THROWBACK: 2011 


BY Mansib Ahmad

Believe it or not, 2011 was – get ready for it – eight years ago.  

That’s right, it’s been almost a decade since planking was a thing. If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably written off 2011 as a pretty unmemorable year. Turns out, however, there was quite a lot happening. Here are five ultimate throwbacks to 2011. 

Kim Kardashian married and then divorced Kris Humphries after just 72 days of marriage 

Kim and Kris’ divorce was highly scrutinised by the media, with many claiming it was a publicity stunt. This one is a pretty surreal throwback, especially when you scroll through Kim Kardashian’s Instagram feed which now features her three wonderful children and husband, Kanye West. All’s well that ends well, right? 

Game of Thrones Season One airs for the first time  

With the series finale now just days away, it’s hard to believe that the universally beloved show made its debut eight whole years ago.  

Prince William and Kate Middleton get married 

From the moment they announced their engagement Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding was something everyone was talking about. The event cost an estimated AUD$32 million and Kate’s dressed, designed by Alexander McQueen, brought back the trend of sleeves and lace in wedding dresses. The ceremony was viewed live on YouTube by 72 million people, and another 37 million watched from their television screens. Weirdly enough, the most talked about thing after the wedding was Pippa Middleton’s bum.  

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 was released 

The highest grossing movie of 2011 and the highest grossing Harry Potter film, Part 2 was a bittersweet goodbye to the wizarding world we all loved. Daniel Radcliffe has said this movie is his favourite in the series, and it’s easy to see why.  

The Oprah Winfrey show ends after 25 years  

The Oprah Winfrey Show is undoubtedly a cultural icon and remains, to this day, the highest-rated daytime talk show in American television history. The show broadcasted plenty of memorable moments like Tom Cruise’s infamous couch jumping, Ellen DeGeneres’ coming out and Oprah’s own shock announcement that she had discovered she had a half-sister. After 25 years, the show ended with Oprah’s parting words to the crowd of 13,000: “I won’t say goodbye. I’ll just say…until we meet again.” 


2011 was also the year The Whitehouse opened. It’s celebrating its 8th birthday all week with $8 deals, live music and free cake. Check out all the details here. 

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