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It’s the world’s most popular platform for watching videos – even edging out Gen Z favorite TikTok. Now, YouTube has capped off a remarkable year with a fond look back at the biggest moments of the past 12 months. Official data from the Google-owned platform reveals the most-watched videos in the UK this year. Among them are Rihanna ‘s Super Bowl Halftime show and the final episode of Carpool Karaoke starring a tearful Adele.
There’s also Everton footballer Dele’s emotional interview with Gary Neville and Piers Morgan ‘s controversial chat with an Egyptian comedian about the Gaza conflict. The top 10 list ranks videos by their number of views in the UK only, while excluding Shorts, music videos, trailers and children’s videos. However, the numbers of UK views for each video are not being disclosed because they’re only available to the creators themselves, a YouTube spokesperson told MailOnline.
At the very top of the list is a challenge video uploaded in February called ’20 Women vs 1 Sidemen’ starring US YouTuber Kai Cenat. In the episode, Cenat has to pick one woman to be his date from a group of 20, all of whom try to impress with their dancing and flirting skills while in a crowded club. It’s part of a series from British YouTube channel called Sidemen, which publishes a variety of challenges, sketches and video game commentaries.
The runner-up is Rhianna’s live performance at the Super Bowl in February – her first in over five years. The half-time show became the most watched in Super Bowl history, according to official viewing figures. But it was heavily criticized by ex-president Donald Trump, who called it the ‘single worst halftime show in Super Bowl history’ on his social media platform Truth Social.
Third on the list is ‘Ages 1 to 100 fight for $500k’, posted by 25-year-old American YouTube success story Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast . In the challenge video, MrBeast puts 100 people from ages 1 to 100 in separate cubes with the chance to win $500,000 as they perform a variety of tasks. Everton footballer Dele’s emotional interview with Gary Neville about his childhood and upbringing – Dele: ‘Now is the Time to Talk’ – ranks fourth. In the 25-minute chat, the brave star revealed he’d been sexually abused as a child and detailed his experiences at rehab after becoming addicted to sleeping pills. Gary Neville shared on Twitter that it was the most ’emotional and difficult yet inspiring’ conversation he had had on his podcast, The Overlap.
And in the final Carpool Karaoke episode, released in April, British singer Adele broke down in tears as she talked with host James Corden about her divorce. The Grammy -award winning musician said Corden – who also has to hold back tears – helped her through the split by going on holiday together. Carpool Karaoke has been a segment on Corden’s Late Late talk show on CBS, but it was announced that Corden would be ending his time as host. Carpool Karaoke was followed by another challenge video – ‘Last to Leave the Box FT AMP’ – was posted by YouTube channel Beta Squad in October.
In the show, the members of Beta Squad and another channel called AMP are challenged to stay in a box for as long as possible in return for a cash prize. There’s also room for two of the most incredible results in British football this year. Possibly the biggest shock was Manchester United’s humiliating 7-0 defeat to Liverpool in the Premier League in March.
Erik ten Hag’s side were ripped to shreds by their close rivals, as Reds stars Cody Gakpo, Darwin Nunez and Mo Salah all scored twice. The other was Newcastle’s surprise 4-1 victory against Paris St Germain in the Champions League in October. The incredible night at St James’ Park saw local players Dan Burn and Sean Longstaff net against the European giants.
We Ruined An Award Show – which saw British YouTube Niko Omilana set up a fake awards ceremony was ninth, followed by Piers Morgan ‘s interview with Egyptian comedian Bassem Youssef about the Gaza conflict. The video – posted to the Piers Morgan Uncensored channel – shocked viewers when Youssef tastelessly joked about trying to kill his wife, a Palestinian. Youssef said: ‘It’s just like, you know those Palestinians, they are very dramatic like “oh, Israeli’s are killing us” but they never die, they always come back. ‘They are very difficult people to kill. I know because I am married to one and I have tried many times.’
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