Aardman co-founders Peter Lord and David Sproxton knighted

‘We both feel it is an extraordinary privilege and an honour’

Peter Lord and David Sproxton, the co-founders of Bristol animation studio Aardman, said receiving knighthoods was “an extraordinary privilege and an honour.”

Both men were knighted in the King’s Birthday Honours for services to the animation industry, the creative industries and to charity.

The Oscar-winning studio they founded is responsible for Wallace & Gromit, Shaun The Sheep, Chicken Run and Morph.

In a joint statement to the Press Association, they said: “We both feel it is an extraordinary privilege and an honour – as well as a complete and utter surprise – to be recognised in this way.

“Whilst the honour is being awarded to us as individuals, it really reflects on Aardman as a company.

“Over 50 years we have worked with hundreds, if not thousands, of brilliant people whose dedication, talent and skills have contributed to making Aardman a globally recognised and multi-award-winning studio, and one regarded by many as a national treasure here in the UK.

“As we accept these awards, we humbly bow and salute all of those who have joined us on this extraordinary journey.”

Sir David and Sir Peter established the studio in 1972 and have steered the business from a two-person operation to one of the industry’s leading animation houses. Sir David co-produced a string of celebrated Aardman productions, including the studio’s debut feature film Chicken Run, Wallace & Gromit: The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit, the CGI feature Flushed Away, Shaun The Sheep Movie, Early Man and A Shaun The Sheep Movie: Farmageddon.

As a director, Sir Peter has earned two Oscar nominations for best animated short, the first coming in 1992 for Adam, followed by Wat’s Pig in 1996.

He also received a best animated feature nomination for Pirates! In An Adventure With Scientists in 2013.

Further recognition came in the form of Bafta nominations for Adam, The Amazing Adventures Of Morph, War Story and Chicken Run, as well as a producer nomination for Wallace & Gromit: The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit.