RTD OBE

[SiHart]

From OG:

Russell T Davies, the lead writer and executive producer of Doctor Who and the man who has spearheaded the revival of the programme since 2003, has been created an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire - OBE - in the Queen's Birthday Honours List. One of the highest civilian honours available to a British subject, the OBE is awarded by the Queen, on the advice of the Government, and has been given to Davies for his services to drama.

The Times quotes Davies as saying: "I'm delighted to accept, and I hope it does the whole industry a bit of good, for the writing of television drama to be recognised." Davies is the second Doctor Who producer to have been accorded the honour - the late Verity Lambert was given an OBE in 2002

Congtulations RTD

Si xx

[Kaybee Bailey]

Well deserved I'd say.

[WhiteCrow]

Yes well deserved. I guess there'll be more than one queen in Buckingham palace when he picks that up.

[Ralph]

they give these things out like smarties these days

[Llordllama]

Nothing for David T though! For shame.

[Jamie McCrimmon]

Tennant can have a Knighthood when Tom Baker becomes Galactic Emperor.

[Rob McCow]

Congratulations to RTD That's wonderful.

I'm sure when David Tennant is in his 50's he'll have the full set of medals.

[Andrew Curnow]

Still no knighthood for Tom though

In all seriousness though, it's quite nice that RTD is getting a nod, and is getting it mainly (let's be honest) for Doctor Who. I have to say I think Ralph's right in that they seem a bit too free & easy with these things nowadays, and I'm not sure the entertainment industry is really that deserving of them (I don't quite get the correlation between an honour and appearing in x-numbers of a popular sitcom) but if they're going to be given out then chuck 'em Doctor Who's way by all means.

Do we have to refer to him as RTDOBE now though?

[Zbigniev Hamson]

They should probably consider combining the Queen's Birthday Honours List with the BAFTAs. As it is they're just stepping on each other's toes at the moment.

[Lissa]

[Goodies]They should make him an Earl as well as an OBE, then he'd be an earlobe[/Goodies].

[Dirk Gently]

@Lissa's quote.


Congrats to Rusty Davies.

[Larry]

well done to Russell...

[Captain Tancredi]

I find it slightly strange in that to my mind awards and honours should be given for a body of work rather than for a 20-year career. Mind you, the oddest honour seems to me to be the New Zealand Order of Merit- in a country of about 4 million, they give out 250 a year. They've already been doing it for twelve years, so in another four years 0.1% of the population will have one.

[Ralph]

The entertainment industry must surely must be the most recognised for "achievement" on the planet - I don't see any other group of people who are often more rewarded in wealth, status as well as praise. In my view of course

[Stuart Wallis]

they give these things out like smarties these days

Where's mine then? Where's Pip's Order of Merit? or Si Hunt's KBE?

Sack the Queen and put Lissa in charge or I'll send The Lads round! Then RTD can have as many gongs as he likes! And good luck to him!

I feel strangely better for that...

***

I'm a bit surprised, like Ian, that he's been given a medal for relatively little (RTD, not Ian), compared to, say, Bruce Forsythe or Des O'Connor, or Joe Calsaghe, whose charity work has at least been noted. Ah well, we all should get our medals at Christmas, the way they're handed out these days...

[Ralph]

Where's mine then? Where's Pip's Order of Merit? or Si Hunt's KBE?

All in good time my friend...all in good time....

[Stuart Wallis]

And what about Lissa becoming Queen, eh? I dunno, bloody Republicans...

[Kaybee Bailey]

They should probably consider combining the Queen's Birthday Honours List with the BAFTAs. As it is they're just stepping on each other's toes at the moment.

That's a bit unfair, they give out plenty more of these honours to lollipop ladies, foster parents, charity workers etc, but they don't get reported because most people in the country don't know who 'June, 84, amateur astronomer and community volunteer' is. Unless you go looking for them then you only hear about the celebs.

[Captain Tancredi]

Thinking about it a bit more yesterday, I did wonder whether post-devolution the recommendations for honours for Wales came from a separate list- in which case RTD is also being honoured as the public face of confidence in the arts in Wales and a sudden mushrooming in the amount of drama being recorded there.

[Ralph]

That's a bit unfair, they give out plenty more of these honours to lollipop ladies, foster parents, charity workers etc, but they don't get reported because most people in the country don't know who 'June, 84, amateur astronomer and community volunteer' is. Unless you go looking for them then you only hear about the celebs.

It's a fair point Kaybee but perhaps if the celebs have the means of recognition in place as they do with a myriad of awards each and every year then it nonetheless makes this overkill?

[Rob McCow]

I don't think it's overkill. I think it's great that people should be rewarded for their work.

It's not as if they all have to go and sit in the House of Lords

[Ralph]

They probably wouldn't want to with Jeffrey there

[Pip Madeley]

RTD collected his OBE today:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7754540.stm

Can anyone lip read? I bet Charles was asking him if "that blackie" is the new Who.

[Lord President]

As your Lord President, I bestow the Order of Rassilon on each and every one of you! Congratulations for your contibutions to PS!

[Stuart Wallis]

Can anyone lip read? I bet Charles was asking him if "that blackie" is the new Who.

Nonononono! Charles is the one with the ears - it's his dad who goes around saying things like that!