Why isn't Anita Harris a Dame?

[tararabumdeay]

My first panto aged about 4 and the awkward moment came up, 'Who's going to come on stage?' Not me but I had pushy parents. Anita, in her lovely leotard, principle boy as ever, made sure I was ok. This happened somewhere in Manchester a long time ago.

DH is older than me and mentions her as his first crush.

Singing, dancing, acting - so lovely; she should be a Dame.

Yes, I'm watching telly after a very strange week at work but she took my hand that time I was tiny and gave me the confidence to step on stage with her.

It's all ok for the worthy and the serious to get such awards. What about the true troopers?

I just saw her and can't understand how she still looks the same! She was in Carry On films in the 1960's!

Aw sweet

I had her autograph as a child. It was a black and white photo of her sitting between 2 afghan hounds.

Sorry, just the one dog - this isn’t mine but I googled it and this is the photo!!

Didn’t work

mainly because her roles tend to be lightweight in my view and she's not a serious actress.

Never heard of her. Should I have?

You haven’t heard of her? Hang your head...

I haven’t heard of her either

Is she still alive? She must be older than God's dog. Last time I saw her was in Cats.

She’s about 75 I think. On celebrity master chef not that long ago.

She came into the restaurant I worked at when I was a student. It was a cheap chain restaurant. She wanted me to open a fresh bottle of white wine to give her a fresh glass of it. If I'd done that I would have been on big trouble. So I didn't. She didn't leave a tip. So no, she shouldn't be a dame 😂

Most of the women made Dames, certainly by David Cameron, were larger breasted blondes (think Barbara Windsor, Joan Collins), or party donors. Anita Harris was presumably not someone David Cameron thought of when a teenager.

Here's a question though. She did the flippin' job in so many ways and is still as lovely.

Entertainers are probably the foremost of understanding 'bread and circuses'. They're talented in their own way.
We will always need good writing, radio, television, conversation, theory. poetry and beauty is truth.

I was thinking why should someone who played a barmaid in Eastenders get such recognition?
As you were

Didn't she get kidnapped years ago? - completely random comment but I had a sudden memory

I was reading her wiki (if it’s true) so she was an iceskater, then a singer, then actor, did films/tv/stage...

...obviously she came back after being kidnapped :) She's not still out there

wasnt that Agatha Christie (although more likely she took herself odd when she found out her husband was being a naughty boy)?

Ah yes - that was a good film wasn't it - the agatha christie one.

Just googled the kidnap thing and apparently it was all a hoax in 1968. 1968 FFS! and i remember the event - god I'm old.

If we have to have Dames I’d rather someone like Celia Hammond (who actually does something) than a has been from the 70’s.

Anita is still working I believe. (Tax issues)

Lord prof,she is saw her at Twinwood vintage festival and tbh she was fecking useless, singing awful no sense of rhythm and off to next gig with no time for people who paid to watch :-(

Given she's not an MBE or OBE or anything there's always the chance she turned it down.

Count Arthur Strong 😂