A case of "nobody knows why she's not yet a dame" (and Oklahoma!)

Secrets & Lies, Topsy-Turvy, Cranford, Poirot, Harlots, Phantom Thread, The Crown, Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris, myriad theatre productions - she's done it all. One of our most admired actresses Lesley Manville is 70 years old today! Gulp.

She's a great chat show guest, too:

The Graham Norton Show: Judi Dench Made Lesley Manville Laugh So Hard She Wet Herself

Many happy returns, Lesley Ann Manville (born 12th March 1956)

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Miss Manville happens to share her day with a number of assorted "names" - notably our Patron Saint Liza Minnelli [and you can read my tribute to her today over at the Dolores Delargo Towers Museum of Camp] - including Edward Albee, Agathe von Trapp (yes - of those Von Trapps), Googie Withers, Jack Kerouac, Graham Coxon of Blur, Thomas Arne (of Rule, Britannia fame), James Taylor, Al Jarreau, the decadent poet Gabriele D'Annunzio, Steve Harris of Iron Maiden, Dame Virginia Bottomley, David Mellor, Dame Karen Bradley, and - ahem - Amy Winehouse's ex Pete Doherty...

...and this classy gentleman, born 105 years ago today! Altogether, now, "Don't throw pork pies at me...":

Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones - People Will Say We're In Love

Albert Gordon MacRae (12th March 1921 – 24th January 1986)

Of totty, traitors, rights, photography, bats, videos and curry

Lesley Manville and Aidan Turner are to star in a new production of Les Liaisons Dangereuses at the National Theatre. You're welcome, Ms Scarlet.

It's another snippets post, dear reader:

• Celeb cornucopia news: The hit TV show Traitors has launched a successful "Celebrity" version, and for a change there actually are a load of really famous (as opposed to "TikTok influencer" or "former reality TV contestant") names in it, including sex god Tom Daley, popstrel Paloma Faith, (not-yet-a-Dame) Celia Imrie, Sir Stephen Fry, TV and radio presenter Jonathan Ross, classical crossover singer Charlotte Church, camp comic Alan Carr, sport and current affairs commentator Clare Balding, TV historian David Olusoga, daytime TV presenter Kate Garraway and actress Tameka Empson (plus a few others I'd never heard of). I'll still never, ever watch it, of course.
• Victory for free speech news: A man who was fined for burning a copy of the Quran outside the Turkish consulate in London has won his appeal against his conviction. "We live in a liberal democracy. One of the precious rights that affords us is to express our own views and read, hear and consider ideas without the state intervening to stop us doing so. The price we pay for that is having to allow others to exercise the same rights, even if that upsets, offends or shocks us", said Mr Justice Bennathan. Hear, hear!

[click to embiggen]

• Paragon of the pictorial arts news: An exhibition dedicated solely to that grand old queen of photographic portraiture, Cecil Beaton’s Fashionable World is currently on show at the National Portrait Gallery until 11th January 2026. Another one to add to our list of "must-see" outings, methinks.
• Batman eats Robin! news: By examinining its shit, scientists have discovered that the European greater noctule bat hunts and eats migrating songbirds while in flight. Tweet that!
• Money for nothin' news: 38 years after it launched in the UK, the sad death of MTV has been announced - as all its remaining five UK music channels will go off the air at the end of 2025. Video killed the radio star. Now streaming has killed music television. Sigh.
• And finally: We're at the tail end of National Curry Week! I feel a celebration coming on...

Mohammed Rafi - Jaan Pehchaan Ho from Gumnaam

A Lamb Bhuna, pilau rice and some naan bread, please...

Arise...

...house fave here at Dolores Delargo Towers Dame Sheila Hancock, cute motor-racing champion Sir Lewis Hamilton [who I hope will not be wearing just his skimpies to the Palace!], Dame Angela Eagle (first out-lesbian MP in the UK) and "Lydia Quigley" herself, Lesley Manville CBE.

Joining them in [a vast list of individuals, some famous, many more honoured for their services to the community and to charitable causes (in particular in response to the COVID-19 crisis)] HM The Queen's New Year Honours List 2021 are Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) jockey Bob Champion; Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) Nina Wadia (of Goodness Gracious Me and Eastenders fame), actor Toby Jones, cellist Natalie Clein and screenwriter Jed Mercurio; and Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) singer Craig David, Sally Dynevor (Coronation Street) and footballer and pundit Jimmy Greaves.

Congratulations, all!

My Damehood is obviously still in the post.

New Year Honours List 2021 in full
New Year Honours 2021: Overseas and International List in full