For many, the festive season is a time for family, reflection, and goodwill. But for a host of A-list stars, the end of 2025 cannot come soon enough, marking the close of a year scarred by very public and often bitter disputes. While the world celebrated, these celebrities were embroiled in conflicts that spilled from private WhatsApp groups onto front pages and social media timelines. We look back at the most explosive celebrity feuds that dominated the headlines this year.
The Beckham Family Rift: A Golden Dynasty Divided
One of the most protracted and headline-grabbing sagas of the year centred on Britain's premier celebrity family, the Beckhams. The estrangement of eldest son Brooklyn, 26, from his parents David and Victoria became painfully public. His notable absence from every major family event in 2025, including his father's landmark 50th birthday celebrations and his recent investiture, signalled a deep and ongoing rift.
The origins of the dispute are widely traced back to Brooklyn's May 2022 wedding to actress Nicola Peltz. Tensions reportedly flared over the wedding dress, with initial assumptions that Nicola had snubbed a Victoria Beckham design for a Valentino gown. However, sources close to the couple insist it was Victoria who withdrew from the project unexpectedly.
The situation deteriorated in May and June this year when reports emerged that the Beckhams felt they had "lost" their son to Nicola, whom they allegedly referred to as controlling. This deeply hurt Brooklyn, who believed the negative stories were sanctioned by his parents. The couple even hired a crisis publicist to "de-escalate" the war of words.
Any hopes of reconciliation were dashed in August when Brooklyn and Nicola held a surprise vow renewal at the Peltz family estate—an event conspicuously devoid of any Beckham family members. This move was perceived by David and Victoria as a "cruel and spiteful" final act, cementing an estrangement that continues to this day.
Wedding Bell Blues: The Ramsay-Peaty Pre-Nuptial Fallout
What should have been a joyous occasion was overshadowed by a toxic family row, as the upcoming Christmas wedding of Gordon Ramsay's daughter, Holly, to Olympic champion Adam Peaty descended into acrimony. The swimmer made the shocking decision to disinvite nearly all of his relatives, barring his sister Bethany, from the Bath Abbey ceremony.
The feud ignited after Adam's mother, Caroline, was not invited to Holly's luxurious hen do at Soho Farmhouse, which was attended by Holly's mother Tana, Bethany, and even Victoria Beckham. The snub unleashed a torrent of family strife, with claims and counter-claims flying. Adam's aunt, Louise, blasted the couple on social media, alleging Caroline was excluded from the wedding for not having the right "look".
Further reports suggested tensions began during the couple's engagement party, which was filmed for Gordon Ramsay's Netflix docuseries. The very public unravelling of two families provided a dramatic, unscripted backdrop to the planned festive nuptials.
Music, Politics, and Diss Tracks: Other Major 2025 Clashes
The year's feuds were not confined to family dramas. The worlds of music, reality TV, and politics collided in spectacular fashion.
Sabrina Carpenter vs. The White House: The pop star slammed the Trump administration for using her song Juno in a video celebrating ICE arrests, calling it "evil and disgusting." The White House fired back with a statement laced with her own lyrics, taunting, "Anyone who would defend these sick monsters must be stupid, or is it slow?" The spat continued with the White House editing an SNL skit to troll her further, a tactic also used against SZA.
Kendrick Lamar vs. Drake: The rap titans' feud reached its zenith, defining the cultural conversation. Kendrick's chart-topping, Grammy-sweeping diss track Not Like Us, where he labelled Drake a "paedophile," became an anthem. The conflict culminated in Kendrick's Super Bowl LIX halftime show performance of the track, while Drake faced a major setback when a judge dismissed his defamation lawsuit over the lyric in October.
Selling Sunset's Drug Bust-Up: The glossy reality show saw real venom as Nicole Young was fired after a dinner party clash with Chrishell Stause. Nicole's low blow—referencing Chrishell's deceased parents in a comment about drug obsession—was the final straw, leading to her dismissal by bosses Brett and Jason Oppenheim.
Other Notable Feuds: The year also saw Nicki Minaj reignite old battles with Cardi B and SZA; a rumoured rift between White Lotus co-stars Aimee Lou Wood and Walton Goggins (which they later denied); lyrical speculation of a feud between Charli XCX and Taylor Swift; and the ongoing familial legal struggles within Jade Goody's legacy, involving her mother Jackiey Budden and ex-husband Jeff Brazier.
As the curtain falls on 2025, these public fractures serve as a stark reminder that beneath the glamour, celebrity life is often fraught with the same personal conflicts that touch everyone—just with a much brighter spotlight.
