2012 was full of celebrity scandals! From hook-ups, split-ups, cheating, sex tapes and denials…we were hooked! 

Bonang and Euphonik

DJ Euphonik’s alleged assault on girlfriend Bonang Matheba, and the subsequent legal procedures, threatened to become the most talked-about scandal of the year. However, those of us desperate for gossip fodder and/or justice, had deal with one of the great anti-climaxes of the year as miss Matheba opted to withdraw her charges against the man who allegedly beat her with a cellphone for failing to close his house’s security gate.

Unathi Msengana’s verbal malfunction

The South African Music Awards were given a long overdue dash of excitement when an alleged alteration to the pre-approved script forced Unathi Msengana to improvise her introduction of rapper AKA. Much to the disgust of puritanical SABC viewers who were watching a live broadcast of the event, the veteran presenter decided to quote   Lil’ Wayne; calling AKA a ‘beast’ and a ‘motherfuckin’ problem’. Sadly, the suitability of the reference couldn’t save her or the SABC from the subsequent deluge of complaints.

Sophie Ndaba’s bogus bishop

The Ndaba/Harrington affair really had it all; a popular TV star, a dashing philosopher, whirlwind romance, medical miracles, falsified credentials, threats, accusations and fears over personal safety. In fact, poor Sophie would be forgiven for thinking that 2012 was a year plucked straight from a Generations story arch. Things have been disappointingly quiet since they reportedly got back together in August.

Jessica Leandra and Tshidi Thamana

Perhaps keen to test the limits of what kind of idiotic behaviour her newfound status can help her get away with, professional pretty girl Jessica Leandra spoke her mind in an tweet so despicably racist, it resulted in one of the most impressively clinical career executions in the history of glamour modelling. Then, presumably acting on the notion that the story needed another villain, unknown ‘model and actress’ Tshidi Thamana mused that a possible solution to Leandra’s racism would be genocide. It was huge. Seriously. Politicians got involved.

The Naked Windsors

In a welcome twist, everyone’s favourite royals dominated headlines this year for actually being interesting. Harry continued with his humble rebellion by getting his kit off at a high-rise Vegas keg party and then had his picture taken by an opportunistic fellow-reveller. Then a paparazzo gave poor William another reason to hate the press by snapping naked pictures of his new wife while the two were on a holiday.

Kristen Stewart cheating

World champion lip-biter Kristen Stewart ended her relationship with long-time boyfriend Robert Pattinson spectacularly by having her photo taken during a very non-plutonic embrace with a married man. Many celeb watchers were already of the opinion that Pattinson could do better than the expressionless superstar and this gave them all the justification they needed to vent their pent-up feelings. And vent they did, spewing a constant stream of digital anger at Stewart for breaking poor Edward’s heart and playing a part in destroying a marriage also.

By Adriaan du Toit