Adele, Emma Raducanu and Rose Ayling-Ellis amongst the inspirational stars in Fabulous’ Women of the Year list

WHO run the world?

From game-changers to history-makers – all hail the women who made a real difference in 2021.

Emma Raducanu, 19, Tennis player

THERE was only one woman we were all talking about this summer: Emma Raducanu.

Born in Toronto but brought up in London, she made her Grand Slam debut at Wimbledon, making her mark as the youngest British woman to reach the last 16 of the tournament, before being forced to pull out due to breathing difficulties.

And just two months later, Emma had the nation gripped with a history-making victory at the US Open, becoming the first British woman to win a Grand Slam singles title since Virginia Wade in 1977.

Off court, the teen casually landed a reported £2million Tiffany & Co deal, plus a role as a brand ambassador for Dior, and has been named Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year. Game, set and match!

Rose Ayling-Ellis, 27, actress

Strictly’s first deaf contestant, the actress – who has played Frankie Lewis in EastEnders since 2020 – shimmied her way into the nation’s hearts in week six.

Her tango that not only incorporated sign language into the routine (searches for BSL went up 488% after the show), but also earned her the earliest-ever top marks of 40 points with partner Giovanni Pernice.

Then came her emotional couple’s choice performance, which moved us all when the music suddenly cut out to give us a glimpse into Rose’s world.

Now she’s using her platform to address the hurdles the deaf community faces, and provide the representation young deaf people need to see on screen – all while lighting up our Saturday night. An absolute joy.

Adele, 33, Singer

Adele’s comeback has been even bigger than anyone could have imagined. Her single Easy On Me – inspired by her split from ex-husband Simon Konecki – hit No.1 around the world and had 178.2 million streams in its first week of release.

No other artist stood a chance when she released album 30 a month later – ending up in a three-way battle with herself for the top three spots in the singles charts.

Then we only fell more in love with her when she performed in front of everyone who’s anyone on ITV’s An Audience With Adele. In candid interviews with both Rolling Stone magazine and none other than Oprah, she opened up about coming to terms with the breakdown of her marriage, her body image struggles, and the anxiety attacks that left her feeling paralysed.

Mum to Angelo, nine, she’s now happily loved-up with American sports agent Rich Paul, 39, and looking hotter – and happier – than ever. Oh, and that Vogue cover? Flawless.

Sophie, Countess of Wessex, 56, menopause campaigner

The countess broke down huge barriers when she became the first royal to open up about the menopause.

After becoming a patron of Wellbeing of Women in May this year, Sophie – mum to Lady Louise Windsor, 18, and James, Viscount Severn, 13, with her husband Prince Edward, 57 – candidly shared her experiences of brain fog and slammed the “tragic” impact the menopause is having on working women.

She said: “We cannot let anybody leave that workforce unfulfilled and also feeling that they have got to slope off into the shadows. It’s not right and we’ve got to be able to change that.” Hear, hear!

Sky Brown, 13, olympic Skateboarder

Few teens can say they’re a professional athlete, and to become the youngest to compete and win a medal for Team GB at an Olympics is truly remarkable.

Sky, who learned to skate from YouTube videos and her father, skater Stu Brown, had already turned pro by the tender age of 10 and shortly after became Nike’s youngest sponsored athlete.

At Tokyo 2020 this summer, she defied the odds and landed a spot on the podium, winning bronze in the skateboarding final – despite suffering a near-fatal accident last year that left her with a fractured skull and broken wrist. Just two months later, she was back on her board after convincing her parents to let her compete. Inspirational is an understatement.

Kate Lawler, 41, Radio DJ

Admitting you’re struggling with motherhood has long been taboo – so thank goodness for former Big Brother winner and Virgin Radio presenter Kate.

Following the birth of her 10-month-old daughter Noa with fiancé Martin Bojtos, 37, Kate bravely opened up to her followers on Instagram about how multiple trips to hospital to deal with Noa’s breathing problems and infections had left her sleep-deprived and in a very dark place, using her platform to help remove the stigma and shame for other mums.

Sasha Pallari, 29, influencer and activist

The Bristol-born make-up artist is the brains behind the powerful campaign #FilterDrop, which she started on Instagram during lockdown in June 2020 after being shocked by the amount of filters used to advertise beauty products online.

What started as a hashtag to her 41,000 followers soon became an official letter to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

In February this year, she made waves when the ASA board ruled that anyone promoting a skincare or beauty product as an ad has to declare if they use a filter. Boom!

Davina McCall, 54, TV & radio presenter

The TV legend has been determined to normalise the menopause, and in sharing her experiences of the brutal symptoms faced, has empowered women to open up.

Her Channel 4 documentary Davina McCall: Sex, Myths And The Menopause revealed the stigma surrounding it, and in October, she joined a rally at Parliament Square to get HRT provided free to all women in England.

Along with Fabulous’ Menopause Matters campaign, her efforts led the government to slash HRT prescription charges, saving women up to £200 a year. Go, Davina!

Queen Elizabeth II, 95, monarch

From losing her husband of 73 years to navigating the difficulties of Megxit– as well as the enduring scandal surrounding Prince Andrew – this year has been far from easy for the Queen, now into the middle of her 10th decade.

Despite recently straining her back and being ordered to rest by doctors, she has, as ever, been determined to soldier on.

She addressed the COP26 climate summit last month via video, pleading with those in power that it was now “the time for action” and revealing how “proud” she was of the environmental work of Prince Charles and his son William. Your Majesty, we salute you.

Lashana Lynch, 34, Actress

While all eyes were meant to be on Daniel Craig in the latest James Bond flick No Time To Die, they instead fell on Lashana.

The incredible British actress, born in Hammersmith to Jamaican parents, swooped in and stole the show as an altogether new 007, becoming the first woman to take on the world-famous role.

Previously seen in 2019’s Captain Marvel and Sky series Bulletproof, and soon to be playing Miss Honey in the upcoming big-screen remake of Matilda, she’s a woman on a mission to break down barriers.

Charlotte Worthington, 25, olympic BMX rider

Just two years ago, Charlotte was working 40 hours per week as a cook in a restaurant in Bury, BMXing in her spare time and using all her money and work holidays to get herself to competitions.

The turning point came when she applied for funding from British Cycling, and went on to win first bronze at the World Championships in 2019, and then gold at her debut Olympics this year.

Her 360° backflip trick in the BMX freestyle event was a first by a woman, and her spectacular success has spurred on British Cycling to now invest over £1million in the grassroots sport.

Nicola Coughlan, 34, Actress

We first fell for this Galway girl’s charm as loveable Clare Devlin in Channel 4’s Derry Girls, but this year Nicola has really established herself as the next big thing.

Alongside filming for the third and final series of the hilarious show about a group of Catholic schoolgirls during the Troubles, she also blew us away as Penelope/Lady Whistledown in lockdown obsession Bridgerton.

That performance won her the Rising Star Award at the Irish Film and Television Awards in July.

And in the middle of all this success, she’s been cutting down the haters who focus on actors’ appearance and size instead of their talent with one-liner tweets worthy of framing. Word.

Myleene Klass, 43, Presenter

We’ve been blown away by Myleene’s raw honesty in the face of tragedy, after bravely sharing her heartbreak at the four miscarriages she suffered in 2017 and 2018 with her fiancé Simon Motson.

By telling her story on Instagram and on her W show Myleene: Miscarriage & Me in October, the mum of three led the way for other women to open up about their trauma.

She said: “It’s one word, but it’s grief, it’s trauma, it’s sadness, it’s fear. There must be a reason people can’t say it… We won’t stop until everyone is well informed and there are systems of support in place. We will not be silenced any more.”

Jo Whiley, 56, radio presenter

During the chaos of the pandemic earlier this year, the Radio 2 DJ fought ferociously to protect thousands of families across the UK.

Inspired by her 53-year old sister Frances, who has learning disabilities, diabetes and was hospitalised after catching Covid, Jo launched a campaign that demanded that those with disabilities be prioritised for vaccinations.

In February, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation backed her idea and thousands of anxious families breathed a sigh of relief. Winner.

Alex Scott, 37, football pundit and presenter

As if a successful football career as the captain of Arsenal and playing for the England Lionesses for 13 years wasn’t enough, Alex has since been changing the game for women in every other way.

After retiring in 2018, she became Sky Sports’ first female pundit, as well as appearing on Soccer AM and Match Of The Day Kickabout.

She was also one of the main hosts for the BBC’s coverage of the 2020 Olympics, and now presents not only Football Focus, but also the Beeb’s new daytime quiz show The Tournament.

What’s more, she’s done it all in the face of a tirade of online abuse, but has defied the trolls by refusing
to let them “bring her down”.

Abbie Quinnen, 24, dancer

Her life changed forever in January, after a TikTok stunt went wrong. Abbie, with boyfriend AJ Pritchard and his brother Curtis, had been trying to cut a wine bottle in half using a flammable chemical when she was engulfed in flames, leading to second- and third-degree burns on her face and body.

She has since endured three skin grafts, had to take 27 tablets a day and has to wear a compression vest for two years. But Abbie has shared her story on social media – along with a powerful Fabulous interview – to warn of the dangers of social media stunts.

Sarah Harding, 39, Singer

The death of the Girls Aloud singer from breast cancer sent shockwaves through the showbiz world in September.

Having revealed she was battling the disease in August 2020, Sarah died at the age of just 39 with her mum Marie at her side.

But her courage in raising awareness of the importance of early diagnosis in her autobiography Hear Me Out, released in March, means her legacy will live on.

Sarah also donated all the profits from her last single, Wear It Like A Crown, to a cancer treatment centre in Manchester.

Lydia West, 28, Actress

We knew it was going to be good, but none of us could have expected just how powerful Russell T Davies’ Channel 4 drama It’s A Sin would be – and a huge part of that was down to Lydia.

Just out of the Identity School of Acting when she landed the role of Jill Baxter, the female friend of a group of gay men, she helped hammer home the devastating effect of the HIV crisis in the ’80s.

Rumour has it, Lydia is now the favourite to be the next Doctor, taking over from Jodie Whittaker in the BBC’s iconic Doctor Who.

Vicky Pattison, 34, reality star

Few celebrities share the unflattering truths of life (think period bloat and hormonal mood swings) as honestly as VP does.

The Geordie Shore legend cuts through the filters of Instagram, reminding her 4.8 million followers that life is far from picture perfect.

This year, she also channelled that energy into her new book, The Secret To Happy (out next month), as well as releasing her No Filter make-up range with Barry M, which aims to make us feel beautiful and empowered IRL. Nice one, Vic!

Alison Hammond, 46, TV presenter

Alison stole our hearts after taking over the Friday slot on This Morning with co-presenter Dermot O’Leary, and in September she became the first black woman to be nominated for a Best Presenter award at the NTAs.

We applaud the Brummie mum of one for constantly pushing the message that we should love our bodies in all their shapes and sizes.

Always the life and soul, she has flirted her way through interviews with Dwayne Johnson, Will Smith and Michael Bublé and never fails to put a smile on everyone’s faces. Legend.

Jodie Comer, 28, actress

She’s the dazzling star of Killing Eve, in which she somehow managed to make sadistic Russian spy Villanelle utterly likeable.

And for this incredible Scouse lass, who’s already bagged a BAFTA and an Emmy, things have only got bigger with every passing month. In the summer, she became a bona fide Hollywood leading lady, starring opposite Ryan Reynolds in Free Guy, and Matt Damon in Ridley Scott’s The Last Duel.

Meanwhile, on the small screen, she teamed up with fellow Liverpudlian Stephen Graham to shine a light on the Covid care-home scandal in Channel 4’s acclaimed Help.

Despite reportedly becoming a millionaire this year, the actress still lives at home with her parents and brother. Class.

Michaela Coel, 34, actress, writer and director

She wowed us all when she wrote, directed and starred in 2020’s I May Destroy You, in which she fictionalised her experience of sexual assault.

And in September this year she got the global recognition she deserved, winning an Emmy for her writing. In her acceptance speech she said: “Write the tale that scares you, that isn’t comfortable.

I dare you… I dedicate this story to every single survivor of sexual assault. Thank you.” No, thank you, Michaela.

Jess Phillips, 40, MP

One of the most shocking side effects of the pandemic has been the rise in domestic violence – with reports up 7% – which has only made the work of Labour MP Jess this year all the more important.

The shadow minister for domestic violence and safeguarding spent years working for the charity Women’s Aid and has faced abuse and death threats herself.

She campaigned for the Domestic Abuse Bill, passed by Parliament in April, changing the legal definition of domestic abuse to include emotional and financial abuse and coercive or controlling behaviour.

Vicky McClure, 38, Actress

As DI Kate Fleming, she’s our fave character in the amazing Line Of Duty, which drew 15.2 million viewers for the finale of its sixth series in March.

Now the actress is set to head up Trigger Point from the same writers, and is working on her own ITV drama Redemption.

Inspired by watching her grandmother go through dementia before her death in 2015, Vicky has also drawn attention to the disease with her BBC1 show The Dementia Choir in 2019, and spearheaded various fundraisers for the Alzheimer’s Society.

Credits: Photography – Mark Hayman, Alamy, Getty Images, Instagram/Rose Ayling-Ellis, Instagram/Sasha Pallari, Instagram/Kate Lawler