Category: BBC; CBBC; South TV
Date: 11.06.2005
Printable version
Ade Adepitan, presenter on CBBC, Holiday and star of the BBC ONE wheelchair basketball idents, has been awarded an MBE for his services to disabled sports in the Queen's Birthday Honours.
Sports fanatic Ade is on the Great Britain Wheelchair Basketball team which won the gold medal at the Paralympic World Cup in Manchester in 2005 and bronze medal at the Athens Paralympics in 2004.
Born in March 1973, Ade plays for the Milton Keynes Aces.
Ade first got involved in wheelchair basketball when he was at school. He also enjoys tennis and scuba diving as well as watching football.
He cites his sporting hero as boxing legend Muhammad Ali.
Incoming Controller of CBBC, Alison Sharman, said: "We are thrilled that Ade has been awarded an MBE. Ade is a fantastic ambassador for UK paralympian sport and we're really proud of him.
"As one of CBBC's popular presenters Ade is a real hit with the audience and I'm sure they will be just as delighted as us to see him honoured."
Ade can currently be seen presenting Xchange, the CBBC Channel's daily magazine show, weekdays at 7.30am and 4.30pm.
Sally Taylor, presenter of BBC South's flagship news programme BBC South Today, was also awarded an MBE.
She has been given the award for services to regional television.
Eve Turner, Head of Regional and Local Programmes in the South, said: "I'm absolutely
delighted that Sally has been given this award. It's a tribute to all her hard work
and her dedication to the region.
"Not only is she a first class broadcaster but she
is also heavily involved in a number of charities in the South, particularly
supporting those helping people with cancer."
Sally joined BBC South Today 16 years ago and has presented and reported on major
local and national issues ever since.
A familiar face to thousands across the BBC South region she is also well known
across the country for her connection with sailing.
Programmes she has been involved with have included: the decommissioning ceremony of
HMS Britannia; London Boat shows; BT Global Challenge and the International Festival
of the Sea.
Sally has also filmed reports for the National Lottery programme and presented the
popular leisure series Out & About with her dog Bertie.
She has had her own programme on BBC Radio Solent and presented a number of national
radio programmes, including Radio 4's Going Places.
In 1999 Sally underwent surgery for breast cancer and as a result lends her support
to a number of charities.
She is also a Patron of Simon Says, a charity that helps
children who are bereaved.
Sally works closely with the Hampshire Learning and Skills Council and Business Link
in promoting local businesses across the South.
Other BBC personalities honoured included a trio from Radio 2 - Terry Wogan (honorary knighthood), Sarah Kennedy (MBE) and Jonathan Ross (OBE).
Frank Gardner - the BBC Security Correspondent seriously injured in a terrorist attack in Saudi Arabia a year ago - receives an OBE.
Barry Langridge, former Head of the Asia and Pacific region, BBC World Service, was awarded an MBE as was Albert Sewell, statistician on Match of the Day.
Terry Wogan said: "I am surprised and delighted that Her Majesty the Queen has given me this honour. I hope I can prove worthy of it."
Frank Gardner said: "I'm absolutely thrilled with this award. After a very tough year for me and my family, this is at last a bit of good news. It's wonderful to be recognised too for the work I put in prior to being shot last year in trying to explain the whole global security issue to our audiences and trying to put a lot of the hyperbole into some sort of persepective.
"I should also say this medal goes to my cameraman Simon Cumbers too. He was with me in Riyadh. Simon lost his life committing himself to journalism, bringing an important story to the public, and I think we should remember him."
