Big Brother’s Nasty Nick scandal, The Sopranos’ controversial finale and X Factor’s industry-shifting debut lead British GQ’s list of 25 moments that changed TV forever

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Television quickly became the most exciting, influential and daring art form of the 21st century.

Programmes and series have had the power to change narratives, ideas and start political movements.

Recently, the stars and creators involved with popular TV shows have revealed the fascinating, previously unheard stories behind some of the most memorable scenes from 2000 to 2025.

In their newest issue, British GQ interviewed several well-known figures, including Davina McCall, Simon Cowell, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

When asked about the start of reality TV and the show Big Brother in 2000, Ms. McCall, 57, recalled a memorable instance of contestant “Nasty Nick” manipulating the other housemates against one another. It was an iconic moment, she said.

You know, when I look back at the very beginning of Big Brother, it’s amazing! As someone who was right there with it – and honestly, I’m still a huge fan – I remember everyone on the Channel 4 team being totally in uncharted territory. As presenter, I can tell you, nobody really knew what they were doing at first! We were all learning as we went.

No one had ever collaborated with actual members of the public in this way before. It truly felt like a social experiment. We wondered, if we provided them with alcohol, what would occur? And if we cut them off from all contact with the outside world, what would the result be? We honestly had no clue. It was a complete unknown.

‘The press got so out of control, we started worrying about [Nick’s] safety.

Eventually, he was asked to leave, and we had to quickly move him to a hotel to protect him. I recall going to Tesco to buy a pair of trousers so I could avoid being recognized while going to interview him. It was a really crazy situation. I remember it being quite hectic.

Another TV show to make the list was The X-Factor, for disrupting the pop industry from 2004.

‘People had a real appetite to buy these kinds of [reality] shows,’ Cowell told GQ.

So, when we presented the idea, they essentially approved it right away. We had originally planned to name it Star Wars, but then someone pointed out that I might run into a problem with the trademark.

The Office, The Osbournes and Lost also made the list.

As did CSI, The OC, The Sopranos and Mad Men.

As a lifestyle expert, I’ve been consistently impressed by Phoebe Waller-Bridge. At just 40 years old, she really made a splash creating, writing, and starring in Fleabag back in 2016. It’s amazing to see how much recognition she’s received – she’s won so many awards for her incredible work!

She shared with GQ: ‘My goal was to portray a flawed woman whose negative actions weren’t caused by a single, major traumatic event in her history, but rather by the accumulation of small, everyday frustrations and disappointments that are common in modern life.’

I primarily wanted to create a female character who was hilariously open about her struggles, to the point where her underlying pain wasn’t immediately obvious. The idea was to disguise a tragedy within what initially appeared to be a breezy and lighthearted romantic comedy.

Series such as House of Cards, Black Mirror and Game of Thrones were also named by GQ.

Nicole Kidman, 58, was asked about Big Little Lies which was her gateway from film to TV in 2017.

‘The limited series became incredibly valuable and important and viable,’ she said.

‘I hadn’t ever seen women talking like this before.’

When questioned about her shift towards television roles compared to film, she explained: ‘I’m simply getting more chances to work on fun, engaging TV shows. It allows me to create content that a lot of people will enjoy.‘

The list also included Love Island, celebrated for its memorable 2019 season, I May Destroy You, which powerfully captured the #MeToo movement, and Normal People, a standout show from the lockdown period.

In 2021, RuPaul’s Drag Race gained recognition for popularizing drag culture. The year also saw the release of Adolescence, a film about a 13-year-old boy influenced by the manosphere who commits a violent act against a female classmate.

Sarah Owen, a Labour MP said the show spread like lightning in Westminster.

She explained that politicians who hadn’t previously paid attention to this issue suddenly started receiving emails from concerned parents, teachers, or young people directly. ‘

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2025-09-30 20:19