Gloria Hunniford ‘humbled’ by OBE honour

Long-serving broadcaster Gloria Hunniford has told UTV she is humbled to be included on the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for her charity work.

The Portadown native, aged 77, will receive an OBE for her services to cancer charities.

Ms Hunniford, along with her sons Paul and Michael, set up the Caron Keating Foundation after losing her daughter Caron to breast cancer in 2004.

She has also been involved with numerous other charities, from Cancer Research UK and the British Heart Foundation to the Alzheimer’s Association.

“My mum always drummed it into us that we have to give back in life,” she said, adding that she felt her daughter would be very proud of the work that had been undertaken in her name.

“Every time I’m writing a cheque, I think Caron would be really impressed by this.

“We do it in her name and, quite frankly, it’s part of my healing. It’s something positive against something terribly negative.”

Ms Hunniford said receiving the news about her OBE had been a shock, and it was also difficult to keep the secret until the official announcement.

“When I hear everything that’s going on in London, and I hear about the fire services and the medical services, and you think of all the great stuff that’s being done throughout the country all the time, it makes me feel very humble that I’ve actually received this,” she said.

Ms Hunniford this week celebrated 70 years in showbiz, with Eamonn Holmes turning up on Loose Women for a special ‘This Is Your Life’.

Among other high-profile Northern Ireland figures on the honours list are a host of sport stars, with an OBE for rugby’s Rory Best and MBEs for footballer Steven Davis and motorcyclist Jonathan Rea.