With the year coming to an end, it’s the perfect time to reflect on some of the craziest celebrity stories of 2016. From unexpected pregnancies to shocking divorces, it has been a busy year for many of Hollywood’s biggest stars. So here it is, a list of the Top 10 Biggest and Craziest Celebrity Gossip Stories of 2016!
Drake and Rihanna – two of the hottest, young celebrities, who everyone secretly wants to be a couple and have a storybook romance. When the duo began dating again in the summer of 2016, it inevitably took the world by storm. At the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards, Drake even professed his love for the “Work” singer when presenting her with the Video Vanguard Award. Drake told the crowd, “[Rihanna’s] someone I’ve been in love with since I was 22 years old. She’s one of my best friends in the world. All my adult life, I’ve looked up to her even though she’s younger than me.” While they were nearly inseparable for a few weeks, things quickly simmered down, and they split sometime in, or before, early October.
- Prince Harry Enters a “Serious” Relationship with Suits Star
In contrast to this brother, who is married with 2 kids, Prince Harry has not been in a long-term relationship for quite some time. However, in late 2016 this all changed, as things got more serious between the member of the royal family and Suits actress Meghan Markle. While the duo has managed to keep their romance fairly private, they have been spotted together several times. In addition, Harry, as well as the royal palace, released official statements in which they condemned the media and social media users after Meghan became the subject of an onslaught of racist, sexist, and disrespectful Internet posts and tabloid headlines.
- Kim K’s Gets Robbed in Paris
One of the biggest stories of 2016 came about in early October when reality star Kim Kardashian’s hotel room was broken into by a group of masked robbers. According to reports, Kim was gagged, bound and held at gunpoint, as 5-armed thieves ran off with over $5.6 million in jewelry. While a few months have passed since this scary event, Kim is still struggling to recover. Not only has she been (almost) completely MIA from her social media accounts, she has also significantly toned down her typically glam appearance. It is unclear whether or not Kim’s robbery in Paris and the aftermath that ensued will be documented on her family’s reality show, Keeping Up with the Kardashians – but based on its history, it likely will.
- Amber Heard and Johnny Depp’s Messy Divorce Filing
Although they were only married for a little over a year, in May of 2016 Amber Heard filed for divorce from her husband, actor Johnny Depp. Unfortunately, things took a turn for the worse when Amber alleged that Johnny had physically abused her. In addition, a video recording was subsequently released, which showed a notably drunk Johnny Depp ranting around the former couple’s home. While Johnny’s camp has continuously denied the abuse claims, Amber did end up receiving a hefty divorce settlement – which she says she is going to donate to various charities, including some that deal with domestic abuse, around the US.
- Taylor Swift Trades Calvin Harris in for Tom Hiddleston
Taylor Swift has long been known for her ever-growing list of celebrity ex-boyfriends, and she certainly didn’t change this public perception in 2016. In the beginning of the summer, media outlets began reporting that Taylor and her boyfriend DJ Calvin Harris had called it quits after 15 months of dating. Just two weeks after confirmation of their break-up, Taylor was photographed kissing Thor actor Tom Hiddleston on the beach in Rhode Island. This prompted a whirlwind romance, as Taylor and Tom went on an extravagant vacation, where they took turns meeting each other’s family. However, their relationship didn’t last long, as they called it quits towards the end of the summer – after about 3 months of dating.
- Frenzy Ensues After Beyoncé Refers to “Becky with the Good Hair”
In April of 2016, Beyoncé debuted her now highly acclaimed visual album Lemonade. In addition to garnering plenty of hype surrounding the project’s music and visuals, Beyoncé also created a worldwide frenzy when she referred to a mistress in the line “Becky with the Good Hair.” Several Hollywood beauties fell victim, as Beyoncé’s loyal fans (“The Beehive”) flooded various social media accounts with accusations, in which they accused various women of having an affair with Beyoncé’s husband, Jay Z. From designer Rachel Roy to singer Rita Ora to cooking show host Rachel Ray, the Beehive frantically tried (and failed) to figure out whom “Becky” really is.
- Taylor Swift, Kanye West and Kim Kardashian Feud Over “Famous” Lyric
During the summer, drama between Kanye, Kim and Taylor Swift came to an all-time high when Kim posted a video of Kanye talking on the phone with Taylor. In the video, Taylor is heard expressing her approval of the lyrics Kanye wrote for his song “Famous” – which she subsequently slammed a few weeks after it was released. While Taylor defended herself in the messy situation, most social media users sided with Kim and Kanye (except members of Taylors “squad” of course).
- Blac Chyna Pregnant with Rob Kardashian’s Baby
At the end of 2015, Rob Kardashian began dating Blac Chyna. This drew extra attention from the public, as Blac Chyna has a son with Rob’s younger sister Kylie’s long-term boyfriend Tyga. However, the complicated family dynamic didn’t stop Rob and Blac Chyna from moving fast in their relationship. By early April, Rob and Chyna announced that they were engaged. Almost immediately after, it was revealed that they were expecting a daughter together. Fast forward to November 10th, Rob and Chyna welcomed their baby girl, Dream Kardashian, into the world. Unfortunately, it is hard to keep track of Rob and Chyna’s relationship status, as they seem to have explosive fights over social media pretty much every other week.
- Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt File for Divorce
Now this is a headline most people were not expecting to read on the front page of a tabloid in 2016…To pretty much the whole world, Brad and Angelina’s divorce filing came completely out of nowhere. In mid-September, it was confirmed that Angelina had filed for divorce following a specific altercation between Brad and their son Maddox on an airplane. Brad was investigated and cleared for child abuse-related behavior, however, things continue to go awry between him and his soon-to-be ex. While it has been a few months since Angelina filed for divorce, the custody and a legal battle is just getting underway now.
- Donald Trump elected as 45th President of the United States
The only thing crazy enough to top Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt filing for divorce in 2016 is the fact that Donald Trump was elected for President of the United States. In a completely shocking victory, Donald Trump won the Presidential seat over his Democratic opponent Hilary Clinton. After a campaign full of controversies and cringe-worthy moments, Donald managed to shock many Americans – as well as people across the globe – by transitioning from host of The Celebrity Apprentice to President of the United States. Donald is set to officially take over for Barack Obama in early 2017.
2016 also took a lot of talent from us and it doesn’t seem to want to stop as George Michael died on Christmas Day shocking many of us as much as we were with Prince and David Bowie’s passing.
We will be doing a separate article on those who have died this year as it seems unusually high. I think after the craziness of 2016, many of us are ready to tread into 2017 and hope that it’s a little less of a whirlwind.