The 11 main characters which summed up 2022

It is the actions of a select few who live in it who make the world what it is.

Every day, people make reverberating decisions that impact the lives of those around them.

For doing so they are splashed in magazine pages and dominate social media chat.

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2022 was no different and a number of politicians and celebrities really stood out.

Here our pick for the top 11:

1. Mick Lynch

If you asked anyone in 2021 who Mick Lynch was, you'd probably been met with a blank stare unless you asked someone really into unions.

But in 2022, Lynch became a household name by representing the RMT union to the media every time they went on strike ( which was quite often).

His refreshing direct communications style won him the support of people who agreed wages should increase in line with inflation.

But he didn't curry favour with his bosses who won't meet his demands. The union strikes continue.

2. Liz Truss

Liz Truss pronounced the Irish word 'Taoiseach' as 'tea sock' Niklas Halle’N/AFP via Getty

She became the prime minister in the Autumn; she resigned as prime minister in the... Autumn. But never has someone achieved so much in such a short length of time. Delivering on her pledge to "hit the ground" from day one, Truss seized every moment of her premiership by crashing the economy, declaring war on everyone who listens to podcasts, and getting a shiny new lectern.

She serves as an important reminder never to girl boss too close to the sun.

3. Elon Musk

Elon Musk was barely out of the news this year with his bonkers takes and relationship drama. But it was when he purchased Twitter and left it plagued with bot messages and an ever-changing verification process that he really cemented himself as one of 2022's real movers and shakers.

4. Pete Davidson

For the simple crime of 'not complying to outdated beauty standards but dating a series of women who do meet these standards', the comedian continued to cause chatter in 2022. He dated Kim Kardashian, then more recently Emily Ratajkowski.

"How does he do it?" people brayed, ignoring many attractiveness-gap relationships that came before him.

5. Volodymyr Zelensky

Volodymyr Zelensky makes surprise video appearance at Glastonbury Festival President Zelensky

Responsible for leading Ukraine in its resistance to Russian aggression, Zelensky became a well-known and well-respected figure throughout the world in 2022 and we expect that respect to continue into the new year as the war in his country shows no sign of quietening down.

6. Sue Gray

Late last year, reports suggesting some Conservatives and civil servants had been slightly liberal when it came to following Covid rules emerged.

Just like that, Partygate was born and who better than to uncover the wrongdoing and put the matter to rest than senior civil servant Sue Gray?

That's what the Tories said and for months, when pressed on the alleged rule-breaking, politicians declared we must all wait for the omniscient and omnipotent Gray to deliver her findings.

In May she did just that and she didn't hold back.

The consequences? One of the blows that lead to Boris Johnson's resignation, and the verified meme-status of Gray forever more.

7. Matt Hancock

A man who has ascribed to the adage that all publicity is good publicity like no other, the former disgraced health secretary refused to bow out of public life with grace and dignity this year.

Instead, he forced his way into the limelight at every opportunity, from declaring his love for Gina Colandelego on podcasts, to eating anus on primetime television.

In December he announced he won't stand as an MP in the next election because he had found new ways to reach the public. (Was it the podcast or the anus meat?)

And with that the Kendall Royification of Hancock was complete and we, regretfully, had to include him on this list.

8. Will Smith

Chris Rock made a joke about Will Smith's wife at the Oscars this year. Smith slapped Rock. It looked painful. Nobody talked about anything else for absolutely ages. And so, Smith became a big character in 2022 all for being violent.

9. Joe Lycett

A number of far-reaching stunts propelled Lycett into the public eye this year, from protesting David Beckham's apparent apathy to World Cup host Qatar's human rights record to trolling Liz Truss and Nadine Dorries.

10. Andrew Tate

There are always a few bad apples on social media but it was Andrew Tate who became the poster boy for toxic masculinity in 2022 with his terrible takes. The self-proclaimed 'most Googled man' alive saw a sudden rise in popularity and an almost immediate crash as he was banned from every social media platform going (before Elon Musk brought him back to Twitter).

11. Jill Scott

She won people's hearts in the I'm A CelebrityI'm A Celebrity jungle more than Hancock could have ever dreamed of but it was by bringing "it" home and telling a rival footballer to "f**k off" in the Euro 2022 final this summer that the former Lioness Jill Scott became a household name.

Who knows which figures will get people talking in 2023.

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