From Brexit, Donald Trump to losing George Michael: 2016 year in review

Brexit and the election of Donald Trump were among the biggest news stories in a year many have dubbed the worst ever.

In January, legendary singer-songwriter David Bowie and acclaimed British actor Alan Rickman both died of cancer within days of each other. This was the start of one of 2016’s most depressing trends, with countless more famous faces passing away over the year.

Brussels was the target of three coordinated bombings in March, killing over 30 people and leaving at 250 injured. ISIS claimed responsibility for that attack as well as an attack on Ataturk Airport in Istanbul in June, and two further tragedies in Nice and Berlin.

The UK voted to leave the EU in June, which prompted David Cameron’s resignation as Prime Minister and triggered a leadership contest ending in victory for former Home Secretary Theresa May.

Ukip’s leader Nigel Farage also resigned - again. Diane James took his place but stepped down after only 18 days in the job, eventually the party settled on Paul Nuttall though not before leadership favourite Steven Woolf was knocked out in a fist fight with another party member.

Summer was a season of sporting triumphs. Andy Murray won Wimbledon, underdogs Leicester City won the premiership, and Team GB delivered their best medal tally in years at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

The USA went to the polls in November after a bitter presidential election campaign in which former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton went up against former reality television star Donald Trump. Trump won the Electoral College vote; Clinton currently leads the popular vote by nearly three million.

2016 may well be the year the music died. In addition to Bowie, Prince, Glenn Frey, Leonard Cohen, Rick Parfitt and George Michael also passed away.

The world of show business started the year with Leonardo DiCaprio finally winning an Oscar, but closed with the tragic deaths of Carrie Fisher and her mother Debbie Reynolds only a day apart.

Watch the video above for the story of 2016.