The biggest moments of 2022 were both joyous, hilarious, and historical.
This year offered some of the biggest moments in television history. Not only were we spoiled for choice with the resurgence of reality television, but key, monumental events also meant broadcasters were pulling in record numbers.
Across entertainment, sport and national news, 2022 stopped the country in its tracks several times. Whether it was a joyous celebration or coming together to mourn, British television fed us some incredible moments that won't soon be forgotten.
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The Queen's death
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II passed away in her Balmoral estate on September 8. Just a few months after she celebrated her diamond jubilee to mark 70 years on the throne, it soon became apparent she wouldn't be with us for much longer.
After reports surfaced the queen's doctors were concerned about her deteriorating health, it sent alarm bells ringing for the public to see the rest of the Royal family rush to be by her side. In the lead-up to her death, there was rolling coverage across every major news broadcaster around the world but at 6:30pm that day, the world stood still after the announcement of her death was made.
What followed was nonstop coverage of her lying in state, regular programming getting the axe in favour of royal specials, and meticulously reporting of her funeral. During all of this, the conversation also turned to the new monarch, King Charles III, who toured the country in the lead-up to his mother's funeral with the world discussing what the United Kingdom would look like under his rule.
The Lionesses winning the Euros
The England team made sporting history and changed the trajectory of young girls and their possibilities forever. The Lionesses emerged victorious after beating Germany 2-1 , marking their first-ever win at the UEFA Women's Euros.
They returned as champions and were celebrated across the country for not only making it to the top but for a range of gender challenges that young girls and women had never seen before. Chloe Kelly ripping her top off after scoring was hailed as "powerful" and the team as a whole proved that football should never have been a male-dominated sport.
Matt Hancock joining I'm a Celebrity
The former health secretary handed in his letter of resignation after details of his affair went public. Following a rocky departure, Mr Hancock turned his attention to entertainment television and took up residency in the Australian jungle.
Before he was even confirmed to be cast in I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! the public was furious that someone with such a major hand in the Covid-19 response was being seen as a "celebrity."
Throughout his run on the show, he was handed the majority of bushtucker trials but because he managed them with ease, viewers eventually stopped voting for him. Even after he left the jungle, the general population questioned how ITV could stoop so low in signing such a controversial character.
Mr Hancock made it all the way to the final, placing third.
Harry and Meghan's Netflix tell-all
The documentary that shook die-hard monarchists' to their cores dropped on Netflix and divided the public - specifically the British - in half. It was team Meghan versus the Royal family on launch day with everyone weighing in on the revelations she and Harry shared in the tell-all.
It was a hot topic as people were frothing at the mouth trying to predict what the couple would say. The reality of the series was a lot more diluted than the world expected as it focused primarily on the couple's relationship with one another and their experiences in the public eye.
Will Smith's Oscars slap
The Oscars is one of the more underwhelming television awards as the black-tie event attracts the reserved, more sophisticated A-listers of the entertainment world. Beloved actor Will Smith decided to turn the usually demure ceremony into Bad Girls Club by throwing hands on stage for the world to see, demanding the night's host, Chris Rock, keep his wife's name out of his mouth following a joke.
Slapping Rock in front of the entire audience, Smith was denounced from the Academy Awards and banned for the next ten years.
Ekin-Su and Davide's love story
Like a modern Disney fairytale between a Turkish actress and an Italian stallion, the Davide and Ekin-Su's love story was one for the ages. The pair entered this year's Love Island and hit it off instantly, only for the honeymoon period - three days - to be ruined after Ekin made her advances on another islander, crawling across the balcony like a scene from Mission Impossible.
After a few now-legendary bust-ups and schoolyard teasings that the pair secretly still liked each other, their relationship blossomed into the love story of the year. Davide and Ekin-Su solidified their romance by making it official on a candlelit date in a coliseum before winning the entire show.
Their on-off, frenemy relationship kept this year's Love Island afloat and without them, we'd never have the line: "You are a liar, an actress, go the f*** out."
Ukraine win Eurovision
The Ukrainian victory was welcomed with open arms by the country as a reason to smile after a tumultuous year. The Russian invasion began not long before the contest started which raised questions as to whether their act, Kalush Orchestra, would even appear given the circumstances.
Their track, Stefania, not only went down a storm with the Eurovision Song Contest's national jury but from viewers all over the continent who voted for them to win. They were crowned the 2022 winners and walked away with one of the best scores in the history of the competition - 631.
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