TV presenter Gok Wan, who is known for helping people feel and look their best, said he feels “inspired” to try and help even more after he finally collected his MBE.
The fashion stylist and How To Look Good Naked presenter collected an MBE for services to fashion and social awareness under his birth name of Kowkhyn Wan from the Princess Royal at a ceremony at Windsor Castle.
Wan, 47, said his pride on the day of receiving the award is “right up there” with anything he has done, and he is pleased that his “passion” of raising social awareness had been recognised.
He said: “I believe in all of us having proud moments whenever we possibly can – whether it is overcoming something or going out of or coming into a relationship. “But when something like this happens to me I will never forget this feeling.
“I will never forget this moment.
“It is a feeling of calm, contentment, validation, pride and, also bizarrely, it also fires you up to do more.
“I never thought that it would make you feel inspired to think `you know what, let’s keep going’.”
A chest infection last month had left Wan feeling “a little topsy turvy” and ruled him out of collecting his award from Anne earlier.
During Tuesday’s ceremony, Wan said that Anne mentioned she had noticed he missed the previous ceremony.
He added that “she thanked me – which was gorgeous – for my hard work”.
He was a fashion consultant when Channel 4 approached him in 2006 to present How To Look Good Naked, which encouraged men and women who are insecure about their bodies to strip naked for the camera.
The programme ran for five years and made Wan one of the most recognisable fashion experts on TV.
Wan, who is also a vocal advocate for the LGBT community, said: “It is incredible to be recognised for the fashion because I have done it for so many years and to have the social awareness (as part of my award) is good because it is a real passion of mine to be able to talk about the LGBT community, teens and youngsters.
“I like both of them and I am really lucky that I have awarded for two different things.”
