Rear of the Year is a light-hearted British award for celebrities who are considered to have a notable posterior. It was created by publicity consultant Anthony Edwards[1] and is organised by Rear of the Year Limited.
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Initially presented as a one-off accolade, Barbara Windsor won the first award in 1976. Five years later it became an annual event with Felicity Kendal taking away the honours.
In 1986 the award was presented to a man for the first time (Michael Barrymore) and 1991 saw Marina Ogilvy, the daughter of Princess Alexandra, became the first royal recipient. From 1997 the awards have been presented annually to both sexes.
The event, staged at London's Dorchester Hotel in Park Lane, regularly attracts major national and international press publicity valued at [approx] £4.5 million. The 2011 event, sponsored by Wizard Jeans, was held on 8 June with winners Carol Vorderman and Anton du Beke receiving the awards.
Organiser Tony Edwards declared that 2011 was the year of the more womanly, rounded rear while, for men, the contrast of a more muscle-toned look remained in fashion.
There is only one, genuine, Rear of the Year award and a list of contenders is never supplied to bookmakers so that their suppositions about the outcome are pure conjecture.