In this very special Birthday edition we’re celebrating 20 years of Fyne Associates. That means 20 years of Culture, Celebrities, Lifestlyle, Fashion, Literature, Music, Theatre, Film, and so much more. A lot has happened since then, so we’ve gone back to where it all began to remember what life was like in 2001…
Film
- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone was the biggest film of the 2001, breaking the record for the highest-opening weekend ever.
- We also saw the introduction of several much-loved franchises: Shrek, Bridget Jones's Diary, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, and Oceans 11.
Television
- The most popular TV show of 2001 was – of course – Friends.
- Brian Dowling won series two of Big Brother. He went on to enjoy a successful career and his most recent work has been hosting the podast Death Becomes Him, a personal exploration of grief.
- Sacha Baron Cohen won Best Comedy Performance at the British Academy Television Awards, with Da Ali G Show winning Best Comedy.
Politics
- Labour was re-elected in the the 2001 United Kingdom General Election.
- Tony Blair went on to become the first Labour Prime Minister to serve two consecutive full terms in office.
- George W Bush was elected as the 43rd President of the United States.
- Four coordinated terrorist attacks by al-Qaeda on September 11 of that year arguably changed the course of history
Technology
- Apple introduced the first ever iPod, which sold for just under £300.
- Wikipedia was launched, with the first ever edit being to the Homepage, its message reading, ‘This is the new WikiPedia!’
- Pizza Hut Delivered a pizza to the International Space Station, at a reported cost of around a million dollars.
- Windows XP and iTunes were released.
Celebrity Culture
- Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman got divorced.
- Eminem was sentenced to one year's probation and community service after pleading No Contest to gun charges.
- Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake started dating.
- Chris Evans and Billie Piper got married.
- Michael Jackson visited Oxford to give a talk at the Oxford Union about child welfare.
- Ths Spice Girls Split.
- Paris Hilton hits the media.
Music
2001’s Chart Toppers…
- Atomic Kitten Whole Again
- Shaggy featuring Rikrok It Wasn't Me
- Kylie Minogue Can't Get You Out Of My Head
- S Club 7 Don't Stop Movin'
- Wheatus Teenage Dirtbag
- Afroman Because I Got High
- Robbie Williams Eternity / The Road To Mandalay