Rear of the Year

Rear of the Year is a British award for celebrities who are considered to have a notable posterior. It was created by publicity consultant Anthony Edwards[1] and is organised by Rear of the Year Limited. For several years, it was awarded to women only. Now, it is usually awarded to one woman and one man.

Rear of the Year
Awarded forCelebrities considered to have a notable posterior
CountryUnited Kingdom
Presented byRear of the Year Ltd.
First awarded1981 (one-off presentation in 1976)
Currently held byAmanda Holden and Andy Murray
WebsiteOfficial website

History

Barbara Windsor won the first award in 1976, presented as a one-off accolade. Five years later it became an annual event with Felicity Kendal receiving the honours. On winning the award in 1985, Lynsey de Paul quipped "I would like to thank the organisers from the heart of my bottom".[2] In 1986, the award was presented to a man for the first time (Michael Barrymore) and 1991 saw Marina Ogilvy, the daughter of Princess Alexandra, became the first royal recipient. From 1997 the awards have been presented annually to both sexes.[3] The 2002 award to Charlotte Church attracted controversy due to the winner having only recently turned 16.[4][5][6]

2010 winner Fiona Bruce accepted the award and participated in a photoshoot, happily posing for pictures in tight jeans. However, she subsequently described the award as 'the most hypocritical, ridiculous, ludicrous thing I’ve ever done'[7]

The event, staged for some years at London's Dorchester Hotel in Park Lane, attracts national and international press publicity. In 2012, organiser Tony Edwards declared that female rears were starting to slim down as more women took to the gym, jogging and keeping trim in this Olympic year.

In 2014, Carol Vorderman became the first person to receive the award for a second time.

Winners

Recipients include:[8]

References
  1. "About Us". Anthony Edwards Publicity. Archived from the original on 2009-10-05. Retrieved 2009-10-17.
  2. "Lynsey de Paul - obituary". Telegraph. Retrieved 2017-04-26.
  3. Kale, Sirin (20 August 2019). "Behind the times? The strange, sad story of rear of the year". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  4. "Rear of the Year Award for Charlotte Church, 16, Is Flattering but Distasteful; TEENAGERS: `When a Child Is Celebrated as Sexy Something Doesn't Smell Quite Right'". Highbeam.com. 2 May 2002. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
  5. "BBC News - WALES - Church 'sexually exploited', AM claims". News.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
  6. Bain, Charlie (2 May 2002). "I do like my bum... but if I had won Rear of the Year three months ago it would have been seen as sick; Award for Charlotte, 16". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 26 March 2017 – via The Free Library.
  7. "Fiona Bruce says Rear of the Year award was 'hypocritical and demeaning'". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
  8. "Past Winners of Rear Of The Year Competition". Rear Of The Year Limited. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
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