2013

Year in review 2013

Kaye Holland looks at who was hot and who was, err, not in 2013 HOT

Andy Murray
The wild haired one from Dunblane is undoubtedly one of the biggest heroes of 2013 having beaten Novak Djokovic in straight sets, to become the first British man to win Wimbledon in 77 years. He also won something that few ever expected would happen during his dour teenage days: the nation’s heart. Little surprise then that last Sunday, Murray topped the popular vote by a landslide to become only the second male tennis player to be named BBC Sports Personality of the Year. (Sir?) Andy – we salute you.

Tom Daley
The popular Olympic diver and Splash star came out of the closet earlier this month when he revealed – via a YouTube video – that he's in a relationship with another man (rumoured to be 39 year-old Oscar-winning Hollywood scriptwriter, Dustin Lance Black). The 19 year old’s announcement has received mostly positive comments, with Kylie Minogue tweeting that she found Tom “inspiring and brave.” I hope that Tom’s courageous step will encourage other gay sports stars (sport is chronically short on gay and bi-sexual role models) to follow suit.

The Pope
Who doesn’t love the new Pope? Pope Francis caught our attention early on with his refreshingly modern views on homosexuality: “If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?”  he told reporters in Brazil, last July. He’s humble too. You won’t see Pope Francis in the million-dollar pope-mobile. Rather his car of choice is a donated 1984 Renault with 190,000 miles on it. And the Argentinian continues to wash the feet of prisoners and poor people alike, explaining it thus: “This is the Lord's example. He is the most important one and he washes [other's] feet because those who are the highest among us must be at the service of others.” God bless you Pope Francis.

Miley Cyrus
2013 was the year that Miley Cyrus – daughter of Billy Ray of Achy Breaky Heart fame – killed her squeaky-clean Hannah Montana image. She chopped and bleached her hair, split up with fiancée Liam Hemsworth, smoked a joint while accepting an award on-stage, stuck her tongue out at every opportunity and twerkedalongside Robin Thicke at the MTV Video Music Awards in a nude latex bra and hotpants – an outfit which inspired the most popular Halloween costume of the year. All of the aforementioned actions have helped make Miley the most talked about person of 2013 and as 19th century American showman and circus owner, Phineas T. Barnum, once said: “There’s no such thing as bad publicity.”

Bruno Mars
Miley may have twerked her way to number one with We Can’t Stop and Wrecking Ball but it was Bruno Mars who was crowned Billboard’s ‘Artist of the Year’ - beating the likes of Lady Gaga and Justin Timberlake. The 28 year old’s sophomore album, Unorthodox Jukebox, has shifted a staggering 1.8 million copies since it hit shelves back in December last year while his Moonshine Jungletour has seen the Hawaii born entertainer sell out arenas all around the world. And if you think that 2013 has, pardon the pun, been out of this world for Mr Mars, 2014 could be even better: Bruno has been booked for the Super Bowl half time show – aka the most watched musical event of the year - next February.

NOT
Justin Bieber
2013 was the year that the fresh-faced Canadian singer and teen idol lived up to the moniker ‘good boy gone bad’. From urinating into a bucket to spitting on fans, showing up late for his own gigs and being papped leaving a brothel in Brazil, 2013 is a year that the baggy jeans devotee will want to forget. If the pop brat doesn’t change his ways soon, there won’t be many Beliebers left.

Zac Efron
We’re used to Disney stars going off the rails – Britney, Demi Lovato and Amanda Bynes anyone? Regardless Student365 was shocked when news broke in September that the gorgeous Zac Efron - who played teen heartthrob Troy in the High School Musical franchise- had entered rehab for cocaine addiction. The story was all the more sensational given that the 25 year old enjoys a low profile and unlike his young Hollywood contemporaries, is rarely spotted falling out of clubs.

Nigella Lawson
The popular journalist and chef is another celebrity who was exposed in 2013, as having had a cocaine habit. It’s been a nasty fall from grace for the domestic goddess – dubbed ‘Higella’ by ex hubby Charles Saatchi. Not that Saatchi is a saint himself: the British businessman and co-founder of advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi was photographed grabbing his wife by the throat in front of Scott's restaurant in Mayfair, London, last June. Does Nigella’s drug habit signal the end of her successful career? Not necessarily. Kate Moss survived a drugs scandal and for what it's worth, I reckon Nigella will too.

Liam Gallagher
The Oasis star’s five-year marriage to former All Saints singer, Nicole Appleton, came crashing down in July, following a love child scandal. The 41 year old is said to have fathered a daughter with American music journalist Liza Ghorbani, 39, who filed a £2million lawsuit against the Beady Eye frontman for child support. However rather than show any sign of remorse, Gallagher opted to leave the family home he shared in Hampstead with Appleton and move into a multi-million pound home five minutes away with new girlfriend, former personal assistant Debbie Gwyther. On the professional front, Liam was looking forward to an Oasis reunion – if only for the money - but his elder brother, Noel, put a spanner in the works with his refusal to reform.

Tulisa Contostavlos
The 25 year old former X Factor judge was arrested in June and went into hiding before finally being charged with supplying cocaine to an undercover reporter earlier this month. Consequently Camden born Contostavlos is required to appear before Westminster Magistrates' Court tomorrow (December 19). It's all a far cry from this time last year when Tulisa was the golden girl of Saturday night television. But the former N-Dubz singer has bounced back from controversy before (when a former boyfriend sold a sex tape of her) and if anyone knows how to fight, it’s tough talking Tulisa...