From fish & chips to Royal Family & Olympic heroes… ignore the gloomsters with our A to Z of what makes Britain great

LISTENERS to BBC radio were yesterday subjected to the gloomiest bits of a new survey by the National Centre for Social Research.

It revealed we are fed-up with politicians and economic turbulence.

But NatCen’s deputy chief Gillian Prior also said: “There is still a great deal of national pride.”

Mike Ridley presents the ultimate A-Z of the things that make Britain brilliant.

A

Armed Forces: Numbers may have dropped to less than 150,000 but our servicemen and women are incredible.

Angel of the North: Antony Gormley’s sculpture is an institution.

Adele: One of pop’s biggest-selling artists.

Alton Towers: Britain’s biggest theme park is a thriller.

Royal Ascot: Still the sport of kings.

Arthur’s Seat: Landmark of Edinburgh.

Aston Martin: 007’s favourite sports car.

B

Beer: Britain has 2,200 breweries.

Blackpool Tower, Big Ben and Buckingham Palace: Just three iconic landmarks.

Beatles: Four lads from Liverpool who changed music for ever.

Beefeaters: Symbol of the Tower of London. Black pudding, black cabs.

Bonfire Night: Remember 5th of November.

Bagpipes, Bakewell tart and the Beckhams.

C

Coronation Street: UK’s longest-running TV soap.

Clarkson: Sun columnist Jezza is a living legend.

Curry: Especially British invention chicken tikka masala.

Cheddar cheese and Cumberland sausage: Two delicacies.

Chelsea Pensioners: The boys of the old brigade make us so proud.

Crumpets: Toasted on an open fire.

Cycling great Mark Cavendish.

D

Double decker buses: They are all over the world.

David Attenborough: The King of wildlife.

Doctor Who: Still with us after 60 years.

Deep-fried Mars bar: A Scottish sensation.

Dennis the Menace: Beano’s best-loved cartoon.

Day Of The Jackal: So good they are making a new TV version.

Darts: Including teen sensation Luke Littler.

Downton: Everyone is Abbey to watch.

Digestive biscuits: Dunking lovely.

E

EastEnders: The Queen Vic of soaps.

England’s Lions and Lionesses: They keep doing us proud.

Eros: Our symbol of love.

Idris Elba: Gone from Hackney to Hollywood.

F

Football: From the Prem to the SFL, it is our obsession.

Fish and chips: Superb food combo.

Fry-up: Full English, Scottish and Ulster fry.

G

Grand National: Unrivalled racing.

Glastonbury: Unrivalled music.

Gravy: Perfect with your Sunday roast.

Gavin & Stacey: Great to see them back this Christmas.

Granny Smith apples: Crunchy delight.

Ricky Gervais: Britain’s funniest southerner.

H

Humour: We’re funnier than any other nation.

Harry Potter: Made into eight movies.

Holidays for £9.50: Sun’s bargain breaks can’t be beaten.

Lewis Hamilton: F1 hero.

HP Sauce and Hobnobs: Kitchen classics.

I

Integration: Latest report says Britain is more diverse than ten years ago.

Inventions: From the steam engine to the first mass-produced toothbrush, we are brilliant at ideas.

J

Dame Judi Dench: Best M ever.

Jane Austen: Gave the world Mr Darcy.

Jude Bellingham: Breathing new life into the Three Lions.

K

King Charles III: Doing brilliantly despite illness.

KitKats: Four fingers of delight invented in Yorkshire in 1935.

Kilts: The King and Scots love them.

Peter Kay: Britain’s best-loved northern comic.

Keely Hodgkinson: New Queen of the track.

Knitting: Diver Tom Daley proved it’s not just for your gran.

L

Lake District: Visitors fall in love with its beauty.

Lottery: 30 years of making millionaires.

Line Of Duty: Top telly.

Lollipop ladies: Keeping kids safe.

Land’s End and John O’Groats: Both worth journey.

London Eye: Capital’s big wheel.

M

Mutts: We love our dogs — 13 million of ’em.

Sir Ian McKellen: Our Lord Of The Rings.

Marmalade: Toast is not the same without it.

Mini: Driving force in car industry for 65 years.

N

NHS: For all its problems, it is our saviour in times of trouble.

Nessie: Millions believe in her.

O

Oasis: Fight for tickets shows they are No1.

007: Suave spy is global icon.

Oak trees: 170million of them.

Olympic heroes of Team GB and Paralympics.

P

Parliament: The mother of democracy.

Paddington Bear: Character has spawned films and TV series.

Red phone boxes: Still around in days of mobiles.

Poppies: Raising £45million a year for veterans.

Adam Peaty: Swimmer still fighting for medals. And where would we be without pubs, politeness and pasties?

Q

Queues: Sign of a civilised country.

PMQs: The world tunes in.

Queen Camilla: She has been the King’s rock.

R

Royal Family: Fans all over the globe.

Rain: We love to moan about it.

Roast beef: The French envy us — that’s why they call Brits Le Rosbif.

Rich Tea biscuits: Every cuppa needs one.

Rolls-Royce: The world’s most envied motor.

S

The Sun: The best paper and news website on the planet.

Strictly Come Dancing: Hit show has spawned countless foreign versions.

Seaside resorts from Skegness to Southend: We love ’em — and building sandcastles.

Shakespeare: The best bard none.

Sandwich: Especially egg and cress.

Spitfire: Saved Britain 85 years ago.

Scouse: The food.

Snowdon (now named Yr Wyddfa): Especially the summit café.

Stonehenge: Still a mystery.

The Shard: At 1,016ft, our tallest ’scraper.

Spotted Dick: Great name for a great pud.

Scones: Is it cream or jam first?

T

Tea: Our national drink.

Tower Bridge: London landmark.

Terry’s Chocolate Orange: Unwrap and have a ball.

Television: Invented here.

Trooping The Colour: What better way to mark the monarch’s birthday?

U

Ulster: Home of Game Of Thrones and Titanic.

London Underground: World’s first.

Umbrellas for our unpredictable weather.

V

Villages: Picture postcard places.

VE Day: Held in May.

Vacuum cleaner: British invention.

W

Winston Churchill: Wartime hero.

Weather: Talking about it.

Welsh Cakes: Principality scones.

Wallace and Gromit: One man and his dog.

Wembley: Top for footie and music acts.

West End shows: Unforgettable nights out.

Mr Whippy: Especially the 99.

Where’s Wally: Kids love to hunt for him.

Kate Winslet: Oscar winner.

Wimbledon: Home of Andy Murray.

White cliffs of Dover: immortalised in song by Vera Lynn.

X

X-rated: Our great tradition of swearing.

X Factor: Pop talent show gave us Harry Styles, One Direction, Olly Murs, Rylan Clark, Little Mix and Stacey Solomon.

Y

Yorkshire puds: Aunt Bessie’s sell 600million of them a year.

Z

Zany traditions: From black pudding throwing champs to bog snorkelling.

London Zoo: World’s first.

Zipwire: The fastest on earth is in North Wales.