Magdalene admits New Honorary Fellows

We are pleased to welcome five new Honorary Fellows to Magdalene.

Each has made an outstanding contribution in their field. Together, they represent a remarkable breadth of achievement across the arts, academia, broadcasting, food writing and public life.

Read on to learn more about each of our new Honorary Fellows. From left to right:

Dr Nick Carroll, President

Mr Monty Don OBE (1976)
Mr Monty Don is a horticulturalist, writer and television presenter who read English at Magdalene in 1976. Best known as the lead presenter of the BBC's Gardeners' World, he has presented television series and written books on historic gardens across Europe, the Americas, Africa and Asia. Through his writing and broadcasting, he has become one of the UK's most respected and influential voices on gardening and the natural world.

Sir Loyd Grossman CBE (2008)
Sir Loyd Grossman is an author, journalist, broadcaster, art historian and heritage campaigner. After studying at Boston University, he completed both an MPhil and a PhD in History of Art at Magdalene. Alongside a distinguished career in television and radio, he has made a significant contribution to the UK's cultural and heritage sector through his work with organisations including English Heritage, The Royal Parks and The Arts Society. He was appointed CBE in 2015 for services to heritage and was created a Knight Bachelor in 2025.

Sir Christopher Greenwood, Master

Sir Grayson Perry CBE (2026)
Sir Grayson Perry is one of Britain's most celebrated contemporary artists. He studied fine art at Portsmouth College of Art and Design and won the Turner Prize in 2003. Alongside his acclaimed work as an artist, he has become a familiar public figure through his documentaries, broadcasts and Reith Lectures, bringing discussions about art, identity and society to a wide audience. Appointed CBE in 2013, he was knighted in 2023 for services to the arts. Last year, he participated in an exhibition at Magdalene's Robert Cripps Gallery and gave a talk before the opening.

The Very Reverend Professor David Fergusson OBE (2022)
The Very Reverend Professor David Fergusson OBE has been a Fellow Commoner of Magdalene College since 2022 and serves as Regius Professor of Divinity at the University of Cambridge. Having studied philosophy and theology in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Oxford, he has held senior academic and leadership roles at the Universities of Edinburgh and Aberdeen. He was awarded an OBE in 2016 for services to education, the arts and the Church, and is a Fellow of both the British Academy and the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

Ms Fuchsia Dunlop (1988)
Ms Fuchsia Dunlop is an award-winning cook and food writer renowned for her expertise in Chinese cuisine. After reading English at Magdalene, she earned a master's degree in Area Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies before studying local food culture at Sichuan University. She became the first Western student to train full time as a professional chef at the Sichuan Higher Institute of Cuisine in Chengdu, an experience that shaped her pioneering work introducing regional Chinese cooking to English-speaking audiences. She has since authored eight critically acclaimed books and serves as a trustee of the Oxford Symposium on Food and Cookery.

We are delighted to welcome these distinguished individuals to the Fellowship. Please join us in congratulating them on their election as Honorary Fellows of Magdalene College.