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Sandi Toksvig and ´óÏó´«Ã½ cameraman Darren Conway receive OBEs

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Sandi ToksvigImage source, PA
Image caption,

Sandi Toksvig asked the Prince of Wales if he wanted to appear as a guest on The News Quiz

Broadcaster Sandi Toksvig said she was "completely overwhelmed" to be made an OBE by the Prince of Wales.

Ms Toksvig, who presents ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 4's The News Quiz, received her award in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

´óÏó´«Ã½ News cameraman Darren Conway was also made an OBE and journalist Katharine Whitehorn was made a CBE.

Mr Conway said his job was about "giving a voice to others" which made the personal honour seem "a little out of the ordinary".

Overwhelmed

Ms Toksvig jokingly asked Prince Charles if he wanted a "guest spot" on the News Quiz, as he presented her with her medal.

After the investiture, she said: "I have spent too long making jokes to think that anybody would think that is worth rewarding - so I was honestly completely overwhelmed."

Image source, PA
Image caption,

Darren Conway has recently worked in Syria

Danish-born Ms Toksvig renewed her vows with her civil partner last weekend at an event to celebrate same-sex marriage.

She added: "It has been a heck of a week."

Mr Conway, who has worked in Syria, was named camera operator of the year at the Royal Television Society awards in February. Judges described him as "the outstanding news cameraman of his generation".

He said of his OBE: "We work in a field where so many people make it happen, so to single out one person is a bit hard to comprehend.

"The main thing about what we do in this career is that it is not about us.

"Our entire reason for doing our job is about giving a voice to others, so having something focused on yourself is a little out of the ordinary.

"If you think about how many people in our field have risked everything for their job - they have lost their lives, have been disappeared or have not come back - I hope it is a good recognition for all of them and not just me."

Ms Whitehorn, 86, who writes for the Observer, said she had originally turned down an OBE half a century ago - because it was not for journalism.

She said: "I was being given it for being on a government committee and I thought that, as an honest hack, it would look as if I had sold out.

"I thought it is all right for worthy old crones, but now I am a worthy old crone.

"I am now being given it for my life's work and that is fine. It was not appropriate then, but now it is."