Zoom has become a hotly contested part of our lives this year: love it or hate it, we’ve all had to log on to a video call at one point or another.
For some of us, it’s caused burnout, and there’s been some hilarious responses online. For instance, Japanese-based artist Marina Fujiwara has created an inventive way to escape excruciating Zoom drinking parties which you can be inspired by below.
But for others, it’s been a crucial source of much-needed entertainment as we all remained largely socially distanced.
So with that in mind, here are some of the funniest, most shocking and most cringe-inducing Zoom moments from 2020, involving some of your favourite celebrities...
1. Judi Dench logged into this messy Zoom call and we can’t get enough of it
Wondering how on Earth this came about? Well, The Jac and Jay Show on YouTube are friends with TikTok star @Sam.williams1, who just happens to be Judi’s grandson.
Turns out Sam is a fan of Zac and Jay’s show so he managed to convince his 85-year-old grandma to join a call with them and a host of their pals.
“Have you got any life lessons for us,” Zac asks and Judi responded: ”“Like everyone, I’m just bowled over, and the kindness of people is just wonderful and remarkable and I can never finish saying how wonderful it is and how remarkable people are.”
Then someone lowered the tone by shouting out: “I’m on Facetime with f*cking Judi Dench!!!” and the acting legend broke down laughing.
Purest lockdown moment ever.
2. Will Ferrell surprised an American football team by pretending to be a player
“I want to welcome in Greg Elson, Greg come in and tell us what you’re all about,” the team’s coach said, before Will entered dressed as the football player.
“Coach, thanks so much, so excited to be here... excited to play,” joked Will down the camera from lockdown.
Will is reportedly a friend of Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, which possibly explains why he was up for crashing their Zoom meeting.
Stick it out ’til the end, when the Step Brothers star assures the team: “I’ve been working out, don’t worry,” before showing off his belly to the team, adding: “I’ve been doing a lot of yoga and nothing else.”
3. NSYNC reunited over Zoom - but was that the real Justin Timberlake?
“That’s not the real Justin!” declared Joey Fatone of NSYNC when US comedian Jeremiah Watkins appeared dressed as the band’s most famous member on this Zoom call.
Three of the other members of the 90s pop band had reunited for an episode of comedian Josh Wolf’s Controlled Chaos podcast when Wolf decided to crash, dressed as Justin, to make the other guys laugh.
“You know I’m locked up in quarantine like a lot of us right now and I figured I should write some quarantine love songs, so who better to hit up than my best boys from NSYNC?” fake-Justin said.
Before Joey retorted: “That’s not the real Justin - he wouldn’t let us write anything!”
Turns out, Josh is actually pretty good at writing songs that genuinely sound like they could be NSYNC’s too.
4. The Jonas Brothers turned up to a Zoom party run by a group of fans and it was a mood
“Are you doing a Tiger King cover?” one fan asked Kevin Jonas when he switched his background to a pic of Joe Exotic cuddling a tiger in this intimate Zoom call, which all three brothers turned up to.
“The Jonas Brothers came to my friend’s Zoom party to say hello to everyone! It for sure was the best moment of this 2020!” said YouTube Victor Hugo Padilla in the comments when he posted it online.
The fan gathering took place early in lockdown, and in it, the band thanked the fans for their support, assured them new music is going to be released “at some point” and shared a communal virtual ‘cheers!’ too. Cute.
Wait until right at the end when the fans shared their hilarious and inevitable “oh my god!” moment after the brothers logged off and there was no need to act cool and composed anymore.
5. John Torode set fire to his kitchen during a remote This Morning cooking segment
Many of the This Morning chefs cooked from home via Zoom during the height of lockdown, but John Torode very nearly didn’t have a home left after a live kitchen disaster.
The MasterChef judge hadn’t noticed a tea towel had caught fire behind him, leading to a panicking Phillip Schofield screaming at him down the line for him to turn around.
Cue plenty of giggles from Phil and co-host Holly Willoughby once the fire was out.
6. This Euphoria star called out a shit-talking director for putting down his apartment
“These poor people live in these tiny apartments, I’m looking at his background and he’s got his TV and, you know,” the director auditioning Euphoria actor Luke Gage for a new role could be heard saying down Zoom.
But the director didn’t realise he wasn’t on mute and Lucas cleverly called out his comment, replying: “I know it’a shitty apartment, that’s why give me this job so I can get a better one.”
The director said he was “mortified,” and insisted: “Oh my god, I’m so so sorry Lucas. I’m so sorry.”
Criiiiiiinge.
A whole range of celebrities swooped in to back up the star, including Hugh Bonneville, Glee’s Kevin McHale and Judd Apatow, who said: “As a young man I would have dreamed of an apartment like this one. Look at that sweet flat screen! The guitar! The moldings!”
7. Gemma Collins had some camera calamities on Loose Women
The GC was due to appear on Loose Women to give one of her most candid interviews yet, but things got off to a humorous start when her camera set-up immediately let her down.
Having just casually propped her phone up, it continued to crash to the floor on a number of occasions during the chat, lightening the mood and giving the panel, Gemma and viewers at home some laughs.
Eventually, after numerous calamitous moments, the Loose Women cut to an early ad break to allow Gemma to properly secure her phone so she could speak without fear of more disasters.
The behind-the-scenes is all documented in this episode of Gemma’s reality show, Diva Forever And Ever, revealing her sister-in-law was eventually charged with being her camera woman through an open window.
8. Gordon Brown summed up how most of us feel during a Zoom call by slamming his laptop closed
Former prime minister Gordon Brown was cut short during a stint on BBC Breakfast earlier this year and wasted no time in getting on with his day - he didn’t even wait for the segment to end before closing his laptop screen.
″That’s definitely over, that ended,” presenter Charlie Stayt said, before fellow host Naga Munchetty laughed and added: “It’s infuriating when that happens isn’t it,” referencing how Gordon had frozen earlier on the call.
9. Alison Steadman returned as Pam in Gavin & Stacey in this iconic online quiz
Alison returned to her famous role of Pam Shipman for this quiz in aid of cancer charity Marie Curie, and Mathew Horne – who plays her on in Gavin & Stacey – also logged in and exchanged some words in character with his on-screen mum, revealing how they’d been faring in lockdown.
The quiz was a great success, giving fans something to smile at given there’s no Gavin & Stacey Christmas special this year, as well as raising over £50,000 for charity.
10. Brad and Jen reunited online for a sexy reading
In many ways, 2020 was the year of Brad and Jen. They reunited on the red carpet at the Screen Actors Guild Awards back in January, before meeting again for this virtual table read in September.
The former couple were playing two lovestruck characters from 1980s film Fast Times At Ridgemont High when the script got steamy.
″Hi Brad. You know how cute I always thought you were. I think you’re so sexy. Will you come to me?” Jennifer said to Brad in character, who was stifling laughter. Also seen giggling was Julia Roberts, who clearly noticed the awkward tension.
11. This interview ended when BBC ran out of free zoom minutes
“This free Zoom meeting has ended,” was seen on the screen as the presenter admitted: “Well, we’ve lost [interviewee] Scott Parsons for the time being.”
We’ve all been there: 40 minutes into a Zoom call, refusing to pay for unlimited use and then being cut off mid-sentence. Only for most of us, we aren’t presenting live to the nation. Admittedly, it was a surprise that the BBC appeared to also be benefitting from the free version of the service.
12. And finally, Geraldine Granger pretended she had internet troubles to escape an awkward video call
The Vicar of Dibley returned for three lockdown specials broadcast down Zoom, which brilliantly parodied the most of our interactions over the last nine months.
“It looks like her screen’s frozen!” sone little girl said after Dawn French’s character is asked why God hasn’t brought more of us back from the dead other than Jesus.
“Well, the simple answer to that is,” Geraldine said, before pretending to freeze and escaping the Zoom chat by logging off and feigning internet problems.
And if you’re going to tell us you’ve never done this, we don’t believe you.
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