How much attention have you been paying this year? Test your news nous in our tricky Headliners Quiz
Are you ever confused by names in headlines and wonder who they refer to? For example, a headline in yesterday’s Daily Mail spoke of ‘Joy for Jilly’.
Depending on whether you enjoy fine clarets or are well up on the world of fashion, you might have thought the accompanying story was about wine expert Jilly Goolden or model Jilly Johnson rather than, in truth, about racy novelist Jilly Cooper becoming a dame.
Here are 20 genuine headlines from 2023, each referring to a famous name. In our fun quiz, choose the correct identity from three people that the story could be about.
Check the answers at the bottom of the page to discover if you’re a news junkie or celebrity world ignoramus…
Take our quiz to discover if you’re a news junkie or celebrity world ignoramus…
1. £175m Harry’s top of young rich list
a) Prince Harry
b) Harry Styles
c) Harry Kane
Is the Duke of Sussex the Harry referred to in the headline pertaining to the young rich list?
2. In the Jungle get ready for leeches in intimate places, Nigel!
a) Nigel Farage
b) Actor Nigel Havers
c) Former racing driver Nigel Mansell
3. Emma’s identity issues from stars to bras
a) Actress Emma Thompson
b) Tennis star Emma Raducanu
c) Actress Emma Watson
4. The End is nigh for Andy
a) Andy Warhol
b) Prince Andrew
c) Tennis champ Andy Murray
5. Dom & dumber
a) Former deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab
b) Political aide Dominic Cummings
c) TV presenter Joel Dommett
Does the headline ‘Dom & dumber’ refer to ex-Number 10 special advisor Dominic Cummings?
6. Keegan ‘haunted by ghost of Dad’
a) Ex-footballer Kevin Keegan
b) Cabinet Minister Gillian Keegan
c) Actress Michelle Keegan
7. Is Angela set for Holly’s job?
a) TV newsreader Angela Rippon
b) Strictly’s Angela Scanlon
c) Labour deputy Angela Rayner
8. Kate draws out the trolls
a) Actress Kate Winslet
b) The Princess of Wales
c) Model Kate Moss
9. Mum’s the word, Holly
a) Musician Buddy Holly
b) TV presenter Holly Willoughby
c) Gordon Ramsay’s daughter Holly
Mum’s the word, Holly – but is this headline referring to TV presenter Holly Willoughby?
10. Farewell to Kirsty, my TV fashion hero
a) Ex-Desert Island Discs host Kirsty Young
b) Former Newsnight presenter Kirsty Wark
c) TV presenter Kirsty Gallagher
11. George lost his virginity at the back of a blue movie cinema
a) Beatle George Harrison
b) Actor George Clooney
c) Footballer George Best
12. Robbie: Low sex drive, can’t sleep
a) Former Take That singer Robbie Williams
b) Football pundit Robbie Savage
c) Australian actress and Barbie star Margot Robbie
Low sex drive and can’t sleep – but is it actress Margot Robbie referred to in the headline?
13. Betty’s legacy
a) Actress Betty Grable
b) Singer Betty Boo
c) Commons Speaker Betty Boothroyd
14 Jeremy, this is basic stuff
a) TV host Jeremy Clarkson
b) Chancellor Jeremy Hunt
c) Radio 2 presenter Jeremy Vine
15. Joanna’s perfect for love of dogs
a) Actress Joanna Scanlan
b) Joanna Lumley
c) Novelist Joanna Trollope
16. Kim shows off ageless figure in black lingerie for racy video
a) Reality star Kim Kardashian
b) Actress Kim Cattrall
c) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un
Reality star Kim Kardashian might pertain to black lingerie, but is it the right answer?
17. I’m sure Rachel had fling behind my back
a) Pop star Rachel Stevens
b) Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves
c) Actress Rachel Weisz
18. Kevin could give James Bond a run for his money
a) Actor Kevin Costner
b) Footballer Kevin de Bruyne
c) Ex-rugby star Kevin Sinfield
19 Chris’s plea for his ashes to be mixed with his dogs’
a) Naturalist Chris Packham
b) Coldplay’s Chris Martin
c) Virgin Radio DJ Chris Evans
20 Gordon’s strokes of genius
a) Former PM Gordon Brown
b) TV chef Gordon Ramsay
c) Phillip Schofield’s one-time glove puppet Gordon the Gopher
Is this the Gordon with the ‘stroke of genius’ referred to in the headline?
YOUR SCORE:
More than 15 out of 20: You’re a newsaholic who instinctively knows whether the name Charlie in a headline refers to our King or to the mullet-haired founder of Pimlico Plumbers.
Between 5 and 15: You probably know Helen Mirren from fellow actress Helen Baxendale and Helen of Troy, but are bamboozled by whether a story refers to Gary Lineker, Gary Oldman or Gary Neville.
Less than 5: Worryingly, you haven’t been reading The Mail on Sunday or Daily Mail as attentively as you should have been and probably think the Gaza Strip is the shirt Paul Gascoigne played in for Tottenham Hotspur.
