"I was in the shower when I heard the good news and I just screamed," said veteran television show host Hazel Ward-Redman yesterday, as she reacted to the announcement that T&T-born broadcaster Trevor McDonald had been knighted by the Queen of England.

"He was always a special person destined for greatness," Ward-Redman said yesterday, adding: "The great thing about Trevor is that despite his achievements he has always managed to remain humble. It was a tremendous pleasure to have known and worked with him at Radio Trinidad. I will always be happy to call him Sir Trevor.

McDonald, an esteemed broadcaster in Britain for many years was one of 24 persons knighted, topping the Queen's Birthday Honours List of 1,000.

He has been lauded in Britain for his brilliance and for the numerous steps he had taken in advancing the quality of diction in the country.

He began his career in Trinidad as a journalist before moving to Britain and went on to work with the British Broadcasting Service (BBC) and as a presenter for News at Ten for International Television News (ITN).

Ex-broadcaster Alfred Aguiton described the knighthood as: "A remarkable achievement and one that serves as an excellent example for the people in this society. We sometimes suffer from low confidence and inferiority complexes, but what Trevor McDonald has done has shown that the world is not larger than Trinidad and Tobago."

Communication Advisor to CAREC, Jones P. Madiera, said: "I am absolutely elated at his knighthood. I replaced Trevor McDonald on the BBC Regional Service in 1972 when he graduated to the BBC World Service. We maintained constant contact during the two years that I studied and worked at the BBC and even back then he was always regarded by his peers and his superiors as a man destined for great things in broadcasting, so it was of absolutely no surprise to me. This is a tribute to the excellence that Caribbean broadcasters have brought to the expansion of the profession not only in Britain, but worldwide."

June Gonsalves, former programme director of Radio Trinidad, under whom McDonald first served as a journalist, said: "He went from strength to strength in his experience abroad and worked his way up to the top. He was the diplomatic correspondent for International Television News (ITN) and over the years we kept up the friendship. He travelled the world and interviewed world leaders such as former US President Ronald Reagan, Muammar Gaddafi and former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. He is now the presenter of ITN's News at 6. I will be calling him soon to personally offer my congratulations."

Eunice McDonald-Grant, McDonald's sister, said as soon as the news broke in London people began calling.

She said: "Trevor told me in confidence on Wednesday. But called me at 11 a.m. London time, 7 a.m. our time on Friday and told me: "I now believe it's true, it is now coming over the wire."

Describing him as emotional, but pleased, she said she later teased her sister-in-law Josephine saying: "I guess I will now have to refer to you as Lady Joe."

She also described her eldest brother as 'purposeful', a man who was never satisfied with mediocrity. "Trevor was always serious in his approach to life. He was recently presented with the BASTA Award for television, the prestigious award in Britain which is equivalent to the Oscars."

She said she last saw him in Barbados in December during his annual winter holiday.

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