It is more than 40 years since she sang You’re The One That I Want with John Travolta in the hit film musical Grease.
Now Olivia Newton-John has been recognised in today’s New Year’s Honours by being made a dame.
The 71-year-old heads a list of showbusiness figures to be honoured by the Queen that includes filmmakers Sam Mendes and Steve McQueen, actress Wendy Craig, TV presenter Floella Benjamin, Queen drummer Roger Taylor and singer Billy Ocean.
Speaking about her award for services to charity and entertainment, Dame Olivia said she was ‘grateful beyond words’.
The singer, who was born in Cambridge but has spent most of her life in Australia, said the honour had filled her with pride in her British roots.
Olivia Newton as ‘sexy’ Sandy in Grease – 1978 – has now been recognised in today’s New Year’s Honours by being made a dame
‘I am extremely excited, honoured and grateful beyond words to be included with such an esteemed group of women who have received this distinguished award before me. I am very proud of my British ancestry and so appreciative to be recognised in this way.’
Dame Olivia, the granddaughter of Nobel Prize-winning physicist Max Born, moved to Australia when she was six after her father Wilfred, a former MI5 officer who worked on the Enigma project, became a professor at the University of Melbourne.
She rose to fame as a singer in the 70s, launching her career in the UK and representing Britain in the Eurovision Song Contest. She had three UK No 1 singles and sold more than 100million albums. But the pinnacle of her career came in 1978 when she starred as Sandy opposite Travolta in Grease, one of the most successful films ever.
Olivia Newton-John has sold more than 100 million albums and starred in one of the world’s most successful musicals, but her life is all about gratitude and wellness – and supporting fellow cancer sufferers
Dame Olivia has dedicated much of her life to cancer awareness – she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992, resulting a partial mastectomy and chemotherapy.
The illness returned in 2013, when she underwent a second round of treatment, and in 2017.
Olivia, who is an outspoken advocate for the use of medical cannabis, also revealed that her husband of 11 years John Easterling, pictured, makes her a herbal pain relief which has helped her through it
James Bond director Sam Mendes is knighted, as is London-born Steve McQueen, the first black filmmaker to win a best picture Oscar.
Sir Sam, 54, who has directed two of Daniel Craig’s 007 films and won an Oscar for American Beauty, said yesterday: ‘I’m amazed, delighted and extremely proud. I have stood on the shoulders of so many collaborators and colleagues over the last 30 years – actors, writers, designers, producers, technicians – to whom I owe a huge debt of gratitude.’ McQueen, 50, won the Academy Award for his film 12 Years A Slave.
Wendy Craig, 85, who starred in the sitcoms Butterflies and Not in Front of the Children, is made a CBE – as is EastEnders star Rudolph Walker, 80.
Queen drummer Roger Taylor, 70, becomes an OBE and soul singer Billy Ocean, 69, is made an MBE. Days after the death of his father, Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody, 43, receives an OBE for services to music and charity.
TV presenter Gabby Logan, 46, is awarded an MBE for promoting women in sport and broadcasting.
Knighthood: Steve McQueen, the first black filmmaker to win a best picture Oscar (left). Liberal Democrat peer Floella Benjamin, 70, host of children’s shows Play School and Play Away, has been made a dame for services to charity
Liberal Democrat peer Floella Benjamin, 70, host of children’s shows Play School and Play Away, has been made a dame for services to charity. Baroness Benjamin said: ‘When I came to Britain aged ten [from Trinidad] I had a pretty tough time. Getting this award is a bit of me getting something back.’
Radio 1’s longest-serving presenter, Annie Nightingale, 79, receives a CBE, while novelist Rose Tremain, 76, is made a dame.
Giles Terera, 43, who won an Olivier Award for playing Aaron Burr in the hit West End musical Hamilton, is made an MBE for services to theatre.
James Bond director Sam Mendes is knighted (left). Wendy Craig, 85, who starred in the sitcoms Butterflies and Not in Front of the Children, is made a CBE
Days after the death of his father, Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody, 43, receives an OBE for services to music and charity
There is an MBE for Sheku Kanneh-Mason, 20, the cellist who played at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding last year.
Ibrahim Yousaf, at 13 the youngest person on the list, is awarded a British Empire Medal for raising thousands of pounds for his community in Oldham.
Officials hailed this year’s list for its diversity, with women receiving more than half of the awards and 44 per cent of the higher honours.
Some 9.1 per cent of recipients are from a black and minority ethnic background.
The Government has introduced measures to make the awards more representative of society following years of rows about cronyism.
Sir Elton John reflected on his disbelief at enjoying the most successful year of his life at 72
Now Sir Elton’s joined the elite
Only a few days ago, Sir Elton John reflected on his disbelief at enjoying the most successful year of his life at 72.
But with just four days of 2019 remaining the singer, pictured, has been handed one extra accolade to crown a remarkable 12 months.
He has been appointed to the Order of the Companions of Honour – an elite group of Britain’s most notable figures from the arts, science and politics. Though already knighted by the Queen in 1998, the special award in the New Year Honours list marks an upgrade for the superstar to mark his services to music and charity.
The award comes after a remarkable year that saw the release of the screen biopic Rocketman, which became a box office hit.
The singer, who has sold more than 300million records worldwide, was named as the top male solo artist of all-time by Billboard magazine in November. Sir Elton, who has two sons with his husband David Furnish, also published his autobiography, Me, serialised in the Daily Mail.
Nadiya Hussain, 35, who rose to stardom after winning the 2015 Great British Bake Off
TV chefs cook up their own recipe for success
After helping to transform the nation into an army of inventive cooks, some of the country’s most famous television chefs have been honoured for their work.
Nadiya Hussain, 35, who rose to stardom after winning the 2015 Great British Bake Off, is awarded an MBE for services to broadcasting and the culinary arts.
Also awarded an MBE is Ainsley Harriott, 62, who hosted BBC’s Ready Steady Cook.
Nigel Slater, 61, receives an OBE for services to cookery and literature. While wine writer Oz Clarke has been given an OBE for services to broadcasting and journalism.
Cricketer Ben Stokes capped his remarkable year with an OBE
Owzat for a cricket clean sweep!
Cricketer Ben Stokes capped his remarkable year with an OBE.
The 28-year-old all rounder, whose reputation had been tarnished by a late-night brawl in 2018, played two astonishing innings to help England win the World Cup final at Lord’s, right, and then an amazing Test against Australia.
Teammates Eoin Morgan (CBE), Joe Root (MBE) and Jos Buttler (MBE) are also honoured. Australian coach Trevor Bayliss gets an OBE while West Indian Clive Lloyd is knighted. In football, Jill Scott, the Manchester City and England midfielder, receives an MBE. The 32-year-old, who has been capped 136 times, said she was astonished to be told of her award.
‘I didn’t actually receive a letter because I have moved house, so I think they were chasing me at the time,’ she said.
‘I got a phone call when I was in Marks & Spencer and I nearly dropped all my Christmas shopping. I thought I was in trouble and that I hadn’t paid a parking fine or something.’
The men behind England’s historic victory at the World Cup have been recognised in the 2020 New Year Honours list, with Ben Stokes, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan, Jos Buttler and Trevor Bayliss all awarded titles for services to cricket
Dany Cotton stood down early from the role this week
Snub for ex-fire chief criticised over Grenfell
The former commissioner of the London Fire Brigade has been overlooked in the New Year’s Honours list amid ongoing controversy over her handling of the Grenfell tragedy.
Dany Cotton stood down early from the role this week following criticism of the service’s decision to issue stay-put advice to residents at the tower block during the blaze.
Serving or outgoing chiefs of the service are normally handed awards – either while in the post or as they step down.
But sources said yesterday that nobody connected with the Grenfell tragedy would be singled out for an honour before the public inquiry into the disaster is concluded.
D-Day veteran honoured again
D-Day veteran Harry Billinge, 94, who helped raise almost £20,000 for a British memorial honouring his fallen comrades, has been awarded an MBE.
A Cockney who has lived in Cornwall for 70 years, he said: ‘I did my job and I didn’t want any glory. There’s no glory in war. I am choked beyond measure to think I have got an MBE. I don’t deserve it.’
D-Day veteran Harry Billinge, 94, who helped raise almost £20,000 for a British memorial honouring his fallen comrades, has been awarded an MBE
The quiet knight: IDS becomes a Sir
Former Tory Party leader Iain Duncan Smith receives a knighthood
Former Tory Party leader Iain Duncan Smith – the self-declared ‘quiet man’ of politics – receives a knighthood.
A former lieutenant in the Scots Guards, he was work and pensions secretary under David Cameron from 2010 to 2016 and founded the Centre for Social Justice. He has been regarded as the ‘architect’ of universal credit.
Sir Iain, pictured, joined the Conservative Party in 1981 and succeeded William Hague as leader in 2001.
In 2002, during a difficult time in his leadership, he famously declared: ‘Do not underestimate the determination of the quiet man.’ The following year, at the party conference, he said: ‘The quiet man is here to stay and he’s turning up the volume.’
He chaired Boris Johnson’s successful Tory leadership campaign.
Law chief’s honour sparks a new storm
By Jack Doyle and David Wilkes for The Daily Mail
An honour for former chief prosecutor Alison Saunders sparked a ‘rewards for failure’ row last night.
She was made a Dame for services to criminal justice despite being branded ‘probably the worst DPP [director of public prosecutions] ever’.
Former chief prosecutor Alison Saunders sparked a ‘rewards for failure’ row last night
In her honours citation, Dame Alison was described as having given ‘unstinting public service’ to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), where she worked for more than 30 years.
But critics pointed to a series of scandals on her watch, including the collapse of several rape trials over prosecutors’ failure to disclose evidence, and Operation Elveden, a ‘witch hunt’ against journalists that cost £20million.
Other senior figures to be handed honours include John Manzoni, the chief executive of the civil service, and NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens, who receive knighthoods.
There are damehoods for Lib Dem peer Baroness Floella Benjamin for services to charity and Ofcom boss Sharon White.
Former chief medical officer Dame Sally Davies received an even higher honour, becoming Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath.
Dame Alison was expected to receive her honour last year in the months after she left the CPS, raising speculation it had been blocked.
Last night backbench Tory MP Nigel Evans said he was ‘bitterly disappointed’ by the decision.
He said: ‘A lot of people have been wrongly accused when she was leading the charge. She created a lot of victims, who are still suffering from being wrongfully accused. This creates another injustice on top of the injustices.’
Barrister Jonathan Goldberg QC also criticised the honour. He said: ‘This will be viewed as a bad joke. She is seen by us as probably the worst DPP ever. She has presided over a terrible demoralisation within the CPS, disaster after disaster in the field of sex crimes and disclosure.’