The New Year Honours list for 2025 has celebrated a host of influential figures from the worlds of arts and media, recognising pioneers, beloved creators, and broadcasting stalwarts for their services to entertainment and charity.
Television Legends and Comedy Pioneers Honoured
Among the most prominent awards is a damehood for actor and writer Meera Syal. Hailed as a trailblazer, Syal was one of the first British Asian people to star regularly on UK television. She is celebrated for her work on groundbreaking shows like Goodness Gracious Me and The Kumars at No 42. In 2023, while accepting a Bafta lifetime achievement award, she emphasised the ongoing need for greater diversity across the industry, "not just in front of the camera but in the writers’ rooms, in makeup vans and around tables where deals are done".
A knighthood has been bestowed upon Roy Clarke, the creator of some of Britain's most cherished and enduring sitcoms. Before finding fame, Clarke worked as a taxi driver and teacher. His legendary creations include Last of the Summer Wine, which first aired in 1973 and ran for an incredible 31 seasons, peaking at 18 million viewers. He also created Keeping Up Appearances, home to the iconic Hyacinth Bucket, and Open All Hours, which showcased the brilliant partnership of Ronnie Barker and David Jason.
Comedian Paul Elliott, best known as one half of the Chuckle Brothers, receives an MBE. He described the honour as "probably the best shock" of his life. He and his late brother Barry starred in nearly 300 episodes of the slapstick children's show ChuckleVision. Elliott has been a prominent supporter of the Marie Curie charity, which cared for Barry before his death from bone cancer in 2017.
Broadcasting and Literary Stars Recognised
In sports broadcasting, Gabby Logan has been awarded an OBE for her services to the field and to charity. Logan is a leading presenter on BBC's Match of the Day. Fellow football commentator Clive Tyldesley, famed for his "And Solskjaer has won it!" line during Manchester United's 1999 Champions League final victory, also receives an OBE.
Richard Osman's remarkable second act as a bestselling author has earned him an OBE for services to literature and broadcasting. Following a career as a TV executive and co-host of Pointless, his Thursday Murder Club book series has dominated bestseller lists, with the fifth instalment, The Impossible Fortune, topping the charts for 2025.
Other notable media honours include OBEs for comedians Matt Lucas and Bill Bailey, and an MBE for Location, Location, Location presenter Phil Spencer. Former Coronation Street star Sally Lindsay also receives an MBE.
Influential Industry Leaders Awarded
The honours list also recognises key executives shaping British broadcasting. Charlotte Moore, the BBC's former chief content officer, and Alex Mahon, the ex-chief executive of Channel 4, both receive OBEs. Both women have been touted as potential successors to the outgoing BBC director general, Tim Davie.
This year's list underscores the profound and lasting impact these individuals have had on British cultural life, from defining the nation's television landscape over decades to breaking barriers and achieving new heights in literature and sports presentation.
