2 days ago

Steven McIntoshEntertainment reporter

The last 12 months have delivered a huge number of viral moments - Taylor Swift getting engaged, a raccoon getting drunk, and the 6-7 trend driving teachers everywhere to early retirement.

But those weren't the only moments that kept us entertained throughout the year. Here are 15 of the cultural highlights (and lowlights) that defined 2025.

1. Beyoncé's Grammy reaction

CBS

"Wait, what? Me? I've won? I've won a Grammy? I've won this Grammy? Are you sure?"

Beyoncé didn't actually say any of these words as she won country album of the year in February, but her facial expression and body language conveyed her understandable shock.

There had been some well-documented snobbery towards Cowboy Carter within the country community, but it had a huge night, also winning Beyoncé album of the year for the first time.

We'll skip over the fact that she should've won much sooner for Lemonade or Renaissance and just be grateful that Beyoncé got her trophy and the internet got a meme for the ages.

2. Sydney Sweeney's denim drama

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"Sydney Sweeney has great jeans." So said the strap line for an American Eagle advert in July that featured the Euphoria actress dressed head to toe in denim.

Depending on your viewpoint, this was either a fun piece of wordplay in a harmless clothing advert, or a dog whistle for white supremacy and eugenics-era rhetoric.

The publicity generated by the fallout duly prompted the company's sales to skyrocket. Sadly for Sweeney, it didn't result in a similar surge for her next film at the box office.

The actress herself kept quiet throughout the controversy, but later clarified she "does not support the views some people chose to connect to the campaign", adding: "I did it because I love the jeans and love the brand."

3. Lily Allen's revenge

Getty Images/Nieves González

It was an eventful year in music - Oasis got through their reunion shows seemingly without incident, the launch of a new Elvis experience was a blue suede shambles, and Coldplay's tour left two fans in Massachusetts wishing they'd stayed home.

Meanwhile, there was an epidemic of plummeting pop stars. A giant car Beyoncé was floating in at her concerts tilted too far, almost tipping her into the audience, while a giant mid-air butterfly Katy Perry was sitting on plunged several feet.

But it was Lily Allen's West End Girl that became the most talked about album of the year, thanks to its detailed description of the events that led to her divorce from Stranger Things actor David Harbour.

Sample lyric, about setting the terms of an open relationship: "We had an arrangement / Be discreet and don't be shameless / There had to be payment / It had to be with strangers."

4. Adolescence: A one-shot wonder

Netflix/Getty

Netflix's series about a schoolboy accused of stabbing a female classmate was one of the biggest TV hits of the year, dominating conversation for weeks.

"Did you know it was all shot in one take?" said everybody you know. Gosh, was it really? You're the first person to mention that.

"Can you believe this was Owen Cooper's first screen acting role?" Well, yes actually. At 15 years old I wasn't expecting a jam-packed IMDb profile.

A few months later, the teenager became the youngest male winner of an Emmy Award, and gave an inspirational acceptance speech.

"I was nothing three years ago, I'm here now," said Cooper, who was 12 three years ago. "If you listen, focus and step out of your comfort zone, you can achieve anything in life."

5. Dubai chocolate floods the shelves

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There have been plenty of food and drink crazes over the years - matcha, bubble tea, cronuts, and the Starbucks olive oil coffee that we're still disappointed didn't really catch on.

This year, the pistachio finally got its moment in the spotlight, after a woman with a very specific pregnancy craving turned it into a phenomenon.

The decadent chocolate bar and its creamy pistachio filling subsequently went viral on TikTok thanks to its photogenic look and velvety taste, leading to a string of imitators (charging £11 per bar) and a global surge in pistachio demand.

6. The endlessly parodied Jet2 advert

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Despite being released in 2015, Jess Glynne's Hold My Hand was named TikTok song of the year after a viral trend

One of the most enjoyable trends of the summer, before it inevitably became overdone, was the much-parodied Jet2 advert.

You know the one, where the inescapable Jess Glynne song Hold My Hand plays over footage of a family enjoying their holiday in an ad campaign.

Social media users began sending it up by using the music and slogan over scenes of travel chaos instead, such as tourists in hotels binge-drinking, getting sunburn and physically fighting over sun loungers.

Other TikTokkers took to the streets to test members of the public on the ad's famous strap line. The trend led to Hold My Hand being named TikTok's song of the year, despite being released in 2015.

7. EsDeeKid's video with Timothée Chalamet

Chalamet/EsDeeKid/X

As Banksy will tell you, nothing gets the public (and press) more interested in your work than keeping your identity a secret.

There was much speculation, therefore, over EsDeeKid - a Liverpool rapper who shot to fame this year but keeps his face hidden under a balaclava, bandana or mask.

Some fans suggested the rapper's eyes - the only visible part of his face - bore a striking resemblance to those of Hollywood A-lister Timothée Chalamet, who played along with the mystique when asked about it in interviews.

On his next visit to London, Chalamet broke off from the red carpets and chat show sofas to meet the drill star, and the pair collaborated in a music video filmed outside a Finsbury Park off-licence.

8. Labubu mania prompts consumer chaos

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If 2025 had a face, it was undoubtedly made of vinyl, with pointy ears, big eyes and a grin with precisely nine teeth.

Created by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung and adapted from picture book series The Monsters, the slightly scary-looking Labubu could be seen hanging from everybody's bag this year, with Rihanna, Dua Lipa and Lisa from Blackpink joining in.

It's lucky that British people love a queue, as the plush toys prompted long lines around the world. The character's loveable but demonic appearance is said to be matched by its kind-hearted but chaotic personality (same, tbh).

9. David Tennant's bonkers Bafta song

Camila Cabello was fully on board with David Tennant's Proclaimers tribute

Host David Tennant opened this year's Baftas with a barnstorming rendition of I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) by the Proclaimers - which involved some participation from the A-list crowd.

Tennant name-checked Selena Gomez and Hugh Grant as he walked through the audience, but frankly those guys got off lightly compared with what came next.

The actor picked on Camila Cabello, Anna Kendrick, Colman Domingo, James McAvoy and Celia Imrie for the call-and-response "Da da-da!" bits after the chorus.

The facial expressions throughout were priceless. Some were enthusiastically on board, others seemed utterly confused and Jeff Goldblum looked as if he was having the best night of his life.

10. Rachel Zegler's film flop (and theatre triumph)

Disney/PA Media

Rachel Zegler in Snow White (left) and singing from the London Palladium balcony in Evita

A live action remake of Snow White ran into several controversies ahead of its release in March.

Actress Rachel Zegler ruffled a few feathers by criticising the classic original, there were reports of tension between her and co-star Gal Gadot over the conflict in Gaza, and Disney got itself into a right old tangle over what to do about the seven dwarfs.

The film bombed. But Zegler took Pitbull's advice and turned a negative into a positive, appearing in a successful West End production of Evita a few months later.

A clever stunt which saw her leave the London Palladium stage to perform Don't Cry For Me Argentina from its balcony attracted giant crowds outside. An estimated 130,000 people watched Zegler from the street over the show's run.

11. Streaming hits (and misses)

Disney/Amazon/HBO

L-R: Kim Kardashian in All's Fair, Joe Wilkinson in Last One Laughing, and Aimee Lou Wood in The White Lotus

Amazon found themselves with a surprise hit on their hands thanks to the first series of Last One Laughing, a reality show about 10 comedians in a house who aren't allowed to laugh at each other.

The most viral moment came when Joe Wilkinson was giving a mock-serious speech about the RNLI, only to be pelted with a giant ball of pink paint, for no apparent reason. Glorious.

Meanwhile, the third season of wealth satire The White Lotus became one of the most talked about series of the year, and prompted a row over a Saturday Night Live parody that had mocked Aimee Lou Wood's teeth.

Kim Kardashian's legal series All's Fair, however, was far less well received with some critics suggesting it "may be the worst TV drama ever". But Kardashian made light of the bad reviews by using them to promote the series, which was promptly recommissioned.

12. Alan Carr turning into a cold-blooded killer

The biggest TV show of the year however, was a triumphant first series of The Celebrity Traitors, and the many viral moments that came with it.

Tom Daley's side-eye, Celie Imrie's noisy digestive system, Paloma Faith's early murder, Kate Garraway's theatrics, Joe Marler's "big dog" theory and Jonathan Ross's rousing exit speech all contributed to a memorable series.

But Alan Carr was the breakout star. We almost feel bad about how much he struggled with being a traitor, but his sweating and discomfort were pure entertainment. Plus, he pulled off an astonishing last-minute win.

It led to a career resurgence for Carr, which he was both delighted and miffed about. "People are going 'Oh, that Alan, isn't he funny?'" he told Graham Norton. "I've been on telly for 25 years, I must have been awful!"

13. Adrien Brody's never-ending Oscars speech

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Breaking an Oscars record is usually a good thing, but Adrien Brody achieved a dubious honour when he won best actor in February.

Accepting the statue for his role in The Brutalist, Brody threw his chewing gum at his girlfriend before delivering an acceptance speech which lasted 5min 40sec - the longest in Academy history.

The orchestra tried to play him off, but he waved them off and continued his self-indulgence undeterred. Rumour has it he's still on stage at the Dolby Theatre today.

A few weeks later, when presenter Conan O'Brien was confirmed to return in 2026, he joked: "The only reason I'm hosting the Oscars next year is that I want to hear Adrien Brody finish his speech."

14. The celeb-packed Blue Origin space flight

EPA

Katy Perry and Gayle King were among six women who took an 11-minute flight to space as part of the Blue Origin voyage in April.

They flew more than 100km above earth, giving them a few minutes of weightlessness to enjoy Perry's live rendition of What a Wonderful World.

But some commentators said it was "tone deaf" for celebrities to be taking part in such a fleeting and expensive trip at a time of economic struggle.

And there was one fellow singer who made clear she wouldn't be following Perry into orbit...

15. Mariah: 'I think I've done enough'

'Wow': Mariah Carey discovers Katy Perry went into space

We'd been aware for a while that Mariah Carey likes to take life at an easy pace these days, as she demonstrated in a less-than-energetic performance at the VMAs in September.

But in case there was any doubt, she clarified her feelings about space travel in an interview with BBC Radio 2.

The iconic behaviour began when presenter Scott Mills asked her about Perry's trip, and it emerged that the news story hadn't even made it on to Carey's radar ("Did she go to space?")

Mills followed up by asking whether she would ever flying into orbit herself. In a response that went viral and gave us our new motto for 2026, Carey said simply: "I think I've done enough."