New Year Honours list: Stephen Fry, Carey Mulligan, Sarah Lancashire and more recognised

This year’s New Year Honours list has been revealed, with a plethora of individuals from the worlds of arts, performance and culture recognised for their services.

Broadcaster, actor, author and presenter Stephen Fry has been knighted for services to mental health awareness, the environment and to charity. Fry has been on stage on a variety of occasions, including at Shakespeare’s Globe in a much-celebrated staging of Twelfth Night. Fry also presented his Mythos books live to audiences before the pandemic.

Other performers recognised include veteran stage performer Carmen Munroe, who made her stage debut over 60 years ago and has now been made dame. She also famously founded hit theatre company Talawa.

Sarah Lancashire (Happy Valley), Carey Mulligan (Girls and Boys, An Education), and Anne Reid (Last Tango in Halifax), were each recognised with CBEs (Commander of the Order of the British Empire). Anne-Marie Duff, currently on stage in The Little Foxes, was made OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire), as was actor Eddie Marsan (Back to Black) and Lewis star Kevin Whately.

An OBE was also given to former SOLT President Eleanor Lloyd, who has helped steer a number of key productions to UK stages and played a major part in campaigning on behalf of live entertainment during the Covid lockdowns.

Lloyd commented said today: “Alongside my work as a theatre producer, I am proud to have played a part in helping the theatre sector navigate the devastating pandemic closure and fragile recovery. In 2020, we came together as an industry to do everything we could to protect the people, the shows, and the spaces that make British theatre world-leading.

“I am honoured to be recognised with an OBE. Theatre is a team sport and it is only right, in this moment, to acknowledge the many tenacious people who shared their time, encouragement, and wisdom in the darkest days of the pandemic, and who continue to work doggedly to make our shows and our industry so brilliant today.”

Christine Cort, co-founder of Manchester International Festival, was made OBE, alongside Dee Conaghan of Beyond Theatre Company.

Doctor Who legend Tom Baker, who played the fourth regeneration of the iconic character, was made MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire), as was Old Laundy Theatre’s Roger Glossop, Melanie Lewis (lately chief executive of Shakespeare North Playhouse), Carol Straker, founder of the Carol Straker Dance Foundation, Daniel Schunmann, founder of VIVA Theatre and Peter Young, board member at Guildhall. Myleene Klass was also awarded the prize. 

Those made medallists of the Order of the British Empire, a tier below MBE, include Kathleen Jane Hamilton, previously a theatre manager and administrator, Mark Long, founding team member and producer of Sawston Youth Drama, Deborah Lowe, chair and director of Youth Onstage and Donald Mead, vice-president and formerly chair of the Oscar Wilde Society.

Beyond the realm of theatre, Jacqueline Wilson has been awarded a Dame Grand Cross for services to literature, while author Kazuo Ishiguro (The Remains of the Day, Never Let Me Go), was made Companion (one of the most prestigious positions in the nation). The Birmingham Rep’s newly appointed Chair of the Board, Andy Street, was knighted.