On Tuesday, Rachel Riley was awarded an MBE at Windsor Castle for her work in raising awareness of the Holocaust and combating antisemitism. The Countdown presenter, 37, was honoured for her services to Holocaust education in the New Year Honours list. She was joined by her husband Pasha Kovalev for the momentous day.
She was a vocal critic of Labour’s handling of alleged antisemitism within the party and condemned Jeremy Corbyn’s conduct while leader. Rachel, who has co-hosted the Channel 4 show since 2009, was paid £10,000 in damages by Mr Corbyn’s former aide, Laura Murray, following a High Court libel case in August last year.
In 2019, the mum-of-two explained the abuse she received on social media as a public figure during a speech for the Holocaust Educational Trust in Westminster, with her mother being Jewish.
© GettyRachel wrote on Twitter after the honour’s announcement: “Incredibly proud to have just been awarded an MBE for services to Holocaust education. Grateful to everyone who has sent well wishes and support over the years.“
"This is very much shared with so many people who also dedicate their time and energy to fighting anti-Jewish racism.”
Back in January, Rachel partnered with Holocaust Educational Trust for Holocaust Awareness Day. She sat down with Holocaust survivor Hannah Lewis MBE to mark the poignant event, discussing her experience during the Shoah and how they talk about Holocaust memory with their children.
© GettyRachel shared their meeting with her followers on social media, writing: “I had the privilege of speaking with Hannah Lewis MBE, a survivor of the Holocaust who, when she was just a little girl, watched her mother killed in front of her, simply for being Jewish.
© GettyOn #HolocaustMemorialDay we remember and honour the 6 million Jews, other millions of victims of Nazi atrocities, and those lost in subsequent genocides to try to learn from the crimes of the past so they won’t be repeated.”The Holocaust Educational Trust works to ensure that people from every background are educated about the Holocaust and the important lessons to be learned today.
Rachel also took part in David Baddiel's recent documentary Jews Don't Count, a follow-on from the book he released in 2021. During a conversation with the comedian, she noted: "Wherever you find a Jew in the world now, they will have been expelled from some country in their family's living memory."
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