Coronation Street actress Shobna Gulati and former BBC executive among honours

Soap star Shobna Gulati and the BBC’s former creative director Alan Yentob are among those in the entertainment industry who have received honours. Songwriter Gerry DeVeaux, fashion designer Stuart Vevers and author Monica Ali have also been recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours list this year. Actress and presenter Gulati, 57, has become a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to the cultural industries.

Born in Oldham, Lancashire in 1966, Gulati is most known for her roles as Sunita in ITV soap Coronation Street and Anita in BBC comedy show Dinnerladies. Her theatre credits include the international tour of Mamma Mia! in 2015, the touring UK production of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie in 2018, and Richard II at The Globe, in 2019. Alan Yentob has been made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (James Manning/PA) Meanwhile, Yentob, 77, has been made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his services to the arts and media.

The retired British television executive, who was born in Stepney, London in 1947, joined the BBC as a general trainee in 1968. He devised the flagship arts programme Imagine..

., which he presented on, and was creative director of the broadcaster from 2004 until 2015. Yentob stepped down from the role in the wake of the collapse of the charity Kids Company, where he was chairman.

Monica Ali wins the Literature Award at the South Bank Sky Arts Awards at The Savoy in London (Ian West/PA) Ali, 56, .