New Year Honours for BBC radio presenters

A number of BBC Radio 4 presenters have been honoured in the New Year’s Honours list for 2014, including Nicholas Parsons.

Just a Minute host (Charles) Nicholas Parsons gets a CBE for charitable services, particularly to Children’s Charities. It’s in addition to his OBE for services to drama and broadcasting he got a decade ago.

90 year old Nicholas said: “I think honours are a wonderful thing to receive if you have worked hard and that is recognised. I don’t understand these people who are pompous and say they don’t want it.”

Sandi Toksvig, who was inducted to Radio Academy Hall of Fame last year has been honoured with an OBE for her services to broadcasting, along with former Archers editor Vanessa Whitburn for services to radio drama.

Vanessa retired earlier this year after 22 years.

Sandi Toksvig said: “I’m honoured to have been recognised in this way. Broadcasting is a team effort and I would like to pay tribute to all the writers, production and technical staff I’ve worked with over the years.”

Other radio-related honours include an MBE for Radio 1’s Pete Tong for services to Broadcasting and Music, and an OBE for Katherine Jenkins, who worked at Classic FM this year.

Daniel Lawrence has received a BEM (British Empire Medal) for services to Community Radio in Essex. He’s a member of Gateway 97.8 and a Director of the Community Radio Association. He told RadioToday: “This honour I receive is fantastic news both personally for me and for community radio, which is seen as the third tier of radio in the UK. I look forward to continuing my work in local radio and making the community a better place to live.”

There are OBEs for Terrence Anthony Riley, Chief executive of the British Sign Language Broadcasting Trust and Chair of the British Deaf Association for services to Broadcasting and Deaf People and Geraint Talfan Davies for his services to Culture, Broadcasting and to charity.

And MBEs are awarded to Richard Hill, former chairman of Northern Ireland Screen for services to Broadcast Media in Northern Ireland, and Faye Ann McLeod for services to Broadcasting and to the community in Northern Ireland.