Meera Syal gets honorary degree
2:05pm Friday 25th July 2008
Writer and actor Meera Syal MBE is among four leaders in their field who have been awarded honorary degrees at Roehampton University.
The Goodness Gracious Me star will receive the honour along with world karate champion Geoff Thompson, Methodist Church general secretary Reverend David G Deeks and cultural commentator Dr Elaine Showalter at the university’s graduation ceremony.
Multi-talented Ms Syal’s career has spanned comedy and drama for both stage and television.
She honed her comedy acting skill on the sketch show The Real McCoy and went on to write and act in the BAFTA-winning shows Goodness Gracious Me and The Kumars at No.42.
Her screenwriting credits include A Nice Arrangement, Bhaji on the Beach and the screen adaptation of her novel Anita and Me.
Her novel Life Isn’t All Ha Ha He He was turned into a three-part drama for BBC television, in which Syal also starred.
Ms Syal’s honorary degree can be added to a long list of awards, including the Women in Film and TV Creative Achievement award for her body of work.
Another famous face to get the Roehampton gong this year was Mr Thompson MBE, who was honoured for his achievements as a sportsman and his work to encourage young people’s participation in sport.
Mr Thompson was a five times world karate champion and holder of more than 50 national and international titles.
Since his sporting success in the 1980s, he has established himself as one of the country’s leading sports politicians and administrators, serving as a member of the GB and English Sports Council for 11 years.
The university has also acknowledged Rev Deeks for his contribution to the Methodist faith Since 2003, as general secretary of the Methodist Church, he has been busy drawing together the Church’s leadership, overseeing the central staff team of the Church and enabling the whole Church to set out a vision of its mission for the 21st century.
Self-taught saxophonist and composer Peter King, who has worked with stars including Tony Bennett, Tom Jones and James Brown, has received an honorary degree for his contribution to music.
Another gong went to Dr Showalter, the literary critic and cultural commentator, who has held fellowships from the Guggenheim, Rockefeller and Mellon foundations and has judged book awards including the Orange prize.