The year in pictures: 2022's biggest moments captured on camera

29 December 2022, 09:54 | Updated: 29 December 2022, 10:02

As the year draws to a close, and we brace ourselves for the thrills and spills of next year, LBC takes a look back on the past 12 months.
As the year draws to a close, and we brace ourselves for the thrills and spills of next year, LBC takes a look back on the past 12 months. Picture: Getty / Alamy

By Chris Samuel

After a pretty harrowing couple of years of Covid, we were all hoping for a quiet, uneventful year just to settle our nerves.

Unfortunately, 2022 didn't get the memo.

We're now into our third Prime Minister of the year, months into Putin's appalling invasion of Ukraine, and Brits are facing with spiralling energy costs, inflation, with industrial action taking place across the public sector affecting all kinds of services.

But it wasn't all doom and gloom, England's Lionesses won the 2022 Euros, becoming the first English side to win a major trophy since Geoff Hurst et al lifted the World Cup back in 1966.

Ukraine won the Eurovision song contest and Lionel Messi, a man whose place among the all-time greats was seen to depend on him winning a World Cup lifted the coveted trophy after one of the best finals in the tournament ever.

So as this year draws to a close, and we brace ourselves for the thrills and spills of next year, LBC takes a look back on the past 12 months.

This is what 2022 looked like through a camera lens.

Jan 16 - Tennis star Novak Djokovic deported from Australia amid a row over Covid vaccination status rules.

Supporters of deported Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic gather at the Nikola Tesla Airport on January 17, 2022 in Belgrade, Serbia. (Photo by Srdjan Stevanovic/Getty Images)
Supporters of deported Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic gather at the Nikola Tesla Airport on January 17, 2022 in Belgrade, Serbia. (Photo by Srdjan Stevanovic/Getty Images). Picture: Getty

February 10 - Met Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick resigns 5 years into the role, after London Mayor Sadiq Khan made it clear that he didn't have confidence in her plans to bring reform to the service.

Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis CRESSIDA DICK is seen arriving at BBC ahead of a radio interview, on the day she resigned.
Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis CRESSIDA DICK is seen arriving at BBC ahead of a radio interview, on the day she resigned. Picture: Alamy

February 24 - Russia begins its invasion of neighbouring Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers an address to the Russian people announcing the invasion of Ukraine from the Kremlin, February 24, 2022 in Moscow, Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers an address to the Russian people announcing the invasion of Ukraine from the Kremlin, February 24, 2022 in Moscow, Russia. Picture: Alamy
A building entrance after a Russian shelling attack.
A building entrance after a Russian shelling attack. Picture: Getty

March 16 - Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe finally freed from Iran after being detained for six years.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori arrive in Oxfordshire, after being freed from detention by Iranian authorities
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori arrive in Oxfordshire, after being freed from detention by Iranian authorities. Picture: Alamy

March 27 - Will Smith slaps comedian Chris Rock in bizarre Oscars incident

94th Annual Academy Awards - Show
94th Annual Academy Awards - Show. Picture: Getty

May 9 - Keir Starmer vows to step down as leader if fined by police for breaking Covid rules at Labour offices in Durham last year.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer makes a statement at the party's headquarters in London.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer makes a statement at the party's headquarters in London. Picture: Alamy

May 15 - Ukraine win 2022 Eurovision Song Contest

Kalush Orchestra from Ukraine poses with the trophy for a winning picture after winning the Eurovision Song Contest, Turin, Italy. 15th May, 2022.
Kalush Orchestra from Ukraine poses with the trophy for a winning picture after winning the Eurovision Song Contest, Turin, Italy. 15th May, 2022. Picture: Alamy

May 24 - The Elizabeth line - named after the late Queen - opens to travellers.

Passengers boarding an Elizabeth Line train in London, May 24, 2022, on the new line's first-day of service.
Passengers boarding an Elizabeth Line train in London, May 24, 2022, on the new line's first-day of service. Picture: Alamy

June 2 - The Queen makes one of her last public appearances as she watches a special flypast to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee.

The Queen watches the flypast with other senior royals on the Buckingham Palace balcony.
The Queen watches the flypast with other senior royals on the Buckingham Palace balcony. Picture: Getty

June 25 - Paul McCartney headlines Glastonbury, as the festival returned for the first time since the start of the pandemic.

Paul McCartney performs on The Pyramid Stage during day four of Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 25, 2022
Paul McCartney performs on The Pyramid Stage during day four of Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 25, 2022. Picture: Getty

July 7 - Boris Johnson announces resignation as Prime Minister under pressure from his party.

Cat As Boris Johnson Resigns As PM
Cat As Boris Johnson Resigns As PM. Picture: Getty

July 8 - Former Japanese PM and serving member of the House of Representatives Shinzo Abe fatally shot during campaign rally.

Aftermath of assassination of former Japan's PM Shinzo Abe
Aftermath of assassination of former Japan's PM Shinzo Abe. Picture: Getty

July 31 - England crowned UEFA Women's EURO 2022 champions after 2-1 win over Germany.

England's Chloe Kelly celebrates scoring their side's second goal of the game during the UEFA Women's Euro 2022 final at Wembley Stadium, London.
England's Chloe Kelly celebrates scoring their side's second goal of the game during the UEFA Women's Euro 2022 final at Wembley Stadium, London. Picture: Alamy

September 5 - Liz Truss wins race to become the new PM, after beating leadership rival Rishi Sunak in a vote by party members.

Rishi Sunak And Liz Truss Take Part In The BBC Leadership Debate
Rishi Sunak And Liz Truss Take Part In The BBC Leadership Debate. Picture: Getty

September 8 - Queen Elizabeth II dies of old age in Scotland at 96, after 70 years on the British throne.

Queen Elizabeth II's lying-in-state in London Westminster Hall
Queen Elizabeth II's lying-in-state in London Westminster Hall. Picture: Getty

September 23 - Kwasi Kwarteng announces mini-budget which plunged the government into turmoil, he was later sacked by Liz Truss after the growth plan crashed the pound and proved profoundly unpopular.

The Chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng, leaves no. 11 Downing Street to present his financial statement. London, UK. 23rd Sep, 2022.
The Chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng, leaves no. 11 Downing Street to present his financial statement. London, UK. 23rd Sep, 2022. Picture: Alamy

September 26 - NASA successfully crashes probe into asteroid

A television at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, captures the final images from the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) just before it smashes into the asteroid Dimorphos on September 26, 2022.
A television at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, captures the final images from the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) just before it smashes into the asteroid Dimorphos on September 26, 2022. Picture: Getty

October 20 - Liz Truss resigns as PM after just 45 days in the job, after her disastrous mini budget spooked markets and brought a clamour from both sides of the house for her to step down.

Britain's outgoing Prime Minister Liz Truss arrives to deliver her final speech outside 10 Downing Street in central London, before heading to Buckingham Palace to give her resignation.
Britain's outgoing Prime Minister Liz Truss arrives to deliver her final speech outside 10 Downing Street in central London, before heading to Buckingham Palace to give her resignation. Picture: Getty

October 27 - Tech billionaire Elon Musk completes acquisition of social media giant Twitter for $44 billion.

A video grab taken from a video posted on the Twitter account of billionaire Tesla chief Elon Musk on October 26, 2022 shows himself carrying a sink as he enters the Twitter headquarters in San Francisco.
A video grab taken from a video posted on the Twitter account of billionaire Tesla chief Elon Musk on October 26, 2022 shows himself carrying a sink as he enters the Twitter headquarters in San Francisco. Picture: Getty

October 30 - Far-right Brazil leader Jair Bolsonaro loses to Luiz Inácio in tight Presidential contest.

Bolsonaro Speaks After Being Defeated By Lula in Presidential Runoff
Bolsonaro Speaks After Being Defeated By Lula in Presidential Runoff. Picture: Getty

October 25 - Rishi Sunak officially becomes the UK’s third PM in seven weeks after meeting King Charles III.

King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government.
King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government. Picture: Getty

November 10 - Comedian Joe Lycett 'shreds £10,000' after making ultimatum to David Beckham over his Qatar World Cup deal.

Lycett posted the video of him pretending to shred £10,000 on Twitter.
Lycett posted the video of him pretending to shred £10,000 on Twitter. Picture: Twitter / @joelycett

November 11 - Former Health Secretary and MP Matt Hancock enters the jungle on reality show ‘I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!’, after his constituents voiced fury at his decision to take part.

Matt Hancock was grilled by fellow contestants over his presence on the show.
Matt Hancock was grilled by fellow contestants over his presence on the show. Picture: ITV

December 18 - Lionel Messi wins the 2022 Qatar World Cup with Argentina, beating previous holders France on penalties.

Argentina talisman Lionel Messi lifts the World Cup trophy.
Argentina talisman Lionel Messi lifts the World Cup trophy. Picture: Getty

December 19 - Nurses launch two-day strike, in first ever national walkout over pay dispute.

NHS staff march to Downing Street on the second day of nurses strike in the UK.
NHS staff march to Downing Street on the second day of nurses strike in the UK. Picture: Alamy

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