The Queen has chosen to honour those from the world of sport over most others with this year's New Years honours list, following a year of immense success by Britain during this Olympic world - however the list of honourees isn't totally dominated by the stars of Team GB.
From the entertainment world, singer Kate Bush has been awarded a CBE for her ongoing contribution to music, whilst Scottish actor Ewan McGregor is to be decorated with a OBE. Beloved childrens author Quentin Blake, whose work on the Roald Dahl books has made him internationally known, is set to receive knighthood. As well as Blake, the 'Wuthering Heights' singer and the The Impossible actor, some more unsuspecting stars are to be recognised by the Queen in her honours list, with anti-authoritarian artist Tracy Emin and choreographer and former Strictly Come Dancing judge Arlene Phillips joining Bush as a CBE honouree. Speaking briefly after their honours were announced, Bush said she is "deeply honoured", whilst Phillips said: "I am very pleasantly surprised but mostly absolutely thrilled and delighted to receive such a wonderful honour."
Outside the entertainment world, the wife of former Prime Minister Tony Blair, Cherie Blair, has also been honoured with a CBE for her ongoing services to women's rights and issues and to charity in the UK and abroad. Fashion designer Stella McCartney will be honoured with an OBE and professor Peter Higgs, who theorised the Higgs-Boson or so-called 'God particle' 48 years ago, is to be awarded the Companion of Honour (as is Lord Seb Coe), after his theorized particle was finally proved to exist in July this year in the Large Hadron Collider.
Continue reading: Kate Bush, Ewan McGregor And The Stars Of Team GB To Be Recognised In New Years Honours