TikTok has praised its users for “helping us get through a tough year” as the social media platform published a review of 2020.
As part of the review, known as the TikTok 100, the video-sharing app revealed the BBC, Manchester United and Harry Potter actor Tom Felton were among the fastest-growing accounts in the UK.
The most-watched video of 2020 in the UK, a lion walking through a safari park, has been liked more than 20 million times.
Meanwhile the biggest trend on the platform was #blindinglights, which saw NHS workers and families dance to The Weeknd song Blinding Lights during the country’s first lockdown.
This was followed by #isolationgames where TikTok users and Team GB sportspeople recreated Olympic sports in their homes and #ramsayreacts, the popular videos of chef Gordon Ramsay reacting to the food creations of other users.
Rich Waterworth, TikTok UK and EU general manager, said: “For many reasons, 2020 will be a year we will never forget.
“Across the UK, we’ve been faced with challenges we could have never predicted back in January, shaped by a tragic health crisis that has touched each and every one of us in different ways.
He added: “But throughout it all, there have been incredible moments of humanity and community and I’ve been humbled that TikTok has been home to so many of those moments, bringing people together even when we felt so far apart.
“As we approach the end of 2020, we wanted to take a moment to reflect and recognise our community for helping us get through a tough year.”
Mr Waterworth praised the diversity of the most watched videos, celebrating them as “a mixed bag of all the great and the good on TikTok”.
“Topping the list is a lion parading through a safari, showing that cats – the king of cats in fact – still continues to be what people want to watch on the internet,” he said.
“Our second most-watched UK video is a quarantine classic, with creators @BenandKexia spending hours creating a massive domino train in their home during lockdown.”
He also highlighted how a number of celebrities had embraced the app for the first time.
“Celebs like Andrew Lloyd Webber, Dua Lipa, Liam Payne and Ant and Dec have all brought their creativity and comedy to our platform this year, making the most of our creative effects and engaging with fans in unique and new ways,” he said.
“Whether it’s duetting with fans, going behind the scenes, or sharing more about their personality through TikTok LIVEs, public figures across sports, music and the creative industries have embraced TikTok in 2020.”
Mr Waterworth also praised the work of creators who used the platform to raise awareness about different subjects.
He commended users such as presenter Nikki Lilly and actor and comedian Michael Dapaah for their campaigning work on social issues.
“What’s… surprised us this year is how much TikTok has come into its own as a platform for campaigning and change,” Mr Waterworth said.
“Our TikTok 100 recognises creators like @Nikkililly, @cheethamswithdreams and @michaeldapaah_ for their huge contribution in raising awareness about disabilities, equality and mental health.
“As we look forward to 2021, our mission remains the same – we’ll continue to inspire creativity and bring joy to people all over the UK and to our 100 million monthly active users across Europe.”