OUR 2020 VISION
What were the TV shows that had everyone talking in 2020? Marion McMullen looks back at this year’s small screen hits
1 THE Great British Bake Off offered everyone a crumb of comfort during the pandemic.
It notched up its biggestever final on Channel 4 with a record 9.2 million viewers watching the crowning of “baby-faced assassin” Peter Sawkins, left.
The 20-year-old self-confessed Bake Off fan’s newfound fame has been reflected on social media with his Instagram account, Peter Bakes, attracting more than 102,000 followers.
2 STRICTLY Come Dancing made history with boxer Nicola Adams and professional dancer Katya Jones becoming the first same-sex pairing on the show.
Unfortunately their journey was cut short when Katya tested positive for Covid-19 meaning the couple had to bow out of the BBC 1 series early.
3 THE BBC adaptation of A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth has been hailed as the Beeb’s first historical drama with no white characters.
Set in India in 1951, The series saw Tanya Maniktala as Lata Mehra and also starred Bollywood leading man Ishaan Khatter and
Indian screen
4 THE fourth series of Netflix drama The Crown saw Emma Corrin as Diana, Princess Of Wales, left, and led to Earl Spencer, Diana’s brother, calling for a disclaimer to say it was a work of fiction. He told ITV’s Lorraine: “I worry people do think that this is gospel and that’s unfair.”
5 EMILY in Paris became a guilty pleasure for many in lockdown. The frothy Netflix drama, from Sex and the City creator Darren Star, starred Lily Collins, below, as a US marketing executive sent to an office in the French captial. Despite criticism for its lazy French sterotypes, a second series has been confirmed.
6 THE first UK-based series of ITV reality show I’m A Celebrity ... Get Me Out Of Here! was watched by a peak audience of 12 million.
The show, which saw podcaster Giovanna Fletcher crowned queen of the castle, was moved from Australia to Gwrych Castle in Wales because of the coronavirus pandemic.
7 JOE EXOTIC became known to millions as Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem And Madness arrived on Netflix in March.
Exotic – aka Joe Schreibvogel, left, – is a gun-toting, polygamist with an Oklahoma zoo. He is serving a 22-year sentence in prison for plotting the murder of animal rights activist Carole Baskin.
8 THE BBC adaption of popular novel Normal People propelled young actors Daisy Edgar-Jones and Paul Mescal to instant stardom. The story of the on-off- relationship between two Irish teenagers was lauded by critics and, in August, the BBC said it received 54.8 million iPlayer requests over the series.
9 CHESS drama The Queen’s Gambit proved a surprise success for Netflix with Anya Taylor-Joy playing tortured young chess prodigy Beth Harmon.
The show, right, became the channel’s most watched scripted series with 62 million viewers tuning in globally for the sevenpart series in October.
10 BRITISH singer Adele and Hollywood star Jane Fonda both labelled I May Destroy You their best viewing of the year. Bafta-award winning Michaela Coel played Londonbased writer Arabella in the 12-part BBC series which premiered in June and explored the question of sexual consent.