The New Year’s Honours list is out. This is the list of knighthoods and lesser honors given by King Charles and the government/Downing Street. The biggest names on this year’s honors list? Idris Elba and Cynthia Erivo. I wasn’t even aware that Erivo was on anyone’s radar for any kind of honor, although she is an Oscar-nominated and Tony-winning actress. Idris’s knighthood is less surprising – he’s been an ambassador for the King’s Trust (formerly the Prince’s Trust) for decades and he’s actually quite close to King Charles… and Idris also deejayed Prince Harry and Meghan’s wedding party.

Idris Elba leads a raft of entertainers who have been honoured for their charitable endeavours by the King. Sir Idris, as he will now be known, made his name on television with starring roles in Luther and The Wire, before featuring in big-budget films such as Thor: Ragnarok, Suicide Squad and Star Trek Beyond.

In recent years, he has turned his attention to tackling knife crime. Earlier this year, the 53-year-old discussed the issue with the King, who said the crisis was a “difficult nut to crack”.

The actor has now been knighted, while other celebrities including actress Meera Syal, “Chuckle brother” Paul Elliott, singer Ellie Goulding, TV property expert Phil Spencer and Match of the Day presenter Gabby Logan have all been recognised for campaigning or charitable causes.

Meanwhile, Wicked actress Cynthia Erivo, Last of the Summer Wine creator Roy Clarke and ice skaters Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean have also been honoured.

Sir Idris, the London-born actor, who was supported by the Prince’s Trust as a teenager, has been working with Sir Keir Starmer and families of victims to tackle the knife-crime crisis. He made a documentary earlier this year, Idris Elba: Our Knife Crime Crisis, in which he interviewed victims, offenders, grieving relatives and police officers, as well as the King himself.

With his wife, Sabrina Dhowre Elba, Sir Idris also founded the Elba Hope Foundation, an international charity which offers grants to projects which support young people.

The actor said: “I receive this honour on behalf of the many young people whose talent, ambition and resilience has driven the work of the Elba Hope Foundation. I hope we can do more to draw attention to the importance of sustained, practical support for young people and to the responsibility we all share to help them find an alternative to violence.”

Erivo, who was recognised for her services to music and drama, will add the MBE to her other awards, which include a Grammy, Daytime Emmy and Tony. The 38-year-old said: “To be given this recognition to celebrate the work that I love to do within the arts, specifically music and drama, is an honour I could never have thought would happen. I hope it shows that I care deeply about the work and will continue to do so to the best of my abilities.”

OBEs have been awarded to comedian Matt Lucas, best known for Little Britain, and actor Warwick Davis, for services to drama and charity respectively. Richard Osman, the author and TV host, said he was “absolutely thrilled” to receive his OBE for services to literature and broadcasting.

[From The Telegraph]

If you’re a British entertainer and you don’t mind being associated with the Windsors, why not? I’m happy for Sir Idris Elba, and I kind of think that Erivo deserved a bigger honor than an MBE. Surely she should have become a Commander, aka a CBE? Anyway, I suppose we’ll have to call Idris “Sir Big Driis” from now on.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.