ONE of the world’s most famous power couples played host to Oldham MBE recipient Jewel Miah during the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
David and Victoria Beckham hosted a special Jubilee lunch for five MBE recipients, including Jewel who was awarded an MBE for services to British-Bengali football in 2016, last Tuesday as part of the Jubilee festivities.
The lunch, which aired on BBC One on Sunday as part of the Platinum Pageant coverage, saw the A list couple speak to the MBE recipients about their honours over sandwiches and cake.
In one clip, Victoria says to Jewel: “We are told that you have a daughter the same age as Harper, Hannah, and she’s following in your footsteps.”
Responding to Victoria, who has four children – sons Brooklyn, 23, Romeo, 19 and Cruz, 17, and daughter Harper, 10, Jewel explained: “We did a charity walk and the target initially was £1,000 and by the end, she had raised two and a half thousand. We walked 40km.”
In response, David Beckham says, “You must be very proud” and Victoria comments “We’ll have to get Harper to do that”.
Still pinching myself, an ordinary proud British🇬🇧 Bangladeshi 🇧🇩 Muslim lad from Oldham has special lunch with global superstars David and Victoria Beckham! 6 hours of filming was edited to 5 mins, but we talked at length and shared our experiences. @UKinBangladesh @Oldham_Hour pic.twitter.com/PdqKxU8j2z
— Jewel Miah MBE (@jewel_mbe) June 6, 2022
Jewel was asked by the BBC to take part in the Jubilee programme, along with just four other MBE recipients, but was given minimal information and initially turned down the invitation.
He said: “I didn’t realise it was such a grand event, luckily, I kept my tie in my pocket and put it on in the taxi.
“On the day all the recipients were sat around a table, and we didn’t know what was coming next. We filmed different segments, like walking into the hotel one at a time like The Apprentice.
“Firstly, I thought thank god I came wearing a suit because the setting, the table, the cutlery was so grand it was fit for Royalty.
“We were told there were two special presenters coming that had also been honoured and I thought they would be BBC presenters and then they just turned up the Beckhams.
“I was like wow what’s going on here? It was a complete surprise. It was one of the best positions I have reverted to. I felt so privileged.”
Jewel's daughter Hannah was in a separate room while filming took place and then came in to meet the Beckhams who asked her about her walking challenge before Victoria said that Harper would be "jealous" of the dress she was wearing.
Jewel said: “Hannah didn’t know who they were at first, so I explained afterwards. I said, ‘It’s funny how you don’t know them, but they know you, they’re superstars”.
Commenting on what the Beckhams are like in-person, Jewel said: “Amazing. David Beckham is such a humble guy. One of the producers told me afterwards that they both genuinely loved being there and discussing everyone’s experiences.”
David was made an OBE by the Queen in 2003 for services to football and Victoria was made an OBE in 2017 for services to the fashion industry.
Other attendees at the lunch included MBE recipient Judith Harper, who was made an MBE for services to fostering, having fostered more than 100 children and Saeed Atcha, who was made an MBE for services to young people and the community in 2019.
Taking to social media following the lunch David said it was "great" to hear the recipients' inspiring stories.
Lovely message from legend David Beckham @victoriabeckham pic.twitter.com/6XnTIw6OVN
— Jewel Miah MBE (@jewel_mbe) June 5, 2022
Jewel thinks it is important that TV programmes shine a light on voluntary community work in areas like Oldham.
He said: “I’m a proud British-Bangladeshi from Oldham. I moved out of Oldham to go to university just after the riots and there was a lot of negativity at that time.
“There is a lot of talent within our community and that’s really shown over the last few years. There are so many positive stories that have come out of Oldham recently.
“I grew up in a deprived area in Glodwick, but I kept on challenging myself and went to Oldham Sixth Form College and then onto Staffordshire University.
“I was one of the few in my community at that time that had the opportunity to go to university and now pretty much every household has a graduate. It’s amazing to see.”
The Beckham’s Big Jubilee Lunch is now available to watch on iPlayer.
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