Swimmer Scott & footballers Moyes & Hansen included in New Year Honours

By BBC (Sports) | Created at 2024-12-30 22:43:01 | Updated at 2025-01-02 21:18:23 2 days ago

BBC Jackie Bird smiles at the camera while raising a glass of wine. She has strawberry blonde hair and wears a sparkly silver and black long-sleeved top.

Broadcaster Jackie Bird, football legend Alan Hansen and Olympic swimmer Duncan Scott are among the Scots named in the New Year Honours.

Bird, who hosted BBC's Reporting Scotland programme for nearly 30 years, becomes an MBE for services to broadcasting and to charities.

Former footballer and ex-BBC pundit Hansen is considered one of the best players Scotland has seen. He played for Partick Thistle, Liverpool and the Scottish national team and has been appointed an MBE.

Scott is honoured with an OBE after his swimming success at Paris 2024 made him Scotland's most decorated Olympian ever with eight medals.

The full list also features charity fundraisers, healthcare workers and arts and music figures.

Getty Images Alan Hansen smiling at the camera. He has grey hair and is wearing a black jacket, white shirt and a light blue tie with white squares on it

Former Scotland defender Alan Hansen, who was born in Clackmannanshire, began his senior career with Partick Thistle and joined Liverpool in 1977, spending four seasons as captain before retiring in 1991.

During his 14 years with Liverpool, he won eight First Division titles, three European Cups and two FA Cups.

He earned 26 caps for Scotland and after hanging up his boots, moved into punditry. He worked on BBC's Match of the Day from 1992 until 2014.

Jackie Bird worked for Jackie magazine at DC Thomson, Radio Clyde and the Sun before joining BBC Scotland in October 1989.

She became the main presenter on Reporting Scotland, as well as a familiar face on Hogmanay Live and the Scottish Children in Need programmes.

The 62-year-old stepped down from presenting the news in April 2019 and became president of the National Trust for Scotland in 2022.

"I'm thrilled," she said, "absolutely surprised and thrilled.

"My first thought was, 'I can take my mum and dad to Buckingham Palace'."

The honours system

PA Media A number of different medals on a red and black uniform

Commonly awarded ranks:

Companion of honour - Limited to 65 people. Recipients wear the initials CH after their name

Knight or Dame

CBE - Commander of the Order of the British Empire

OBE - Officer of the Order of the British Empire

MBE - Member of the Order of the British Empire

BEM - British Empire Medal

PA Media Duncan Scott smiles at the camera while holding up a silver medal and a gold medal which are both draped on ribbons around his neck. He stands in front of a swimming pool with red, white and blue bunting and wears a white Team GB T-shirt.

Duncan Scott, 27, made history after winning four medals at Tokyo 2020 - more than any other British athlete at a single Olympic Games.

He went on to earn another two medals at Paris 2024, taking his total tally to eight.

Scott, who grew up in Alloa, became Great Britain's most decorated swimmer in Olympic history.

He was previously awarded an MBE.

Football manager David Moyes, from Glasgow, has been appointed an OBE for services to association football.

PA Media David Moyes is in the middle of speaking into a headpiece microphone. He has white hair and wears a dark casual jacket with a white T-shirt.

After making 540 league appearances as a centre-back for teams including Celtic and Dunfermline Athletic, he worked as a coach at Preston North End before working his way up to manager.

He most recently managed West Ham United, leading the club to Europa Conference League glory in 2023 before stepping down 12 months later.

The 61-year-old has previously managed clubs including Manchester United and Everton.

PA Media Ken McCallum wears a dark suit and glasses. He stands in front of a dark blue screen.

Also in the New Years Honours list is MI5 director general Ken McCallum, who has been knighted.

The former Glasgow University student spent his first years at MI5 focusing on Northern Ireland-related terrorism, and later specialised in countering Islamist extremist terrorism.

He also led counter-terrorism investigations during the London 2012 Olympic Games.

'Lost for words'

Painter and printmaker Barbara Rae, from Falkirk, has been made a dame in the honours list.

Her work has been shown around the world at venues in Chicago, New York, Washington, Santa Fe, Oslo, Hong Kong, Dublin and Belfast.

The 81-year-old said she was "lost for words" after being told of the honour.

However, she said it was unlikely to change her work and she would still be putting on her "paint-splattered overalls" to create work in her studio each day.

Paralympic swimmer Stephen Clegg, who grew up in the Scottish Borders, is appointed an MBE after winning his first gold medal at Paris 2024.

The chief commercial officer for the University of Strathclyde Gillian Docherty becomes a CBE, as does Prof Richard Williams, vice-chancellor and principal of Heriot-Watt University.

And the former chief officer of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Ross Haggart is also awarded a CBE. He retired earlier this year after 30 years of service.

Former RAF navigator George Kelly, 101, is made an MBE for his services to the Royal British Legion and RAF veterans.

First Minister John Swinney said the list "recognises exceptional individuals - from unsung heroes to well-known names".

"Each recipient is worthy of their award and has made a significant difference to their community or excelled in their field," he added.

"These honours celebrate the best of Scotland's courageous spirit and sense of community. Congratulations and my personal thanks to every worthy recipient."

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