The celebs we searched for in 2008

Despite her recent bid to get back in shape for 2009, Kerry Katona’s shambolic, slurred appearance on live television has been officially declared the ‘Most Cringe-worthy Moment’ of 2008 by users of MSN.co.uk, new research out today reveals. 5,000 people voted in MSN’s ‘Review of 2008’ poll and 41% chose Katona’s garbled interview on ITV’s This Morning as one of their most defining moments of last year.

It was better news for Vogue’s newest cover girl, Cheryl Cole, and Britney Spears who swept the board to be named as the ‘Comeback Queens’ of 2008, beating Boyzone and The Spice Girls, who both returned to the stage in 2008, scoring 41% and 40% of the votes respectively.

Obama misses the crunch

Barack Obama’s Presidential victory has been highlighted as the ‘Most Memorable Moment’ of 2008, taking an overwhelming 64% of the votes whilst team GB’s stellar performance at the Beijing Olympics came in second place with a fifth of the votes (20%). However, as we head into an even tougher financial year, the much talked about credit crunch was viewed as the ‘Lowest Point’ of 2008 taking over half (51%) of the votes, beating the UK’s lack of any real summer last year (27%).

Wino hits rock bottom

A new fella and healthier physique has helped Amy Winehouse’s 2009 get off to a great start, but she ended 2008 on a bum note as she was once again voted the ‘Celebrity who has had the Worst Year’ in the last 12 months. The continual self destructive behaviour and ongoing battle with drink and drugs, which appears to be coming to an end in 2009, led the troubled singer to nab 63% of votes ahead of Kerry Katona (23%).

So So Scandalous

Voters believed Ashley Cole’s alleged affair with Aimee Walton at the start of 2008, where he supposedly cheated on X Factor and Girls Aloud star Cheryl Cole, was the ‘Biggest Scandal of 2008’. Taking 37% of the votes, the headline story beat the revelations of Lindsay Lohan’s lesbian relationship (19%) and Amy Winehouse’s various drug scandals (15%) to be the most discussed story around the water cooler this year. Cole was also voted as having the most controversial love life of 2008 (36%) taking pole position over Sienna Miller (25%), Madonna (21%) and celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay (15%).

Splitsville

The divorce of pop queen Madonna and director hubby Guy Ritchie was deemed the ‘Biggest Celebrity Split’ of last year. With 58% of the votes, the former powerhouse couple beat colourful ex-partners Sir Paul McCartney and Heather Mills who rolled in second place with 38% of votes.

Peter Bale, Executive Director of MSN UK said: “From the the low point of the credit crunch and the popular US Presidential victory of Obama, it’s the stories which have had a global effect that have struck a chord with MSN UK readers and I predict will continue to make headlines in 2009.’’

Live Search Top Searches of 2008

As well as polling users on MSN.co.uk for their defining moments of the year, searches carried out by the millions of Britons on Live Search (live.com) in 2008 have revealed the ‘Live Search Top Searches of 2008’.

Paparazzi favourite Britney Spears tops the celebrity charts for the second year in a row, beating chart rival Christina Aguilera (16th position). Spears also spun past Cheryl Cole who lags behind in 7th place.

Sporting rivals

It seems like football was on the brain most when people jumped online with Liverpool (4th), Arsenal (5th) and Manchester United (8th) all claiming places in the top 10 searches for 2008. However, Chelsea fans came well behind, limping in at 63rd place in the search stakes.

Cynthia Crossley, UK Head of Online said: “Entertainment and sport lead the way as the most searched for terms on Live Search in 2008, with musicians, actors and athletes dominating the top 100 searches. Keep your eyes peeled in 2009 for the latest popularity search barometer with xRank, an entertainment experience within Live Search, that charts ‘news-makers’ by the total number of daily web searches they receive. People can track the popularity of their favourite celebrities during 2009 at http://search.live.com/xrank.”

Live Search is Microsoft’s leading search engine and to help you find exactly what you’re looking for go to live.com.