BBC presenter receives MBE from Prince William

Radio presenter and singer Hugo Duncan has described receiving his MBE from the Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle as “a real honour”.

The BBC Radio Ulster presenter was awarded the accolade as part of the New Year Honours list, for his contributions to entertainment and the community in Northern Ireland.

Duncan, 75, is known to his legions of fans of his long-running afternoon show on BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Radio Foyle as the “wee man from Strabane”.

Speaking after the ceremony at Windsor on Wednesday, Duncan said it had been a “great occasion”.

“Prince William was the man,” he said, adding the pair had talked about Duncan’s career as a broadcaster as well as a “bit of general chat”.

“It really was a special day, a great occasion. I even got dressed up, I had a tuxedo on, I was a dead ringer for the Penguin out of Batman”.

Duncan said there were three reasons he was thankful to receive the honour

“Firstly for the community, then for the music and thirdly for my mum,” he said.

When he was named among the New Year Honours list recipients in January, Duncan dedicated his award to his late mother Susie, who raised him as a single parent.

At that time, he also acknowledged that in Northern Ireland some people do not support the honours system.

Speaking on Wednesday, he reiterated that his decision to accept the award was not a political one.

Last year, the BBC presenter was added to the Radio Awards Hall of Fame by the Irish Music Rights Organisation (Imro).