DJ Pete Tong receives MBE medal

Superstar DJ Pete Tong has been appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by Prince William. The hitmaker and producer was presented with the honour in recognition of his broadcasting and music career during a ceremony at London’s Buckingham Palace on Tuesday (04Mar14), just over two months after he was named in Queen Elizabeth II’s annual New Year’s Honours List.
The 53 year old says, “There are so many worthy people here today, I feel quite humbled by all the servicemen, policemen and the charity workers and people like that. So I count myself lucky to be recognised in this way.”
After the ceremony, Tong revealed that he owes much of his success to devotees of a fanzine who turned his name into everyday rhyming slang with the phrase “It’s all gone Pete Tong” – used to reference something gone wrong.
He insists he has never had a problem with the phrase, which was also used as the title to a 2005 film, starring British comedian Paul Kaye, adding, “It just stuck, (and) turned into an amazing legacy…
“Why run away from something that’s so catchy? I use it as my brand when I do parties around the world.”
During the MBE ceremony, Prince William also honoured military personnel and adventurer David Hempleman-Adams, who received the Polar Medal for his expeditions.