From sporting glory and royal drama to viral memes and streaming sensations, the biggest talking points of 2025 have been revealed in a comprehensive new study. The research, commissioned by digital magazine platform Readly, surveyed 2,000 adults to uncover the year's most captivating stories that dominated British conversations.
The Nation's Top Talking Points
The Lionesses' historic UEFA Women's Euro 2025 victory in Switzerland emerged as the number one most discussed story of the year, capturing the nation's imagination. Hot on its heels in second place was the seismic royal development of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor being stripped of his major honours, including his positions in the Order of the Garter and the Royal Victorian Order.
Completing the top three was the Coldplay kiss cam scandal, a moment of unexpected controversy that sparked widespread debate. The list highlights a public appetite for a mix of high-stakes news and lighter entertainment, with stories ranging from Donald Trump's tariffs and the Louvre robbery to Celia Imrie farting on Celebrity Traitors and the annual Spotify Wrapped release.
Cultural Phenomena and Reader Habits
The study, which forms part of Readly's 2025 trends report examining reading patterns, found that British subscribers spent a significant amount of time engaged with content. Typical users dedicated nine hours per month to the platform, usually in 20-minute sessions, with Wednesday evenings at 6pm being the prime time for magazine reading and Sunday mornings at 7am favoured for newspapers.
In terms of content categories, UK readers showed strongest interest in "lifestyle", "celebrity and entertainment", and "cars and motoring". Globally, "newspaper", "business & finance", and "lifestyle" content proved most popular. The report also identified overarching news trends, with themes of staying "forever young", artificial intelligence (AI), and diet drugs being particularly prominent throughout the year.
A Year of Memorable Moments
Chloe Rushmere, head of content UK at Readly, commented on the findings: "It's been another eventful year. Most of these memorable moments were generally positive, or at least amusing. On the whole, people seem to remember the funny or quirky things rather than some of the sadder news from around the globe."
The data also shed light on news consumption habits, revealing that respondents spent nearly three hours per week consuming news. Half of those surveyed said they typically favour reading uplifting news, whilst 41% are content to consume both positive and negative coverage.
"As 2025 draws to a close it's great to see so many people reading about what they love, what makes them smile, laugh or cry," Rushmere added. "It's fascinating to see how reader behaviour and interests continue to evolve."
The full top 40 list serves as a cultural snapshot of the year, featuring major events like Lando Norris becoming Formula 1 World Champion, Scotland qualifying for the men's World Cup for the first time in 28 years, and the long-awaited Oasis reunion. It also includes viral trends such as the Jet2holidays jingle, the "100 men vs 1 gorilla" debate, and the popularity of strawberries and cream sandwiches.
