Leicester-born actor Greg Hicks has been presented with an honorary Doctor of Letters degree by the University of Leicester.
Hicks won the 2003 London Critics' Circle award for best Shakespearian performance for his portrayal of the title role of Coriolanus.
He was also nominated for a 2004 Laurence Olivier award for best actor for Coriolanus which was a Royal Shakespeare Company production at the Old Vic.
Hicks said, “Leicester was the birthplace of my adventures in the glorious world of classical and contemporary theatre. In the past 40 years I’ve never performed here. To receive this award is a deep and resonant homecoming.”
He has been a member of the RSC since 1976. He played Brutus in Julius Caesar in 2001, Dr Caius in The Merry Wives of Windsor in 2002, the Ghost, Player King and gravedigger in Hamlet and the title role in Macbeth, both in 2004, the title role in Julius Caesar and Leontes in The Winter's Tale, both in 2009, the title role in King Lear in 2010 and Claudius and The Ghost in Hamlet and the King of France in All's Well That Ends Well in 2013.
The University of Leicester’s president and vice-chancellor Professor Paul Boyle said, “we’re delighted that the University is able to award honorary degrees to candidates who are highly successful in their fields and who have long-standing connections with Leicester.
“It’s important for us to award honorary degrees to recipients who are significant in their field. This is a valuable opportunity for our graduates to see how they can aspire to be future leaders in their chosen field.”