WORST DRESSED
Recipient: Martin Lewis
Martin Lewis appearing on Good Morning Britain. The presenter has been awarded Worst Dressed
In June, the financial whizz became a guest presenter for ITV’s Good Morning Britain, waking the nation with the latest news headlines.
But Martin was so committed to counting his pennies he decided to save some money by not buying a tie. Who needs a stuffy old-tie to show some respect when discussing the latest effects of COVID-19 or trying to hold elected officials to account? Not Martin.
Sadly, with a few too many buttons undone and nothing around his neck, Martin Lewis failed to realise that he was hosting a news programme, not A Question of Sport.
LEAST GRACIOUS
Recipient: Andrew Marr
Andrew Marr gestures to the media at BBC Broadcasting House after filming the final episode of the Andrew Marr Show in London
It was announced last month that broadcaster and political geek Andrew Marr would leave the BBC for the apparently shinier, greener pastures of Global.
While still working for the BBC, Marr decided to slag off his employer of 21 years to promote his transition to the commercial sector. A move far from gracious – plain idiotic, frankly. His new megabucks deal with Global would not have been quite so mega had it not been for his profile, which was all thanks to the BBC seeing something in him two decades ago.
The mardy Marr didn’t so much as thank the BBC in his Twitter statement, although, granted, he did mention some of his ‘wonderful colleagues’.
When you inevitably leave Global in however many years, Mr Marr, wait until your contract is over and you’ve left the building.
BIGGEST HYPOCRITE
Recipient: Tilly Ramsay
Tilly Ramsay on This Morning on August 11, 2021. She has been awarded Biggest Hypocrite
In October, the LBC presenter Steve Allen was close to being cancelled after he dared to air his own opinion on his early morning radio show.
Steve called Tilly, daughter of the man known far and wide for being so lovely to every passing soul, Gordon Ramsay, ‘a chubby little thing’.
In her rebuttal on social media, Miss Ramsay complained that Steve Allen had unfairly mentioned her weight and how wrong it was to pass comment on someone’s appearance… all the while taking a swipe at Allen’s age (67). Somewhat of a double-standard. It may have been better to say nothing or re-word the statement.
Arguably, you can do something about your weight; you cannot do anything to change your age.
POOREST TASTE
Recipient: Jayne Rivera
‘in October, Jayne Rivera, displayed to the world perhaps the most staggering lack of taste ever recorded. The American influencer decided to post not one, not two, but three sultry photos in front of her late father’s open casket,’ said William
Also in October, Jayne Rivera, displayed to the world perhaps the most staggering lack of taste ever recorded. The American influencer decided to post not one, not two, but three sultry photos in front of her late father’s open casket.
Now, we all handle grief differently, but I am not sure how many of us in our right minds see a funeral as an opportunity for a photoshoot to get likes and attention on Instagram.
What I worry about now is what comes next for Jayne and her fellow influencers? The purpose of an influencer is to be ahead of the curve and start or fuel new trends. A TikTok number on a tomb of an unknown warrior? Perhaps an Insta live from inside a furnace at the crem’? The morbid possibilities are endless.
WORST LAPSE OF COMPASSION
Recipient: Adele
Adele during her One Night Only programme which broadcast on the CBS Television Network
Unless you have been fortunate enough to be living under a sound-proofed rock, you can’t but have noticed that British singer Adele released a new album this year.
There was so much publicity and hype around the new record that when Australian journalist Matt Doran failed to listen to the album before interviewing Adele, both she and her publicists insisted the Australian journalist issue an on-air apology for disrespecting her.
Sadly, Mr Doran’s bosses agreed to this obscene request.
During his travels from Sydney to London, Mr Doran’s mega long-haul oversight was due to missing one badly-labelled email: it didn’t even have the name ‘Adele’ in the subject or body.
Adele showed zero understanding or good grace rather than behaving with good humour and compassion. Something she recently professed to Vogue was important to her.
As Camilla Long in the Sunday Times so aptly put it, “crawling to a primadonna who’s thrown a pathetic tantrum is something [we] expect from North Korea”.
WORST LAPSE OF CONSIDERATION FOR OTHERS
Recipient: Boy George
Boy George at An Audience with Adele at the London Palladium on November 6 2021
News reached us in November that the 80s pop star Boy George’s ostentatiously large hat blocked the view of Phillip Schofield (and others) at Adele’s Palladium concert.
Mr Schofield was then moved to a better seat for the remainder of the concert and one only hopes that no poor sap was put into the now-vacant seat behind Boy George.
Firstly, hats are not worn indoors by those identifying as male. (And, as a side note, for those identifying as female, they aren’t worn after 6pm, either.) And hats are definitely not worn inside when attending any performance with the audience seated in rows.
How discourteous of Mr George to think hiding his problem follicles was more important than giving others around him a decent chance to see the stage.
Although Philip Schofield and Boy George made light of the incident a few days later, I worry how many other people (who aren’t ITV presenters able to be given a seat-switch) have had their view ruined by an offending hat.
RUNNERS-UP
Rishi Sunak MP
The Chancellor tried to make socks and sandals acceptable while holding an important public office. He was seen preparing for his budget in the autumn, dressed in white socks and designer ‘sliders’. Can you imagine Ken Clarke or Gordon Brown doing that?
John Swinney MSP
The Scottish politician gloated about his opponent’s loss in the May election. In contrast, his defeated opponent was gracious enough to congratulate the victor. Not a good look for Mr Swinney.
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck
The couple decided to snog on the red carpet of September’s Met Gala while wearing their facemasks. Clearly, they’ve been so busy being back in love in 2021 they haven’t grasped the basics of how COVID is spread, nor general good taste.