WE may have just started 2026 but the internet is declaring that 2016 was the “last good year” – or was it?
Numerous celebrities have been sharing comical throwback shots from a decade ago, but there were also some moments they’d likely prefer to forget too.
According to TikTok, searches for “2016” rose by a staggering 452 per cent in the last week, and over 55 million videos have been made with the app’s ‘2016’ filter.
Trends expert Chad Teixeira told Fabulous why there has been a nationwide collective yearning for this nostalgic year, and posts claiming “2026 is the new 2016.”
He shared: “What was so great about 2016 wasn’t perfection, but presence.
“Social media still felt playful rather than performative, algorithms hadn’t yet fully reshaped identity or attention, and pop culture moments were shared rather than fragmented or frowned upon.”
But while some may gaze back with rose-tinted glass, it was a period of toe-curling cringey moments too, as these stars showed…
Tom Hiddleston and Taylor Swift’s fling
Pop sensation Taylor Swift and Night Manager star Tom Hiddleston had an instant spark dancing during the Met Gala, and created a frenzy when they were pictured locking lips during a romantic beach day.
In a whirlwind three weeks together, the pair took a romantic minibreak to Rome and enjoyed wind-swept walks in the Suffolk countryside — as well as meeting each other’s prospective parents.
The most iconic moment of the relationship was photos of action man Tom splashing about in the ocean wearing a vest with “I heart T.S.” emblazoned on the front (not to mention a matching fake tattoo on his arm).
He explained the cheesy garment to GQ, saying: “The truth is, it was the Fourth of July and a public holiday and we were playing a game and I slipped and hurt my back. And I wanted to protect the graze from the sun and said, ‘Does anyone have a T-shirt?’ And one of her friends said, ‘I’ve got this.’”
Some speculated the romance was an elaborate hoax – and by September, just months after they started dating, they split.
Kylie Jenner’s year of ‘realising stuff’
Kylie Jenner often goes viral, but started 2016 with a bang by giving an iconic insight into her predictions for the year.
In a philosophical New Year clip, she said: “Like, I feel like every year has a new energy, and I feel like this year is really about, like, the year of just realising stuff.
“And everyone around me, we’re all just, like, realising things.”
It certainly was a big year for the reality star, splitting from ex-partner Tyga in April 2016 after years of on-and-off dating.
She also rebranded her business from Kylie Lip Kits to Kylie Cosmetic, which later helped her become a billionaire.
Blac Chyna and Rob Kardashian’s baby
Also in the Kardashian clan, Kylie’s half brother Rob and Blac Chyna welcomed their first child together – a little girl named Dream.
The couple’s fiery relationship was revealed in January this year, and the shock news that the then-28-year-old was pregnant with their first child.
Chyna’s pregnancy was fraught with tension between her and Rob, with their rollercoaster romance playing out on their own reality series, Rob & Chyna.
The pair split in 2017, but despite rumours of a reconciliation in 2025, Chyna confirmed she was ending the year “single.”
Ariana Grande’s dog filter
Cast your mind back to a time before aesthetic Instagram pages and feeds dominated with ads.
One of the biggest and unavoidable trends of 2016 was using Snapchat filters – and one of the most popular was the cartoon “dog face.”
Ever the social media queen, Ariana Grande was among stars who were all over the trend and shared numerous selfies with the silly face.
Emily Ratajkowski
While some people were rocking Snapchat filters, Emily Ratajkowski set pulses racing with her head-turning Instagram shots.
Uploading a post “2016 is back ok”, the stunning model shared a series of photos from ten years ago, mainly of which featured her in a bikini.
She even shared a topless snap with Kim Kardashian, which fans hailed as “iconic.”
The #MannequinChallenge weird trend
Who can forget the Mannequin Challenge becoming the big craze in 2016, with Hillary Clinton, Destiny’s Child and even X Factor’s very own Honey G getting involved?
The craze saw people uploading videos of them looking as though they’ve been frozen in time.
Even the White House got involved, with the then-First Lady Michelle Obama filming one with the Cleveland Cavaliers during a visit.
Megan McKenna
Many stars have jumped on the 2016 trend this week and exposed their own snaps from the year.
Towie star Megan McKenna was also a good sport in joining in, and uploaded a batch of throwback snaps from the era.
Many of the pics showed her drama in the Celebrity Big Brother house from the 17th series, where she garnered airtime for her explosive outbursts, culminating in her eviction on Day 18.
She wrote: “Well I can safely say I’ve matured a lot since 2016. Pahahahahahha Took me 10 hard years to find my peace, pure love & my team of real ones.”
Gemma Collins
No one is iconic quite like Gemma Collins, and 2016 was also a standout year for the GC.
Hailing her time back then as being mainly “spent in Chloe Sims salon and wearing my own clothing collection, oh and maybe a cheeky menthol” – she also uploaded a batch of photos.
The Towie star, who also went on Celebrity Big Brother that year, added: “Can we go back to a time where social media was fun and life wasn’t a series of photo ops?
“2016 we didn’t know how good we had it.”
Zara McDermott
She’s a style queen and dating One Direction’s Louis Tomlinson now, but Zara McDermott was bang on trend in 2016 too.
The former Love Island star posted some fashion snaps from the era, and was all over “choker” necklaces, like millions of Brits were.
In another relatable snap, she also shared how she never brushed out her curls, leaving them in a ringlet style.
Charlotte Crosby
Geordie Shore icon Charlotte Crosby said she got “emotional” looking back on her 2016 photos and had to jump on the trend too.
It was a big year for the reality star, sharing how she quit the hit show via Twitter, now called X, before she had told her agent, MTV, the producers, or even the cast as she was “was “ready for a completely different direction.”
The former party girl also got a nose job, did a fitness DVD and hosted her own TV show, Just Tattoo of Us, but admitted it was a year she was “terrified about the future.”
Kelly Brook
I’m a Celeb star Kelly Brook also took part in the trend, and shared a series of photos from what was a “cracker of a year.”
At the time she owned the nightclub Steam&Rye, and hosting panel shows with Vicky Pattison.
One thing that hasn’t changed, however, is being loved up with her now-husband Jeremy Parisi.
Rita Ora
Speaking of 2016, Rita Ora said that a “time was HAD” that year.
Adding that you “defo needed to be there”, the singer and actress said it was an era of performing, filming 50 Shades, interesting hairstyles, and another Met Gala.
Now she’s married to film director Taika Waititi, has a new fitness clothing line for Primark, and is a judge on The Masked Singer US.
How can I take part in the 2016 trend?
WHO says celebrities get to have all the fun?
Dive in by grabbing your phone for quick, authentic videos – no fancy edits needed to capture the trend’s raw charm.
Film friends attempting the Running Man or Harlem Shake.
Or slap on glittery cat-eye makeup and activate revived filters like Rio de Janeiro palm tree effects for group singalongs to Formation by Beyoncé.
Then caption boldly with something like: “Making 2026 the new 2016, who’s with me? #2026IsTheNew2016”
Unearth your 2016 camera roll and post that awkward prom pic or festival selfie.
The ‘2026 is the new 2016’ trend is all about embracing carefree digital atmosphere of 2016.
It brings back the nostalgia, fashion and music of the era, while rejecting the ultra-polished aesthetic of today.
The trend is a reaction to the current digital landscape, where users are craving the simpler and more authentic internet culture of a decade ago.
