Mo Farah, Andy Murray and Jessica Ennis-Hill lead New Year Honours list after Team GB's success in Rio

Jamie Bullen31 December 2016

Team GB’s Olympic heroes Mo Farah, Andy Murray and Jessica Ennis-Hill lead this year’s New Year Honours in a list packed with stars from the Rio Games.

Britain’s most successful track-and-field athlete Farah, 33, receives a knighthood for services to athletics while Wimbledon winner and world number one Murray, 29, also becomes a Sir for services to tennis and charity.

While retired Heptathlete Ennis-Hill becomes a Dame after she won gold at London in 2012 and silver in Brazil in August.

Farah, who won gold in the 5,000 and 10,000 metre races in Rio, said: “I'm so happy to be awarded this incredible honour from the country that has been my home since I moved here at the age of eight.

Arise: Mo Farah has received a knighthood for services to athletics
PA

"Looking back at the boy who arrived here from Somalia, not speaking any English, I could never have imagined where I would be today - it's a dream come true.

"I'm so proud to have had the opportunity to race for my country and win gold medals for the British people, who have been my biggest supporters throughout my career."

World number one: Murray won Wimbledon, an Olympic gold medal and climbed to the top of the world rankings in 2016
PA

Others to receive knighthoods include Kinks frontman Ray Davies, 72, and veteran stand-up comic Ken Dodd, 89, for services to the arts, and entertainment and charity.

Academy and Tony award-winning actor Mark Rylance, 56, is knighted for services to theatre, and opera singer Bryn Terfel gets the same honour for services to music.

While American Vogue editor Anna Wintour, 67, becomes a dame in the diplomatic and overseas list for services to fashion and journalism and Keeping Up Appearances actress Patricia Routledge, 87, is made a dame for services to the theatre and charity.

Dame Jessica: Ennis-Hill retired in 2016 following a stellar career as a heptathlete
PA

Stage and television actor Tim Pigott-Smith, 70, award-winning actress Helen McCrory, 48, and 40-year-old James Bond star Naomie Harris are appointed OBEs for services to drama.

Also selected for an OBE is double Oscar-winning costume designer Jenny Beavan, for services to drama production.

The 66-year-old said: "I feel honoured and humbled to receive such an amazing 'award' for a job that I simply love doing - storytelling through clothes.

"Hopefully some of these stories can help to connect, bring enjoyment, or make someone feel they are not alone - and do some good in this difficult world."

Honoured: Max Whitlock receives an MBE for services to gymnastics
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Victoria Beckham also receives an OBE award for services to fashion, 13 years after her husband David collected his.

Team GB’s most successful overseas games has seen many athletes honoured with awards being upgraded following on from London 2012.

Champion rower Katherine Grainger, 41, the first female Olympian to win five medals at five Games, becomes a dame for services to rowing and charity.

Two married sporting couples have also been honoured, with cycling stars Jason and Laura Kenny being upgraded to CBEs for services to the sport.

Victoria Beckham receives an OBE for fashion
PA

Kate Richardson-Walsh receives an OBE, while wife Helen Richardson-Walsh is made an MBE following Great Britain's first women's Olympic hockey gold medal. The rest of the team were also made MBEs for services to the sport.

Max Whitlock, 23, who claimed gold on the pommel and floor, as well as winning an all-around bronze, is honoured with an MBE for services to gymnastics.

He said: "This is a real honour for me.

"It is a great feeling now to see it on the name card - the three letters after my name - and it gives me a lot of motivation."

However, it is not the only those in the limelight who are being honoured.

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner Vera Baird QC is being made a dame for services to women and equality.

This year sees the greatest number of black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) background recipients in the history of the Order of the British Empire, represented by 9.3% of the successful candidates.

Awards include a damehood for Professor Elizabeth Anionwu, Emeritus Professor of Nursing, for services to nursing and the Mary Seacole Statue Appeal, and a knighthood for Professor Shankar Balasubramanian, Herchel Smith Professor of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Cambridge.

Women make up more than half of those being honoured, with 603 earning an award.

Around 10 per cent of the honours are for work in education, and feature a knighthood for Professor Barry Ife, principal of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and a knighthood for military historian Professor Antony Beevor.

The Parliamentary and Political Service Committee has made a number of recommendations, including knighthoods for Julian Brazier, Conservative MP for Canterbury and Whitstable, David Crausby, Labour MP for Bolton North East, and Steve Webb, former minister and ex-Liberal Democrat MP for Thornbury and Yate.

In total 322 BEMs, 503 MBEs and 222 OBEs have been announced.

Future honours lists will focus on services and work with children and young people, people who work to encourage social mobility and people who work in enterprise and business.

It comes in light of Prime Minister Theresa May setting new priorities for the system, in which she would also like people who work against all forms of discrimination recognised.

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