YouGov reveals the events, people and entertainment that Britain liked most in 2018
With 2018 drawing to a close, YouGov Omnibus has asked Britons to consider their favourite events, people and forms of entertainment from across the past year. Here's what we found.
The best ten in each category were gathered from an initial, open, question in which respondents answered in their own words. A subsequent survey asked Britons to choose between the most popular answers from the first survey.
Best film of 2018
Musical movies take the joint top spot, with Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody and surprise Hugh Jackman hit The Greatest Showman both receiving 16% of the vote of those with a view. Women in particular are fans of the P. T. Barnum-inspired flick, with 22% casting their vote for the movie compared to only 9% of men.
Best music act or artist of 2018
Ed Sheeran secures first place for the second year in a row, with 14% of Brits with an opinion naming him their favourite artist.
Best TV show of 2018
Political thriller The Bodyguard, starring Richard Madden and Keeley Hawes, has been judged the finest TV show of the year by 17% of Brits who expressed a view, putting it in first place overall. Older Brits – those aged 55 and above – were especially likely to favour the show, with 24% endorsing it for the top spot.
Best soap opera of 2018
Coronation Street, which explored controversial topics this year including suicide and male rape, was cited as the best soap opera this year by 14% of Brits.
Best reality TV show of 2018
The absence of Ant McPartlin hasn’t been enough to prevent I’m a Celebrity from overthrowing Strictly Come Dancing as Britain’s best reality TV show of 2018. 19% of Brits say the jungle torture show has been the best of the genre this year, compared to 18% for Strictly.
Best male actor of 2018
The top male actor spot is split three ways, with Venom star Tom Hardy, James Bond favourite Idris Elba, and Hugh Jackman – the lead in the aforementioned favourite movie The Greatest Showman - all receiving the backing of 13% of those with a view this year.
Best female actor of 2018
Olivia Colman, set to play The Queen for next year’s Netflix blockbuster series The Crown, secures the highest accolade this year, with 15% of Britons proclaiming her to be the best actress of the year.
Best TV personality of 2018
Given that YouGov Ratings recently proclaimed him to be Britain’s most well-liked TV personality, it is no surprise to see David Attenborough topping this list once again. 27% of Britons with an opinion say that the broadcaster and naturalist has been their favourite TV personality this year.
Best event or development of 2018
Britain’s surprise success in Russia at the World Cup is the most fondly remembered event this year, with 18% of people with a view saying it was the best event of the last 12 months.
Worst event or development of 2018
The travails of the Brexit process are the most commonly cited worst event of this year. One in four Brits with an opinion (24%) said that Britain’s messy extrication from the EU has been the most painful part of the past year.
Person who had biggest impact on the world in 2017
For the second year in a row, Donald Trump dominates the list, with 75% of those who gave an answer saying that the US president – for better or worse – has had the biggest impact on the world this year.
Photo: Getty
