The top 20 of everything - 2013

20. Coronation Street: Watched by millions and one of the nation’s most popular soaps, it’s hardly a surprise that Coronation Street appears in the top 20 Yahoo searches of 2013. The iconic Rovers Return pub going up in flames and the murder of key arson suspect Sunita Alahan was when the search phrase peaked this year, while the storyline involving domestic abuse victim Tyrone Dobbs at the hands of his psychotic girlfriend Kirsty Soames also got the country talking. Recently the journey of Corrie favourite Hayley Cropper coming to terms with a diagnosis of terminal cancer has pulled at viewers’ heart strings. (Rex Features)

19. Tottenham Hotspur: Tottenham Hotspur made it into the top 20 searches this year thanks largely to the exploits of one man: Gareth Bale. The team's rivalry with traditional adversaries Arsenal reached epic proportions at the end of the 2012/13 season, with Spurs narrowly missing out on a coveted Champions League spot to the Gunners. After a summer-long transfer saga that saw star man Bale leave for Spain and new players taking longer than expected to gel, our fascination with Spurs looks set to continue. (PA)

18. EastEnders: With Phil Mitchell and Max Branning kidnapping a petrified Ian Beale and Jack Branning leaving Walford after his ex Ronnie was released from prison, drama has never been far from Albert Square this year. In the latest search peak Alice Branning is paying the price in jail after plunging a knife into Michael Moon to stop him attacking Janine Butcher – without knowing that Janine had in fact delivered the final blow which actually killed him. With all this activity packed into four episodes a week, it isn’t surprising that fans want to keep up with the latest storylines. (Rex Features)

17. X-Factor: The ITV talent competition, hosted by Dermot O’ Leary, has been running since 2004. Now in its 10th series, it’s still stirring up ample interest at number 17 in the search listings. Moments of drama in this year’s series have included Miss Dynamix pulling out of the second live show after pregnant group member SeSe was taken ill. Contestant Tamera Foster has also made headlines for all the wrong reasons. (Rex Features)

16. Chelsea FC: The Champions League winners in 2012 enjoyed more European success this year by beating Benfica to win the Europa League in May. This year also saw the return of Jose Mourinho as Chelsea manager, replacing the controversial choice of Rafa Benitez. The west London team are looking to push for the Premier League crown this season. (PA)

15. Nelson Mandela: Mandela has been admitted to hospital three times this year, putting the world on edge. In June the 94-year-old’s condition was described as “serious”. The anti-apartheid hero was treated for a respiratory infection and there was relief all around when he was discharged and able to return home. Mandela served 18 years of a 27-year prison which is said to have taken a toll on his health. (Reuters)

14. Strictly Come Dancing: The likes of model Abbey Clancy, singer Sophie Ellis Bextor and rugby star Ben Cohen have had the nation hooked with their nimble footwork in this year’s series of Strictly Come Dancing. There have been tears as Strictly journeys have come to an end and a fair share of injuries. Coronation Street actress Natalie Gumede has been the star of the show but an old back problem flared up, causing her to miss a live show for one week. (PA)

13. Kim Kardashian: American television personality Kim Kardashian is always in the news. Gossip columns document everything from what she’s wearing to what’s going on in her life. This year Kim’s divorce from basketball star Kris Humphries was finalised after she and her ex reached an undisclosed divorce settlement. The reality TV star had filed for divorce after just 72 days of marriage. In June this year she gave birth to daughter North West and in October became engaged to the baby’s father rapper Kanye West

12. Miley Cyrus: The inclusion of this controversial singer barely needs explanation after her exploits at the VMAs. The audience gasped as, dressed in a latex bra and knickers, she gyrated on stage with singer Robin Thicke. Now, months after her raunchy performance, the world is still talking about her ‘twerking’. The term, which refers to a dance involving squat thrusts and hip jiggling has become part of everyday language. Miley hit the headlines once again at the EMAs when she appeared to light a joint on stage. (Rex Features)

11. Big Brother: Reports of Big Brother's death seem to be greatly exaggerated judging by the show's high placing on our most popular searches list. Housemate Michael Dylan, ‘The People’s Puppet’, who was controlled by the viewers, caused a stir in this year’s Big Brother. Presenter Carol McGiffin, actress Vicky Entwistle and actor Bruce Jones proved to be fiery contestants while the Celeb BB series was won by Geordie Shore’s Charlotte Crosby, who actually wet the bed after one booze-fuelled evening in the house. (Rex Features)

10. Manchester Utd: Sir Alex Ferguson, the club's longest serving boss, celebrated the end of a fruitful managerial career by securing United's 20th league trophy, beating local rivals Manchester City by 11 points. David Moyes, Ferguson's replacement, had big shoes to fill, and after a bumpy start, including losses against Liverpool, West Brom and Manchester City, he seems to have found his feet

9. iPad: The much-anticipated iPad Air and second generation iPad mini were launched in October this year to great excitement. According to recent reports Android tablets have overtaken revenue generated by iPad sales for the first time this quarter but that is expected to change when sales for the much-hyped iPad Air get up a head of steam. (PA)

8. One Direction: The world’s biggest boyband needs no introduction. One Direction finished third in the seventh series of X-Factor in 2010. Since then they have gone on to sell 19 million singles and 10 million albums. Their accolades include two BRIT awards and four MTV awards. The boys - Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik - are mobbed wherever they go and have a huge following on social media. (Rex Features)

7. Football transfers: Football transfers were among 2013's top searches following the saga surrounding Gareth Bale's 'will-he-won't-he' move to Madrid this summer. The former Tottenham winger eventually transferred to Real Madrid on September 1, taking the number 11 jersey and costing the Spanish giants a reported €100million, a world record transfer fee. The transfer window also saw Real Madrid playmaker Mesut Ozil make a shock move to Arsenal, Samuel Eto'o come to Chelsea and Marouane Fellaini transfer to Manchester United. (PA)

6. House prices: Us Brits love talking about house prices but 2013 saw us taking a national obsession to new heights as the market underwent a remarkable resurgence.This October average prices were reported to have reached a record level at £247,000 and with the governments' Help To Buy scheme opening up the prospect of home ownership to more people it's no wonder so many were researching the subject. (PA)

5. Liverpool FC: Liverpool are currently in second place in the Premier League and a lot of it is down to Luis Suarez. The Uruguayan has courted many controversies during his time at the club, most recently receiving a 10-match ban for biting Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic in April. Since his return, Suarez has formed a deadly strike partnership with England forward Daniel Sturridge, and the pair have notched up an impressive goals tally between them so far this season. Liverpool have gone from strength-to-strength in the Premier League this term and seem to be in with a chance of winning the league for the first time since 1990. (PA)

3. Arsenal FC: Arsenal Football Club were the third most searched item in 2013, despite the lack of silverware in their trophy cabinet. The north London side failed to win a cup in their last eight years of trying, much to the despair of their long-suffering fans. However, after a losing their first match of this season at home to Aston Villa, the Gunners regrouped. Mesut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey breathed new life into team, who now sit proudly at the top of the league. Could 2014 be the year they end their trophy drought? (Rex Features)

2. iPhone: The much anticipated iPhone 5C and iPhone 5S launched this year. New features included a plastic shell for the iPhone 5C and for the iPhone 5S, a fingerprint scanner for increased security plus an improved camera and faster 64-bit processor. Apple sure knows how to keep people talking about its new launches. Rumours have already started circulating about the iPhone 6 launching next year. How big will it be? Will it have a curved screen? Who knows – but we’re still speculating and searching. (Rex Features)

1. Royal baby: Prince William and Kate Middleton’s baby was the talking point of the year, as proved by the Yahoo search results. The term 'royal baby' tops the list of the most searched for phrases. Royal watchers began speculating about everything from the baby’s sex to whom he would marry as soon as Kate Middleton’s pregnancy was announced. Prince George was born at St Mary’s Hospital on July 22nd 2013. When the future king of England was presented to the hordes of media gathered outside the hospital the day after his birth, the country celebrated. Today the thirst for information about the new heir to the throne doesn’t seem to have died down, despite the fact that he’s only a few months old. (PA)