nominated actress Helena Bonham Carter led the list of recipients of Britain's New Year's honors Saturday. Bonham Carter received a CBE, or Commander of the Order of the British Empire award — one step below a knighthood — after the most successful year of her career, capped by her performance in “The King's Speech”, the hit film about the stammering King George VI. The queen, who is the daughter of King George VI and Elizabeth, awarded Bonham Carter a CBE, short for Commanders of the Order of the British Empire. Bonham Carter dedicated the honor to her father, who spent the last years of his life severely disabled after an operation to remove a brain tumour went wrong, and joked that it could lead to changes at home. “I am wondering, does it mean I get to command? Because at the moment it's my four-year-old daughter who does the commanding in our household. Must inform her of the change in situation,” she said. From the world of showbusiness, veteran comedian Ronnie Corbett, the surviving half of “The Two Ronnies”, receives a CBE for services to entertainment and charity. Clive James, the Australian-born author, broadcaster and critic, was also awarded a CBE. In the year that Apple founder Steve Jobs died, the company's British-born designer Jonathan Ive was knighted with a KBE (Knight Commander, Order of the British Empire) for his work in shaping the look of the iMac, the iPod and the iPhone. Two big names behind television formats that have spread around the world — Peter Bazalgette of Endemol, the company behind “Big Brother”, and Paul Smith, of “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?” creator Celador — also won honors. Criminal convictions generally exclude people from receiving gongs. However, Gerald Ronson, 72, the man who brought self-service petrol stations to Britain in the 1960s, was awarded a CBE for services to charity despite being convicted for his role in the Guinness affair over 20 years ago. Honors lists are produced twice a year, at New Year and to coincide with Queen Elizabeth II's official birthday in June. Most recipients are not celebrities, but people who have given their time for charity work or helping their local communities. Anyone can nominate someone for an award.
