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GB News host Anne Diamond, who was made an OBE after campaigning to end cot death, was so shocked by the accolade she was certain it was a prank.
The broadcaster, 68, was lauded for her services to public health and charity, alongside a New Year Honours list that also includes actor Stephen Graham and Queen musician Brian May.
Anne began her activism after she and then-husband Mike Hollingsworth lost their son Sebastian after he died from sudden infant death syndrome, commonly called cot death, in 1991.
She then joined forces with the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (FSID), now known as The Lullaby Trust, and the Department of Health, to launch the successful Back to Sleep campaign.
The national media campaign, started in 1991, warned parents that babies should sleep on their backs not their fronts, and has been credited with a reduction in deaths.
Reflecting on the OBE on Saturday’s GB News, the former Celebrity Big Brother contestant revealed she had to ring the Cabinet Office to verify the honour wasn’t a prank.
Anne Diamond has been campaigning to end cot death since the 1990s (Picture: PA)
She explained: ‘I had to ring up the Cabinet Office a couple of times just to make sure it wasn’t a scam. Because I honestly thought it was. I got through to the Cabinet Office who said “no, it’s definitely you. It’s definitely you”.
‘The lovely lady there said, just to prove it, I’ll read out all your details. And she read me out everything on her computer including my date of birth and everything, and she said, “you weren’t going to accept it, aren’t you?” And I said too right I am!’
Revealing how she feels about the accolade, Anne added: ‘Frankly I didn’t believe it really until about 24 hours ago, when people started to ring me up, who are in the know, to say congratulations, and I thought that it must be true.
Anne’s son Sebastian sadly died from sudden infant death syndrome (Picture: PA)
‘It hasn’t sunk in. I don’t feel any different. But I tell you what, it is thrilling. I mean, I loved the Queen, but it is very thrilling to be part of the king’s first New Year’s Honours. isn’t it? It’s quite something so I am really pleased.’
Anne has also worked with other charities like Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, the National Obesity Forum, the Royal National Institute for Deaf People and Blesma, The Limbless Veterans, a national charity empowering limbless military personnel since after the First World War.
In 2002, she appeared on Celebrity Big Brother and became the second person to be evicted.
Anne dedicated her OBE to her son Sebastian (Picture: PA)
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Anne has also been a presenter on radio shows on LBC, Radio Oxford, BBC London and BBC Berkshire as well as a panellist on Loose Women and The Wright Stuff, which was a topical debate show hosted by journalist Matthew Wright.
She has also filled in for journalist Jeremy Vine on his Channel 5 show of the same name, which replaced Wright’s programme.
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Anne was honoured with an OBE after campaigning to end cot death.
