BRITAIN: Britain's Olympic gold-medallists, headed by Kelly Holmes, Matthew Pinsent and Tanni Grey-Thompson, are celebrating their inclusion in Queen Elizabeth's New Year Honours List published today.
The Olympian athletes dominate the list which also contains an array of stars from showbusiness, and figures from literature, the arts, business and journalism.
The modest Ms Holmes, who won the 800 and 1,500 metres at Athens to become the first Briton for 84 years to achieve an Olympic middle-distance double, is made a dame.
She said she was amazed that "a girl brought up in a humble council house could be made Dame Kelly Holmes".
Rower Matthew Pinsent, who led Britain's coxless four to the narrowest of victories and thus became one of only five athletes to win gold at four successive Olympic Games, gets a knighthood.
He said he was "overjoyed" by the honour, adding: "I am delighted that so many rowers are yet again among the recipients."
There are awards for the other British gold medallists - including a damehood for Tanni Grey-Thompson, regarded as Britain's greatest-ever Paralympic athlete, who secured two more golds at Athens.
She said it was "pretty cool" to be made a dame, insisting: "Just call me Tanni." She added: "I still can't believe it. I never ever, ever dreamt I would get something like this."
Elsewhere, there are awards for veteran actors Eric Sykes and Anna Massey, as well as for Tom Wilkinson of Full Monty fame and for the TV sitcom star Geoffrey Palmer.
Ray Cooney, author of many Whitehall farces, and John Sullivan, writer of the TV hit series Only Fools And Horses, are also honoured.
In the world of music, rock icon Roger Daltrey and pop svengali and X-Factor pundit Pete Waterman figure in the list.
Honours also go to Dr Michael Foale, who became the first Briton to walk in space, to the man who invented the automatic cash-dispenser, John Shepherd-Barron, to golfer Colin Montgomerie, and to veteran broadcaster Alan Whicker.
All these rub shoulders with a host of "ordinary people", many of whom have been nominated by their local communities.
These people include a lollipop lady, a hospital porter, a crossword compiler - and even a town crier.