for services to literature, while actress Carey Mulligan and TV presenter Alan Titchmarsh become Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE).

Actor Eddie Marsan has been made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) and Myleene Klass becomes a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE).

There is an MBE for Keely Hodgkinson, 22, after she claimed gold in the 800 metres at the Paris Olympics.

There are also awards for actress Sarah Lancashire and actor Kevin Whately.