Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Ruki Sayid

NHS tops list of 10 things making us proud to be British from Shakespeare to The Queen

Our NHS tops a list of what makes us proud to be British.

More than seven in 10 adults named the health service’s 1.5 million workers as their heroes.

Fish and chips came second, followed by the Full English breakfast and then the Queen.

Pubs, roast beef and Sir David Attenborough also made the top 10 while William Shakespeare and movie icon James Bond were in the top 20.

And celebrities as diverse as fitness guru Joe Wicks, who has inspired during the coronavirus ­lockdown, and Dame Judi Dench, were also named.

Sir David Attenborough is also a national treasure (Getty)

TV and music featured with Only Fools and Horses and The Beatles making it on to the best of British top 50 list, along with writers Charles Dickens, JK Rowling and Jane Austen. A stiff upper lip and kindness were among the traits we admire, and our iconic landmarks included Stonehenge.

The survey of 2,000 people by polling firm Perspectus Global found almost nine out of 10 people were proud to be called British.

Big Ben is beloved by the British (Getty)
The NHS holds a special place in Brits' hearts (Tim Clarke/Daily Express)

Head of research David Arnold said: “We were delighted, but not surprised to see the heroes of the NHS being recognised for the incredible work they do and are doing at the moment.”

The top 50 of everything that make us proud to be British

The NHS - 71%

Fish and chips - 58%

The full English breakfast - 52%

Full English Breakfast (Getty)
The Queen is also a source of pride for many in Britain (Getty)

The Queen - 48%

The British countryside - 44%

Big Ben - 44%

Roast beef - 42%

Tea - 42%

Sir David Attenborough - 38%

Pubs - 37%

William Shakespeare - 34%

Only Fools and Horses - 32%

Kindness - 31%

Sarcasm - 30%

The Beatles - 30%

James Bond - 28%

Cream teas - 27%

The Victoria Sponge cake -27%

JK Rowling - 27%

Pie and mash 27%

Florence Nightingale - 27%

Stonehenge - 26%

Charles Dickens - 26%

Stephen Hawking - 26%

Cornish pasties - 25%

Joe Wicks - 22%

Neighbourly spirit - 22%

Paddington Bear - 22%

Rishi Sunak - 20%

Jane Austen - 20%

The Duchess of Cambridge - 19%

David Bowie - 19%

The Blitz spirit - 19%

Monty Python - 18%

The Rolling Stones - 18%

A stiff upper lip - 17%

The changing of the guard - 17%

Dame Judi Dench - 17%

Stephen Fry 16%

Sir Michael Caine - 16%

JRR Tolkien - 16%

Chicken tikka masala - 15%

Marmite - 15%

CS Lewis - 15%

Absolutely Fabulous - 13%

Jamie Oliver - 13%

Marmalade - 12%

Dame Helen Mirren - 12%

The Clifton Suspension Bridge - 11%

The Houses of Parliament - 11%

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.