The surprise success of the year was The Full Monty, a British film about a group of unemployed steelworkers who become male strippers.

In the film, a group of men, who are down on their luck after losing their jobs, decide to make money by copying a male stripping troupe. However, in order to compete with the professionals, they decide they have to give the Full Monty - and take all their clothes off.

The film was a huge success in America. In Britain, it became the most successful homegrown movie ever, overtaking Four Weddings And A Funeral. It also surpassed Hollywood blockbusters such as Men In Black and the Jurassic Park sequel, The Lost World, as the highest grossing film of the year in Britain.

Spice up your life

Scary Spice (left) and Ginger Spice (right) with Nelson Mandela

The Spice Girls became one of the most popular bands ever, making a fair attempt to crack the crucial American market. Their profile was such that they met Prince Charles on a number of occasions and also Nelson Mandela - who, with tongue firmly in cheek, said it was the greatest day of his life.

However, things started to go wrong. First they sacked their manager, who had made it all happen for them, then, in November during an awards ceremony in Spain they were booed off a Barcelona stage when they refused to allow press photographers to take pictures of them performing.

There are also rumours that their latest album is not doing so well in the shops. Worst of all there is a new girlie band doing well in the charts, ready to take over 1998. Next year Nelson Mandela could be meeting All Saints.

Hello Teletubbies

The Teletubbies

Probably the most important development in the world of entertainment was the rise and rise of the Teletubbies - a television programme loved by toddlers, students and the media alike.

The antics of the Teletubbies - Tinky Winky, Po, Dipsy and La La - attract two million viewers in Britain every morning, making it the most popular programme in the country at that time. And this Christmas the dolls were among the most sought-after toys in Britain.
 

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