The top news, TV, film and sport Google searches of 2022
Wordle, the FIFA World Cup and the late Queen Elizabeth II have been revealed as the top trending search topics in the UK this year. This is according to Google’s annual Year in Search statistics. Other top 10 searches also included Ukraine, Johnny Depp and serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer whose crimes were the subject of a Netflix drama.
Google builds this list by identifying top trending search enquiries that have a high spike in traffic over a sustained period compared to last year. The death of the Queen was the top trending news event of the year, ahead of searches around the war in Ukraine and Monkeypox, with Omicron symptoms, train strikes, the opening of the Elizabeth line and cost of living payments all making the top 10. READ MORE: Wintry showers and -5C in Coventry and Warwickshire as snow set to hit UK
In sport, the World Cup – currently taking place in Qatar, the Australian Open tennis tournament and the Africa Cup of Nations football championship were the top three trending searches of the year. The Women’s Euros – won by England in the summer – also appeared in the top 10, as did the Rugby League World Cup Matt Cooke, head of Google News Lab, said: “As we reach the end of 2022, the Year in Search trends are an insightful recap of what the nation has faced in the past 12 months.
This year’s list reflects the arch of emotions experienced. Amongst the extreme highs and lows, including national mourning and geo-political instability, it’s humbling to see that a game like Wordle supplied comfort alongside family favourites like Encanto and Eurovision that provide a common thread to bring the nation together.” – Top Searches
1. Wordle
2. World Cup
3. Queen Elizabeth
4. Ukraine
5. Lateral flow test
6. Mason Greenwood
7. Russia
8. Quordle
9. Jeffrey Dahmer
10. Johnny Depp
– News events
1. The death of Queen Elizabeth II
2. Ukraine
3. Monkeypox
4. Storm Eunice
5. Nato
6. Omicron symptoms
7. The Johnny Depp and Amber Heard trial
8. Train strikes
9. Elizabeth Line
10. Cost-of-living payment
– Films
1. Encanto
2. The Batman
3. Uncharted
4. Thor: Love and Thunder
5. Black Adam
6. Top Gun
7. Everything Everywhere All At Once
8. GI Jane
9. Jurassic World
10. Morbius
– TV
1. Stranger Things
2. The Watcher
3. Stay Close
4. The Tourist
5 Euphoria
6. House of the Dragon
7. Inventing Anna
8. I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!
9. Dahmer
10. Moon Knight
– Sport competitions
1. World Cup
2. Australian Open
3. Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon)
4. Uefa Nations League
5. Winter Olympics 2022
6. Rugby League World Cup
7. Women’s Euros
8. Indian Wells
9. Asia Cup
10. Commonwealth Games
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