- Broadcaster Reverend Kate Bottley has been awarded an honorary Doctor of Medicine at the University of Sheffield
- Sheffield-born Bottley has been recognised as a passionate advocate of social justice and for her work to amplify the voice of those marginalised in society
- Head of Disability at Sport England, Dr Chris Whitaker, also received an honorary degree in recognition for his work to make sport inclusive for everyone
- The Reverend Kate Bottley and Dr Chris Whitaker joined more than 2,700 students celebrating their graduations in ceremonies at the University of Sheffield this week (13-17 January 2025)
Broadcaster Reverend Kate Bottley has been awarded an honorary degree from the University of Sheffield, in recognition of her successful career and work to support inclusivity in society.
Bottley was awarded a Doctor of Medicine at a graduation ceremony today (Thursday 16 January 2025).
Originally from Sheffield, the Reverend Kate Bottley is a priest in North Nottinghamshire and a well-known broadcaster. She is a passionate advocate of social justice who aims to bring stories of faith and belief to the widest possible audience.
Bottley combines her church duties with her roles as journalist, media presenter and television broadcaster. Her newspaper articles amplify the voices of those marginalised in society in order to spark national conversations.
Her media career was kickstarted after she appeared in a viral video of her leading a flash mob to Celebration by Kool and the Gang at a wedding she was officiating. She was then asked to appear on Channel 4's Gogglebox and was a regular alongside her husband Graham for five series.
She is currently a presenter on Good Morning Sunday on BBC Radio 2 alongside Jason Mohammad. She previously presented The Sunday Hour (BBC Radio 2) and has appeared as a contributor on Saturday Breakfast with Dermot O'Leary and Pause for Thought on Chris Evans' Breakfast Show, for which she won a Jerusalem Award.
Bottley also writes for The Guardian, The Independent and Radio Times. She is a regular on Songs of Praise, has appeared on Celebrity Mastermind and The Weakest Link, as well as contributing to The One Show, This Morning and Sunday Morning Live.
She was ordained as Deacon in the Church of England in 2008 and as a Priest in 2009. Prior to this she trained in Leeds as a religious education teacher, before returning to Sheffield to teach at Ecclesfield Secondary School for three years and then Head of Religious Education at Yewlands Technology College in Grenoside.
Also receiving an honorary degree this week was Dr Chris Whitaker, Head of Disability at Sport England. Chris is a graduate from the University of Sheffield (PhD Law 2012) and in his role at Sport England he provides support on disability inclusion.
Chris uses his experience of living with cerebral palsy to help make sport inclusive for everybody. He is a Trustee for Power2inspire, a charity which encourages inclusion through sport and recently joined the Board of Directors for World Disability Billiards and Snooker, extending his influence on a global scale.
He was awarded a Doctor of Letters on Monday (13 January 2025) in recognition of his commitment to disability equality in sports, promoting inclusivity and supporting aspiring and successful athletes' to develop and succeed.
The Reverend Kate Bottley and Dr Chris Whitaker joined more than 2,700 students celebrating their graduations in ceremonies at the University of Sheffield this week (13-17 January 2025).
