Alan Parker, the veteran film director, and actor Ben Kingsley were named as Knights Bachelor in the UK's New Year's honours list.

Other awards for the film and drama industries included Orders of the British Empire, officer class (OBEs) for actresses Miraim Margolyes and Lynn Redgrave and to actor Dennis Quilley

Parker, who can now use the title "Sir", was honoured both for his career achievements and for services to the film industry via his position as chairman of The Film Council. Kingsley, who won an Oscar in 1980 for his role as Mahatma Ghandi in Ghandi, has recently received a shower of awards in roles such as Schindler's List and Sexy Beast.

The list of civil honours which was heavy in showbiz names also included an OBE for soul singer Sade, Commander of the British Empire (CBE) for all three member of the Bee Gees.

There was also an knighthood in the overseas section for Mark Tully, the Delhi-based journalist and writer who quit the BBC in protest at the "Big Brother" approach to management of its former director general John Birt.