Meera Syal appointed Dame in New Year Honours

Exam-focused facts from the 3 January 2026 current affairs briefing.

Key facts

Meera Syal has been made a Dame for services to literature, drama and charity.
She was previously appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1997 and Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2015.
Dame Meera co-wrote and starred in the British Asian comedies Goodness Gracious Me and The Kumars at No 42.
Her debut novel Anita And Me won the Betty Trask Award.
She is an ambassador for the Alzheimer's Society and supporter of the charity Kisharon.