The Oscar-winning actor, whose father was Poet Laureate Cecil Day-Lewis, takes over the Poetry Archive role from the organisation's first president, Irish poet Seamus Heaney, who died in 2013.

Lewis says of the honour, "I so admire what you're doing with the Poetry Archive and I'm very happy that you've invited me to be involved with it."

Former Poet Laureate Andrew Motion, who co-founded the charity, adds, "We've been looking for someone who's hugely distinguished in a different artistic field but who also has serious connections to poetry. Daniel is the perfect choice for us and we're thrilled that he has generously agreed to support the Archive."