Geordie actress Jill Halfpenny has been awarded an Honorary Doctor of Letters by Northumbria University, receiving the honour during a ceremony in Newcastle watched by her family and friends. The former Byker Grove star expressed her delight at the recognition.
Honorary degree for Gateshead-born star
The Gateshead-born actress, known for her roles in soaps, dramas, and musical theatre, was among 14 distinguished individuals recognized by the university at its summer graduation ceremonies. Others include Oscar-winning screenwriter Peter Straughan, writer Michael Chaplin, and Linda Conlon, chief executive of the Centre for Life in Newcastle, who received an Honorary Doctor of Science.
Career highlights and personal courage
Halfpenny's career spans over three decades, starting at age 14 on Byker Grove. She won an Olivier Award for her role in Legally Blonde on the West End and triumphed on Strictly Come Dancing. The honorary degree also recognized her courage in sharing her personal story of grief after losing her partner in 2019, which helped open conversations about loss.
She said: “I was absolutely thrilled to find out that I had been awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Northumbria University and was delighted that my friends and family were able to see me collect it in person. Growing up in Gateshead and still living in the North East, to receive this degree from a local university was an honour and I’ll be proudly displaying the certificate pride of place!”
Other notable recipients
Among the other honorary degree recipients are cricketer Mark Wood (Doctor of Science), venture capital investor Juliet de Baubigny (Doctor of Civil Law), life science entrepreneur Paul Chipperton (Doctor of Science), and Dr Rachel Carr of IntoUniversity (Doctor of Civil Law). Also recognized were Jamie Cooke and Ben Ridgway, co-founders of iamproperty, Su Cumming of StreetGames, novelist Chris K Jones, costume designer Claire Lynch, and lawyer Louise Pentland.
University's tribute to regional talent
Professor Andy Long, vice-chancellor and chief executive of Northumbria University, said: “Honorary degrees recognise the very best of what people can achieve and this year's recipients embody that in every sense - outstanding individuals, innovators and trailblazers who have reached the highest levels of their fields. What makes this moment even more special is how many of them started right here at Northumbria. To see former students return as honorary graduates, having taken the North East's name onto the world stage, is a powerful reminder to our 'Class of 2026' of just how far their own journeys could take them.”
The honorary degrees are being awarded during Northumbria’s summer academic congregations, running until July 15, with around 5,500 students expected to attend the ceremonies.
