Following the news that 'Twitter' has been named the word of 2009, and after a year that has felt like one long celebrity popularity contest lived out online, a new study by INQ Mobile reveals 2009's top 20 most influential UK individuals on Twitter.
Internet news blog Mashable CEO Pete Cashmore is crowned as the most influential person on Twitter, with Stephen Fry at number two and the most influential name in entertainment.
Russell Brand is at three and Dougie Poytner from McFly at number four. The Prime Minister's wife is the most influential Tweeter in politics, with Sarah Brown having over one million followers compared to the official Labour party's 8,200. Andy Murray at number 11 is the most influential sport's personality of the year.
The new list, entitled Twitterati was compiled by phone manufacturer INQ to mark the launch of its 'Chat 3G' phone; a mobile with a Twitter 'feed' running on the homescreen so Twitter addicts are automatically updated when people they are following tweet.
The top 20 most influential people on Twitter are:
1. Pete Cashmore, CEO at Mashable (1.8m followers)
2. Stephen Fry, Entertainer (1.1m followers)
3. Russell Brand, Entertainer (0.6m followers)
4. Dougie Poytner, McFly band member (139k followers)
5. Tom Fletcher, McFly band member (175k followers)
6. Eddie Izzard, Entertainer (1.3m followers)
7. Zee M Kane, Editor in Chief of The Next Web (21k followers)
8. Jonathan Ross, Entertainer (461k followers)
9. Richard Bacon, DJ and presenter (1.2m followers)
10.Peter Andre, Singer/Celebrity (390k followers)
11.Andy Murray, Sportsman (110k followers)
12.Calvin Harris, Musician (157k followers)
13.Suzi Perry, Gadget show presenter (29k followers)
14.Sarah Brown, PM's wife (1m followers)
15.Imogen Heap, Musician (1.3m followers)
16.Ian Poulter, Sportsman (877k followers)
17.Tom Watson, MP (6.8k followers)
18.Boris Johnson, Mayor of London (59k followers)
19.Darren Bent, Sportsman (25k followers)
20.Steven Gerrard, Sportsman (50k followers)
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