A top day as Damon’s degree goes in a Blur

2:30pm Monday 8th January 2007

BLUR and Gorillaz singer Damon Albarn joined hundreds of University of London (UEL) graduates as he celebrated his honorary degree.

Damon, who was born in Leytonstone, celebrated his Honorary Master of Arts with family and friends at a ceremony in Barbican Hall.

The singer was given his award for outstanding contribution to culture and media by UEL chancellor Lord Rix.

Accepting his award, Damon said: "It's great to receive this award from an institution where my dad used to work and which I, as a child, used to think of as that big building with lots of interesting people in, and it clearly still is. Thank you all very much."

During the 1990s, Blur were at the forefront of Britpop. In 2001, Damon founded and fronted the Gorillaz, and this year has teamed up with former Clash bassist Paul Simonon, guitarist Simon Tong and drummer Tony Allen to produce an album out in January.

Lord Rix also handed out degrees, diplomas and certificates to more than 400 graduates of the university's school of social studies, media and cultural studies.

Among those receiving awards was 24-year-old Awad Bhenick from Ilford who graduated with a BA Hons degree in media and advertising.

He said: "All of us, in our own individual ways, have been given the opportunity to transform our lives. Without UEL's generous and expert support, we would not be here today confident in our new status as graduates."

Peter Beresford Ellis, a novelist, historian, biographer and journalist, also received an Honorary Doctorate of Letters.

The ceremony was the last of the six UEL graduation events to be held between October and December, at which about 3,000 students have graduated.