2021 heroes
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Forget the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List, here are ED!’s Top 10 heroes of 2021

A look back at the biggest showbiz winners of the past 12 months

With the year coming to a close the Queen is readying her New Year’s Honours List  and it’s it’s time for ED! to round up our heroes of 2021.

The year 2021 has seen star turns from dancers, actors, singers and medical professionals.

So here, as we get ready to wave goodbye to the year that was, we honour those who brought light, love and laughter to the past 12 months.

2021 heroes
Giovanni Pernice deserves all the awards after forming such a sweet friendship with Rose Ayling-Ellis (Credit: Splash News)

Forget the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List, here are ED!’s Top 10 heroes of 2021

1. Giovanni Pernice

He lifted the Strictly Come Dancing Glitter Ball trophy but even that honour isn’t high enough for the lovely Giovanni.

Read more: Giovanni Pernice sends fans into a frenzy as he shares cute baby news

We watched as he grew into a new man over the course of the series, which saw him partnered with Rose Ayling-Ellis.

Gone was the ladies’ man persona of the past and in its place was a changed man – kind, caring, compassionate and that made him sexy as hell.

2. Vernon Kay

He’s had quite the career resurrection after his stint in 2020’s I’m A Celebrity, but this year, especially in the latter stages, Mr Tess Daly really came into his own.

Vernon took over on This Morning while Phillip Schofield was off and, whether he was partnered with Rochelle Humes or Josie Gibson, he really was just brilliant.

A true natural presenter, especially when interviewing his own wife, surely bigger things – and a bigger role on This Morning – are coming in 2022 for Vernon.

2021 heroes
Josie Gibson and Vernon Kay went down a storm on This Morning (Credit: ITV)

Heroes of 2021: 3. Josie Gibson

Usually reserved for the competition or jokey segments, Josie Gibson went down a storm when Holly Willoughby called in sick and she had to cover on This Morning last minute.

Read more: Josie Gibson shares sweet mother/son moment with co-host Alison Hammond

Despite not being a presenter by trade, Josie won viewers over with her warm, likeable nature.

Finally This Morning bosses have seen what Big Brother fans have known all along – Josie belongs front and centre on our TV screens.

Giovanni Pernice winning Strictly with Rose Ayling-Ellis
Rose Ayling-Ellis winning Strictly did so much for the deaf community (Credit: BBC)

4. Rose Ayling-Ellis

The EastEnders star is more than deserving of a place on our list alongside the lovely Giovanni.

What she did on that Strictly dance floor rightly got all the praise it deserved.

Not only did she win the Glitter Ball trophy but she raised so much awareness for the deaf community.

Search for British Sign Language soared, we saw more BSL on TV than ever before and Rose showed that a disability should never hold anyone back.

Bravo that girl.

2021 heroes
It’s been an incredibly tough year for our stoic Queen (Credit: YouTube)

5. The Queen

It’s been a rough year for the monarch, yet still she’s led the nation with dignity and courage.

She lost her husband, her grandson quit as a senior royal and her family were rocked by Prince Andrew’s sexual assault allegations.

Still, though, the Queen showed her stoicism, reflecting on her tough year in her Christmas Day message and looking forward to next year when she celebrates her Platinum Jubilee.

2021 heroes
Kate Garraway has continued to battle Derek Draper back to health (Credit: ITV)

Heroes of 2021: 6. Kate Garraway

Good Morning Britain presenter Kate Garraway has had another tough year in 2021.

Despite husband Derek Draper finally heading home from hospital, life still isn’t the same for Kate.

She spends her time away from work nursing him back to health, has made special adaptations to her home and kept things as normal as possible for her two kids – all while calling out Government ministers on GMB.

A true hero of 2021, we can only hope that 2022 is a much brighter one for Kate and her family.

2021 heroes
Chris Whitty is reportedly in line for a knighthood from the Queen (Credit: YouTube)

7. Chris Whitty

England’s chief medical officer has become a trusted voice of reason during the course of the pandemic.

But it seems that’s especially the case this year if a sneak peak at the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List is anything to go by.

It’s reported that he’ll be given a knighthood when the list is revealed on Friday (December 31).

Arise, Sir Whitty!

2021 heroes
There are calls for Andi Peters to host more than just competition segments (Credit: ITV)

Heroes of 2021: 8. Andi Peters

Another morning TV star who’s worth more than just the competition segment.

Just like Josie Gibson, Andi Peters took his chance to shine when he was offered the limelight in both Phillip Schofield and Lorraine Kelly’s absence.

He went down a storm with viewers, so surely it’s only a matter of time till ITV promotes him to a more prominent role?

The Wanted star Tom Parker supported by wife Kelsey amid cancer battle
Tom Parker and his wife Kelsey are looking forward to a brighter 2022 (Credit: ITV)

9. Tom Parker

Despite battling an incurable brain tumour, The Wanted star Tom Parker has kept upbeat and kept up with his work commitments in a bid to provide for his young family.

Not only that, but the heroic star also seems to have kicked cancer into touch.

Before Christmas he broke the news that his tumour was now stable.

And, not only that, Tom revealed that he and wife Kelsey are hoping to add to their family in 2022.

2021 heroes
Naughty Boy deserves a nod for services to feeding his campmates (Credit: ITV)

Heroes of 2021: 10. Naughty Boy

Naughty Boy may be a controversial inclusion on our list, but he kept the camp fed and, love him or hate him, he kept us more than entertained.

He did countless trials, bringing home the bacon (although not literally) for his I’m A Celebrity campmates, and left us in fits of laughter with his antics during the Bushtucker Trials.

I’m A Celebrity 2021 just wasn’t the same without him.

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You’ve seen our 2021 heroes, now who would you like to see in the New Year’s Honours List? Head to our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and tell us what you think of our story.


Nancy Brown
Associate Editor