Forget the BAFTAs or the Golden Globes. The most revealing ceremony of the year is back: the Bad Manners Awards (BMAs), the accolade no public figure wants to win. After a year of watchful scrutiny, etiquette authority Laura Windsor – the self-styled Queen of Etiquette who even advised Netflix on Bridgerton – has delivered her verdict on the stars who have spectacularly failed in their duty to demonstrate decorum.
Red Carpet Rage and Overly Public Breakups
Millie Bobby Brown found herself on the list after an incident at the Stranger Things premiere in November 2024. The 21-year-old actor snapped at a photographer on the red carpet at London's Odeon Luxe Leicester Square after being told to smile, retorting 'Smile? You smile!' while wagging a finger. While the sentiment may be relatable, experts argue red carpets are a professional exchange. 'The media is just doing its job,' notes Windsor, suggesting the outburst was misdirected.
Meanwhile, Lily Allen's deeply personal album, West End Girl, released in October, landed her in hot water. The 40-year-old singer detailed the dissolution of her marriage to David Harbour across 14 tracks, labelling him a 'sex addict' and revealing graphic specifics of his affair. While cathartic, the public airing of such dirty laundry is deemed a breach of discretion. 'It becomes disrespectful and crass,' Windsor asserts, emphasising that private matters should remain just that.
Complaints Without Perspective and Party Faux Pas
Liverpool footballer Mo Salah was cited for a lack of gratitude. After a 3-3 draw with Leeds, the 33-year-old, who earns an estimated £400,000 a week, claimed he had been 'thrown under the bus' by the club. During a cost-of-living crisis, such public complaints without perspective signal 'a lack of humility and gratitude,' according to the etiquette judge.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were highlighted for a perceived clash between their desire for privacy and their public actions. In November 2024, they attended Kris Jenner's lavish 70th birthday party, only for photos with them to be deleted from social media after requests from the Sussexes' camp. 'You cannot accept a party invitation from one of the world's most documented families and expect privacy,' Windsor states, calling the move both rude and naïve.
Wedding Woes and Family Feuds
The year's wedding dramas provided rich pickings for the BMAs. Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz raised eyebrows by renewing their vows in August 2024 without inviting any of the Beckham family, a move sources called a 'gratuitous display of obscene wealth.' Excluding close family is seen as humiliating and a sign of poor manners.
Similarly, Selena Gomez faced criticism for not inviting her former best friend and kidney donor, actress Francia Raisa, to her wedding to Benny Blanco. 'So someone literally saves your life and you don't invite them to your wedding?' Windsor questions, describing the snub as brutal and ungracious.
In a particularly harsh move, Olympic swimmer Adam Peaty uninvited his own family from his upcoming wedding to Holly Ramsay. The feud reportedly began after his mother was not invited to the hen do. 'Uninviting them is a whole different ballgame... a power move,' Windsor concludes, arguing it turns personal dynamics into a painful public statement.
Other recipients included Stacey Solomon, for a perceived lack of grace after losing at the BAFTAs, and Lauren Sánchez, for wearing an overly revealing outfit to a presidential inauguration, drawing attention away from the main event. The consensus from the judging panel is clear: in the public eye, basic manners and emotional intelligence remain non-negotiable.
