ER star awarded honorary degree

Ms Nagra returned to her home city to collect the degree

Parminder Nagra, the star of television drama ER, has been awarded an honorary degree by the University of Leicester.

The actress, who shot to fame in the film Bend It Like Beckham, returned to her home city to collect the honorary degree on Wednesday.

Ms Nagra can now use the prefix Dr after becoming a doctor of letters.

She said fellow cast mates on ER had been very excited when news of the degree came through and she was delighted with the award.

"I've been playing a doctor for the past four-and-a-half years so it has been a bit odd getting a doctorate now," said Ms Nagra, who plays Dr Neela Rasgotra in the American medical drama and who is now a resident of Los Angeles.

"I told all my cast mates on ER and one of the girls, who plays Abby, asked if they'd have to start calling me Dr Parminder now.

"They're all really excited for me," she said.