Share this article

The UK government has announced HM The King’s New Year Honours List 2024, recognising exceptional achievements from individuals across the UK.

There are more than 1,200 recipients of this year’s New Year Honours, including a number of people from theatre and the arts.

Honourees include former CEO of English National Opera Stuart Murphy, who has been awarded a CBE for services to opera. The government said: “Under his leadership during the pandemic, the English National Opera manufactured scrubs for NHS staff and initiated a clinical recovery programme for COVID-19 survivors”. Murphy stepped down from the ENO in September 2023.

Also, former Artistic Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), Gregory Doran, has been awarded a Knights Bachelor for services to the Arts.

Musical theatre lyricist Don Black OBE (Sunset Boulevard, Bonnie and Clyde, Tell Me on a Sunday, Aspects of Love, The Third Man) has been awarded a CBE for his services to Music. In 202 Don Black also received a special award at the Olivier Awards.

Acclaimed, award-winning actor Oliver Ford Davies (Racing Demon, Games of Thrones) has been made an OBE for his services to Drama.

Dame Shirley Bassey DBE becomes the 64th living member of the Order of the Companion of Honour in recognition of her services to music. This is in recognition of Dame Shirley’s remarkable career which has seen her sell more than 135 million records.

Film and theatre actor Emilia Clarke, who starred in the West End in 2022 in Jamie Lloyd’s production of The Seagull, has been awarded an MBE as Co-Founder and Trustee of SameYou, for services to People with Brain Injuries. The same award has also gone to her mother Jennifer Clarke, which is believed to be the first time a mother and daughter have both been honoured on the same list.

Elaine Bedell, Chief Executive Officer of the Southbank Centre has received an OBE for services to Business and to the Arts; and Neil Constable, outgoing CEO of Shakespeare’s Globe, was awarded a OBE for services to Theatre. Stella Kanu has now started at Shakespeare’s Globe as the new Chief Executive.

At the Royal Albert Hall, their CEO James Ainscough received an OBE for services to Music and Musicians, and their Associate Artist Anna Lapwood is made an MBE, for services to Music.

Emma Wilson has been awarded an MBE as Director of Technical, Production and Costume at the Royal Opera House, for services to the Performing Arts.

Solange Urdang received an OBE as Chief Executive Officer and Founder of The Dang Studios in London, Co-Founder, Director and Founder of the Black British Theatre Awards, and lately Chief Executive Officer of the Urdang Academy, for services to Dance and Musical Theatre.

Other Arts-related recipients include film & TV director and producer Sir Ridley Scott, who was made a Knight Grand Cross for services to the UK film industry, upgrading his previous Knighthood; Michael Eavis, founder and leader of Glastonbury Festival, has been awarded a knighthood for services to music and charity; and author Kate Mosse is awarded a CBE for services to literature, to women and to charity, including co-founding The Women’s Prize for Fiction.

Links:
Cabinet Office - New Year Honours List 2024
Sign-up for news and booking alerts about these shows and more:
Main photo: New Year Honours List 2024: Emilia Clarke in The Seagull (Photo Marc Brenner), Gregory Doran (Photo Ellie Kurttz & RSC), Shirley Bassey (at the Attitude Awards 2023), Don Black (Photo courtesy of agent)

Related News

See all

Latest News

See all