Celebrity megastar Kim Kardashian is joining the likes of Billie Eilish, Ariana Grande and Harry Kane as the latest Icon Series skin in Fortnite Battle Royale. The new Kim K skin drops on Fortnite on Saturday 13 December, but you'll be able to play her in the UK on Sunday 14th.
Kim Kardashian's foray into Fortnite isn't the first time celebrities have joined forces with a mega brand. BBC Bitesize explores five times celebrities have teamed up with a huge brand to the benefit of both.
1. Pokémon and Ed Sheeran
Human hit factory, Ed Sheeran has collected Pokémon cards since he was 7 years old and was obsessed with Pokémon Yellow on the Nintendo Game Boy Color (which he still owns and plays!); its safe to say Ed is a Pokémegafan. So, when The Pokémon Company asked Ed to write a song for their 2022 release of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, of course he said 'YES'!
Not only does Ed's hit 'Celestial' feature on the end credits to the games, but Pokémon favourites including Squirtle, Charizard and Pikachu appear in the music video. In the video, Ed struggles to find inspiration to write a new song, that is until he has his imagination sparked by a bunch of Bulbasaur who make a magical meadow on the common where Ed is.
Ed Sheeran has also collabed with massive names from the world of music, including Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift and Elton John. He also joined forces with LadBaby to reach Christmas Number One in 2021 with the song 'Sausage Rolls for Everyone'.
2. Pepsi and Beyoncé… and Britney…and Pink…and Enrique Iglesias
Drinks brand Pepsi are renowned for using star power to help set itself apart from competitor Coca-Cola. Mega-stars like David Beckham have featured in Pepsi adverts throughout the years, but there is perhaps no more iconic Pepsi advert than their 2004 offering.
Featuring Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Pink and Enrique Iglesias, this Gladiator-inspired ad sees the superstars singing Queen's 'We Will Rock You' in a Roman amphitheatre, before throwing out ice-cold cans of Pepsi to the adoring crowd.
While you might think that this commercial would have featured during The Super Bowl, this is actually the Mandela effect, as this advert never actually aired to American TV audiences. Pepsi didn't think it would resonate in the US, so it was only broadcast internationally.
3. The Simpsons and Tony Blair
Celebrity cameos in The Simpsons have been attracting audiences for over thirty years. Since the Season one appearance of Kelsey Grammar as Sideshow Bob, the big names to appear on the show have included; The Beatles musicians Ringo Starr, George Harrison and Paul McCartney, Oscar winner Tom Hanks, and Poker Face singer Lady Gaga, amongst many more. But perhaps one of the most iconic celebrity cameos was the then British Prime Minister, Tony Blair.
Tony Blair appeared in an episode in season fifteen, called The Regina Monologues, welcoming The Simpsons to the United Kingdom, but Homer confuses Tony Blair for another British icon, Mr Bean. According to Mr Blair's Director of Communications, Alistair Campbell, Tony was a huge fan of the show, but would only record his part if it promoted tourism to the UK.
While US Presidents including George Bush Sr and Donald Trump's likenesses have appeared in the show, Tony Blair is so far the only serving head of government to appear as a voice actor on The Simpsons.
4. EastEnders and Barbara Windsor
EastEnders has been a mainstay on the BBC since 1985, having recently celebrated its fortieth anniversary. Many actors have appeared on Albert Square throughout the decades, but there are perhaps none more iconic than Dame Barbara Windsor, who played landlady Peggy Mitchell.
Dame Babs was a big name in the 60s and 70s having starred in the cult classic 'Carry On' film series, as well as gaining a Tony Award nomination when starring on Broadway. Windsor was introduced to a new audience when she joined the London-based soap in 1994 as the matriarch of the infamous Mitchell family. Windsor replaced Jo Worne who had played Peggy for ten episodes in 1991, and her introduction as the new Peggy Mitchell helped boost the ratings of EastEnders by five million.
5. Swarovski and Ariana Grande
It comes as no surprise that Ariana Grande, one of the biggest selling music artists of all time, and star of the movie franchise Wicked, has several brand endorsements. As well as an having her own Icon skin in Fortnite, Grande has also partnered with Starbucks to create her limited 'Cloud Macchiato' drink and with mobile phone company T-Mobile, where her lyric "I want it, I got it" turned into T-Mobile's "You Want It. You Got It." slogan. Brands love working with Grande, as her star power could attract new customers.
Grande has recently teamed up with jewellery maker Swarovski as a brand ambassador. Swarovski describe the brand deal as a partnership which unites two icons of pop culture, while Grande said: "I cannot wait to embark on this journey and to inspire others to embrace their own unique sparkle." The Ariana Grande collection features earrings and necklaces inspired by music and timeless style.
This article was published in December 2025.
Seven unusual things that washed up on beaches
After a whole bunch of bananas washed up in West Sussex recently, we look at seven other strange things that have tumbled in with the tide.
Dark Christmas: The spooky side of the festive season
BBC Bitesize explores some of the Christmas traditions with an altogether scarier side than Santa
The Simpsons & Fortnite and five more famous pop culture crossovers
As The Simpsons join the Battle Royale game Fortnite, we look at five other famous pop culture crossovers.
