Paul O'Grady dons top hat to be made MBE

TV star Paul O'Grady collected his MBE at Buckingham Palace wearing his top hat and tails today.

The entertainer, who found fame with his alter ego Lily Savage, said he was delighted to receive the honour, adding that he was not tempted to wear his dress and high heels to the investiture.

O'Grady, 53, said he initially thought the letter informing him of the honour was a joke from one of his friends. "Then they rang me up and said 'Are you coming or not?' They said I had been a hugely popular choice so that was nice," he told The Press Association.

The TV personality, who currently presents his own chatshow on Channel 4, said: "If you'd said 25 years ago I'd be getting an MBE I would have killed myself laughing.

"Now I'm part of the establishment - The Archers, The Daily Mail. I'll have to start moaning and writing letters signed 'Disgusted of Kent'."

Also honoured for services to entertainment in the Queen's Birthday Honours List this year were Russell T. Davies, June Brown, Des O'Connor and Victoria Wood.