Beard of The Year
In 2000, Frank Dobson was named "Beard 2000", amid controversy over Dobson's claim that Labour spin doctors had told him to shave off his prize-winning beard for the upcoming elections for Mayor of London. Dobson said that he had told them to "Stick it up their wickit".
Labour politician Jeremy Corbyn, who considered his beard "a form of dissent" against New Labour, beat Rolf Harris to 2001's award.
2002's winner was Education Secretary Charles Clarke, who beat comedian Ricky Gervais and Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams for the title, despite Flett saying that the beard was probably a "pragmatic" one to conceal multiple double chins.
The 2004 Beard of the Year was held jointly by cricketer Andrew Flintoff and NATFHE union leader Paul Mackney, due to the close polling between them.
After the English cricket team regained the Ashes for the first time in 16 years, Andrew Flintoff won the award again in 2005, this time unshared, to go with his BBC Sports Personality of the Year award and his MBE. Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson came second, while former joint-winner Paul Mackney was pushed into third.
England's losing the Ashes the following year did not prevent the 2006 award going to a cricketer for the third year running; this time to England spin-bowler Monty Panesar, who narrowly won with 30 percent of the vote. Cuban President Fidel Castro was second with 29 percent; Paul Mackney was again third, tying with Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams with 10 percent each.
Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds and Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan shared the award for Beard of the cricket World Cup 2007 with Panesar the runner-up.
In 2007 the Beard of the Year was announced as Robert Plant, the singer from Led Zeppelin.
Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury made a comeback to win 2008's Beard of the Year from Prince William.
In 2009 Rage Against the Machine vocalist Zach de la Rocha added Beard of the Year to RATM's Christmas Number One. He beat Slovenian philosopher Slavoj Zizek.
2010's Beard of the Year was Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams.
The winner in 2011 was writer and restaurant critic Jay Rayner.
Michael Eavis, who organises the Glastonbury Festival was awarded Beard of the Noughties, beating former Cuban leader Fidel Castro. Keith Flett said "Both Eavis and Castro have taken a back seat towards the end of the decade but their beards remain iconic.
"Michael Eavis is a true hirsute icon of the Noughties and he beat Castro to the accolade by the merest whisker."
Read more about this topic: Beard Liberation Front
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