Yahoo Finance Lewis Hamilton joins Corrie, Harry Potter and EastEnders stars in NY Honours
2020 couldn't end without the announcement of the Queen's Honours List, in a year when we've needed our spirits lifted the most.
Over 1,000 people have received some sort of award this year, with hundreds being recognised for their work during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The hierarchy goes: Companion of Honour, a Knight/Damehood, CBE (Commander of the Order of British Empire), OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) and then MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire), and there are also British Empire Medals handed out too.
Some of the most famous faces to receive New Year's Honours this time around include Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton, who has been knighted after winning his seventh title in November.
Hamilton has now equalled Michael Schumacher's title record and earlier this month he was voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year for a second time.
Mercedes F1 Team Principal and CEO Toto Wolff said: "Lewis is one of the very greatest racing drivers of all time and the most successful British sportsperson of his era.
"Around the world, he has long been recognised for his sporting achievement; this year, he combined his excellence on the track with a powerful voice to fight discrimination. In every sense, he led the way in 2020.
"The news that he is to receive a knighthood shows that he is now receiving the recognition he has earned during a career of unparalleled success in motorsport. The UK can be very proud to have a champion and ambassador of the calibre of Sir Lewis Hamilton."
Stage and screen actress Sheila Hancock was made a Dame and joked: "I've never felt myself this sort of person. It just doesn't happen to people like me. I feel I may be lowering the tone. I feel slightly miscast, let's put it that way."
Receiving an OBE is actor Toby Jones, who provided the voice of Dobby in the Harry Potter films, while The Crown's Lesley Manville received a CBE for her services to drama.
From the soap world, Coronation Street star Sally Dynevor, who has played Sally Metcalfe on the cobbles since 1986, was awarded an MBE.
Sally said of the honour: "I am humbled, grateful and very proud to have received this honour. I am still in shock.
"I didn't believe it was real when I first found out earlier this month that I was to be given an MBE. Keeping it a secret has been so difficult."
Former Eastenders star Nina Wadia, who played as Zainab Masood, was made an OBE and commented: "Now it's sort of sunk in, I genuinely am still finding it hard to believe. I'm very excited of course, I feel it's a huge, huge honour that this has come my way.
"It's made my last 30 years of my career, all the hard times, feel worthwhile."
Also honoured was singer Craig David with an MBE for services to music.
An OBE was also awarded to Line Of Duty and Bodyguard writer and creator Jed Mercurio.
Some facts about this year's list of 1,239 recipients from the UK government: 49% of this year's recipients are women, 14.2% come from Black, Asian or minority ethnic background and 4% are LGBTQ+.
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