choice. But we all hoped girls would grow to handle the new freedoms wisely. Then everything came to be about money: so now sex is about money, too. Why else sexualise the clothes of little girls, run TV channels of naked wives, have sex magazines edging out the serious stuff on newsagents' shelves? It's money that's corrupted us and women are being used and are even collaborating." In August 2014, Bakewell was one of 200 public figures who were signatories to a letter to The Guardian expressing their hope that Scotland would vote to remain part of the United Kingdom in September's referendum on that issue. In March 2016, she commented in The Sunday Times that anorexia is connected with a general narcissism in 21st century western culture, and that "no-one has anorexia in societies where there is not enough food". Despite agreement with her assessment in some media, her comments also provoked strong criticism from social and print media, and an apology for hurt caused from Bakewell herself. In April 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Bakewell said that the Government should stop treating the elderly like "a crazy old people's club" and let them work out how to keep safe from coronavirus themselves. Honours She was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1999 Birthday Honours and was Chairman of the British Film Institute from 2000 to 2002. She was promoted to Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 2008 Birthday Honours. In 2007 She was awarded the Honorary degree of Doctor of Letters (D.Litt) from the University of Chester. On 20 July 2011, Bakewell was made an honorary graduate at the University of Essex (DU Essex). Bakewell has also received honorary degrees from Queen Margaret’s University Edinburgh (2005), Royal Holloway London, University of the Arts (2008), Staffordshire University (2009), Lancaster University (2010), Newcastle University (2011), Open University (2010) and Manchester Metropolitan University (2013). She was made an Honorary Fellow of Newnham College, Cambridge in 2016. In 2017, the charity Humanists UK awarded Bakewell its prize for Humanist of the Year, in recognition of her achievements in broadcasting and services to humanism and other good causes. In 2011 she was appointed Baroness Bakewell of Stockport. Personal life Bakewell's autobiography, The Centre of the Bed, was published in 2003 and concentrates on her experiences as a woman in the