British actor SIR Ben Kingsley is convinced people in his native country have a love/hate relationship with celebrities.

The Gandhi star insists that the public in the U.K. are extremely fickle - as they generally seem to despise those in the public eye, but still bestow knighthoods on famous faces.

And Kingsley, who was knighted in 2001, admits that he finds the attitude intriguing.

He says, "There is almost a contempt for success in the national character - a lampooning of celebrity, a tradition of putting it down.

"But just when you think they're ignoring you to the point of disdain, the government and the Queen suddenly say, 'Actually, we rather like you' - and give you a knighthood! It's the most delicious and wonderful balance, which happens nowhere else in the world."