Friday, 17 December 2021

2021's Most Popular Celebrity With Schoolkids is...

 Most popular celeb among school kids is..?


This year saw a return to something like normality in my Comic Art Masterclasses in schools. We were in lockdown from January to May, but I was doing classes as regularly on Zoom as I'd do in person, and with way less travel involved. From June onwards I was back in the car and more than making up for the 18 months of driving I'd not been doing. I've done classes in North Yorkshire, The Lake District, East Anglia, South Wales, London, The Midlands, and all points in between. I've done corporate parties on Zoom, and international online classes involving kids as far apart as America, Abu Dhabi and Australia. It's been good to be back.


And as a regular part of most classes, I do my demonstration strip in which a celebrity steps on a worm. The kids suggest four celebrities, then with a show of hands we choose one from that four for me to draw in the strip. It's my way of keeping them interested and involved in what I'm doing, as well as giving me the opportunity to be a bit spontaneous and ad lib. So, after five years of Donald Trump dominating the top slot, displacing his predecessor for the previous five years, Simon Cowell, who's the most popular suggestion by school kids (and a few adults)?



Chosen Once:


Abraham Lincoln

Anna Kendrick

Barack Obama

Bill Gates

Bruce Lee

David Walliams

Elon Musk

Elton John

Eminem

Emma Watson

George Washington

Isaac Newton

Jim Carrey

Johnny Sins

Kim Kardashian

Lionel Messi

Marshmello 

Mayim Blalik

Michael Jordan

Mr Beast

Mrs Grandridge The Head Teacher

Phil Foden

Prince William

Raheem Sterling

Rick Astley

Roald Dahl

Robert Downey Jr

Ruth Bader Ginsberg

Sky Brown

Snoop Dogg

Stephen Mulhearn

Thomas Brodie Sangster

William Shakespeare



8th equal - chosen twice


Albert Einstein 

Claudia Winkleman 

Da Baby 

Elvis Presley 

Harry Kane 

Harry Styles 

JK Rowling 

Joe Biden 

Justin Bieber 

Stan Lee 

Tom Holland 


7th equal - chosen 3 times


Ed Sheeran 

David Attenborough  

Donald Trump 

James Charles


6th place - chosen 4 times


Taylor Swift 


5th equal - chosen 5 times


Dwayne The Rock Johnson 

Cristiano Ronaldo 



4th equal - chosen 6 times


Simon Cowell 

Michael Jackson 

Freddie Mercury 


3rd equal  - chosen 8 times


The Queen (3rd place 2020)

Boris Johnson (3rd place 2020)


Runner up - chosen 9 times


Billie Eilish (4th place 2020)



Winner - chosen 13 times


Ariana Grande (runner up 2019 & 2020)


The biggest loser of 2021 is Donald Trump who had topped this chart for five years (2016 - 2020), being chosen a record 42 times in 2017. This year only 3 groups chose him, his novelty truly having worn off.


Michael Jackson remains the most stubborn inclusion, which no TV documentaries can shake. He’s always in this list, which he would regularly top a dozen years ago. He’s been in 3rd place for the last three years.


Thanks again to all the schools who've had my classes, in person or online, and here's to another round of more of the same in 2022.


The kids favourite celeb 2020

The kids favourite celeb 2019



Buy the books:

Pop Star Colouring Annual with 50 images from 70s to now

Kev F Sutherland, as well as writing and drawing for The Beano, Marvel, Doctor Who, and graphic novels adapted from Shakespeare, runs Comic Art Masterclasses in schools, libraries and art centres - email for details, and follow him on Facebook and TwitterHe is the host of the podcast Comic Cuts The Panel Show


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