An award-winning actor and playwright, a television star business woman and the footballer who 'died' for 78 minutes will meet graduating students at the University of Bolton this summer.
The eleven recipients of Honorary Doctorates this year are footballer Fabrice Muamba, businesswoman Hilary Devey, actor and playwright Ayub Khan-Din, BBC commissioning editor Aaqil Ahmed, theatre director John Blackmore, health campaigner Ann Johnson, community champion and businessman David Kaye, super-car developer Tony Keating, Bolton Council leader Cllr Cliff Morris and academics Professor Peter Simons and Dr Geoffrey Tabbron.
They will be honoured by the University at its degree congregation ceremonies on July 11, 12 and 13 when graduating students, their friends and families will celebrate academic success.
Said Vice Chancellor, Dr George Holmes: 'We will be delighted to welcome our honorands to the University, all of whom have excelled in their professional and public life and have also done so much for their communities.
'Fabrice is an exceptional young man in his own right but he will receive his honorary doctorate to celebrate and recognise the work of the teams who rushed to his aid. The University is developing its strength in the field of sports science and associated clinical work for elite athletes. There can be no better example of the work of clinicians than the emergency treatment Fabrice received.'
Said Fabrice: 'I would like to thank the University of Bolton for this award of an Honorary Doctorate. I am very humbled to accept it on behalf of all the amazing men and women who combined to save my life, the paramedics and medical teams of Bolton Wanderers and Tottenham, ambulance personnel, and of course the consultants, doctors and nurses at the London Chest hospital, my family and I owe them all so much.'
