Just A Minute

Veteran TV and radio personality Nicholas Parsons, host of Radio 4's Just a Minute, said he was "flattered and delighted" to receive a CBE for his charitable work. Parsons, 90, actor, comedian and erstwhile questionmaster of the TV quiz Sale of the Century, receives an OBE for services to drama and broadcasting a decade ago. He said: "I think honours are a wonderful thing to receive if you have worked hard and that is recognised.

"I received the letter two months ago and was told to keep quiet about it or it might be taken away, so my wife and I kept quiet about it. We won't be celebrating until the day we go to the palace – I've done so much celebrating for my 90th birthday this year."

Though entering his 10th decade, Parsons lags behind artist Derek Clarke, member of the Royal Scottish Academy of Arts, who on Tuesday celebrates his 101st birthday with an MBE to mark a career that has spanned more than 70 years.

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Sandi Toksvig, 55, comedian and presenter of BBC Radio 4's The News Quiz, said she was honoured to receive an OBE for services to broadcasting. During a career spanning three decades, she has been a regular on shows such as Whose Line Is It Anyway?, Call My Bluff, and QI, as well as fronting the travel programme Excess Baggage. "Broadcasting is a team effort and I would like to pay tribute to all the writers, production and technical staff I've worked with," she said.