Prue Leith, Arlene Phillips and Jonathan Pryce are among the stars of stage and screen who have been named in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.
Great British Bake Off judge Leith has been made a dame for services to food, broadcasting and charity.
Choreographer and former Strictly Come Dancing judge Phillips also becomes a dame for services to dance and charity.
And Oscar-nominated actor Pryce has been knighted for services to drama and charity.
Although best-known as a celebrity cook and Bake Off judge, Prue Leith has also had a long career in catering, restaurants and teaching. She has written many cookery books and newspaper columns plus several novels, as well as being involved in charity work.
She has also acted as an adviser on nutrition, most recently for Prime Minister Boris Johnson on how to make hospital food more healthy.
“To be honoured for doing something that you love doing is just the icing on cake, isn’t it,” she said in a statement.
Arlene Phillips rose to fame in the 1970s as the director of dance troupe Hot Gossip before going on to choreograph West End and Broadway productions such as Flashdance, Grease and We Will Rock You.
She sat at the Strictly judges’ desk between 2004-08, and last month joined forces with Strictly dancer Oti Mabuse to stage the European premiere of the musical The Cher Show.
“It’s crazy,” she said of becoming a dame. “It’s wonderful. It has been recognised how important dance is to people. And dance and creating dance is one of the most empowering careers you can have.”
Jonathan Pryce was nominated for best actor at last year’s Oscars for his role in The Two Popes opposite Sir Anthony Hopkins.
He has also been cast to take over as Prince Philip in the forthcoming final two series of Netflix’s The Crown, and played the High Sparrow in the fifth and sixth seasons of Game of Thrones.
Reacting to his knighthood, the actor said: “That the UK continues to honour those that work in the arts acknowledges the great contribution artists make to the way we live our lives.”
The arts “remind people to be kinder, more understanding, questioning and to be more empathetic”, he said in a statement.
“It shows people the importance of debate and tolerance and these last few divisive years have shown the need for that more than ever. After almost 50 years as an actor I am proud to think that the work and ideals that I have shared with my friends and colleagues is being honoured in this way.”
