Sheridan Smith gets a New Year honour

Comedy actresses Sheridan Smith and Meera Syal have been recognised in the New Year Honours list.

Smith 33, who started her TV career in The Royle Family, has been given an OBE for services to drama.

She said: ‘I’m sincerely thankful and humbled to be recognised with such an honour. I’m overwhelmed and hope to continue doing the work that I love for many years to come.’

After playing Emma in the Caroline Aherne comedy, Smith joined Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, where she remained for eight years.

Her other comedy credits include Grownups, Radio 4’s Elephants to Catch Eels and Gavin and Stacey – while she also won acclaim for playing Cilla Black in a three-part biopic of the star earlier this year.

As previously reported, Smith’s former boyfriend James Corden has also been awarded an OBE for services to entertainment and charity for his work with Comic Relief and Sport Relief.

It comes a year after his Gavin & Stacey co-creator Ruth Jones received an MBE – and three months before The Wrong Mans star takes over the Late, Late Show on American network CBS from Craig Ferguson.

Meanwhile, Syal, 58, has been honoured with a CBE for her services to drama and literature.

As well as her comedy roles in Goodness Gracious Me and The Kumars at No 42, but has also won acclaim for her books about the experiences of British Asians, Anita and Me and Life Isn't All Ha Ha Hee Hee.

Published: 30 Dec 2014