The Story Of 2021 As Told By The Best TV Shows Of The Year

[Brexiter]

Let’s not beat around the bush, it’s been another trying year. But one thing that has helped us through all the chaos and changes in 2021 has been the TV.

Whether it’s been the familiar comfort of Gogglebox, Strictly Come Dancing and The Great British Bake Off, prestige drama like It’s A Sin, Line Of Duty and Vigil or a dose of reality from Love Island and Selling Sunset – not to mention two series of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK – there’s been a lot to enjoy.

So as we slam the door on 2021, we thought there was no better way to tell the story of the last 12 months than through the lens of some of those shows...

When the country went back into lockdown just days into the New Year​

And it was back to a life of sitting around the house ​

But at least we saw Trump finally leave the White House​

During lockdown, days turned into weeks, and weeks into months​

But then Boris finally announced his ‘roadmap’ ​

When we were finally allowed to socialise outdoors​

Even though that often meant sitting outdoors in the cold, wind or pissing rain​

But the taste of that first pint from the tap had never been so good​

When those pictures of Matt Hancock and his aide emerged and created a national talking point​

And then Delta arrived in the UK and the full unlocking was pushed back ​

Then came 19 July​

We were allowed to hug our loved ones again ​

We were allowed in friends’ houses again ​

We could actually see go and see live music ​

The clubs reopened ​

And we could resume getting with total strangers​

Even if that meant occasionally having to dodge some unwanted advances ​

Our social lives became busy once again ​

And we could finally squeeze in a long-awaited holiday ​

But then the government kept constantly changing the rules​

The Euros kicked off, and while some of us initially resisted football fever...​

It wasn’t long before we were all swept up in the madness ​

And fell in love with basically all of the England team​

We also continued cheering as Team GB headed to Tokyo for the Olympics ​

And we all had a bit of a moment when Tom Daley won his first Olympic gold​

And then Emma Raducanu won the US open too​

Meanwhile, the nation ran out of petrol and it became a mission to source any​

And then items started disappearing from the supermarket shelves and so began a scramble to get anything you actually wanted​

When Adele made her big return​

When Omicron decided to turn up just as Christmas was approaching​

And it began to feel like we were living in an eternal nightmare all over again​

Meanwhile the government was busy denying multiple claims of a Christmas party at Number 10 last year while we were all under restrictions​

The threat of more restrictions loomed ​

And we ended the year wondering if this hell will ever, ever end​

Still, at least we got to see Rose win Strictly, eh?​

READ MORE:​

• 15 Things You Probably Didn't Know About It's A Sin
• 16 Things You Didn't Know About Your New Favourite Sitcom Motherland
• 6 Hidden Clues You Missed That Pointed To H's Identity In Line Of Duty All Along