Google has unveiled its definitive list of the UK's most popular search terms for 2025, offering a revealing snapshot of the nation's digital curiosity over the past year. The annual compilation highlights a mix of tragic news, cultural phenomena, and practical concerns that dominated the online landscape.
The Top Trending Search Terms of the Year
Topping the UK list was Charlie Kirk, the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA. Public interest surged following his tragic death after being shot at a speaking event on a university campus in Utah. The incident also propelled him to become the most read article globally on Wikipedia in 2025.
Securing the second spot was rock legend Ozzy Osbourne. The 76-year-old Black Sabbath frontman's passing in July from Parkinson's disease prompted a wave of nostalgic searches and tributes from fans across the country.
In third place was Ed Gein, the infamous American serial killer. Renewed fascination with his horrific crimes was driven by their portrayal in the hit Netflix drama series, 'Monster'. The streaming giant also influenced the fourth-place trend, 'Adolescence', another widely popular show that tackled themes of misogyny and violence against women and girls.
Rounding out the top five was the practical search term 'snow warning', highlighting the British public's perennial concern with winter weather disruptions.
Breakdown of Popular Categories
Beyond the overall trending list, Google's data delved into specific categories, painting a detailed picture of UK interests:
Top Trending People: Actor Mickey Rourke led this category, followed by footballer Alexander Isak and actor Stephen Graham. The list included a mix of celebrities, sports figures, and controversial personalities like Prince Andrew.
Top Trending TV Shows: Netflix's 'Adolescence' took first place here, followed by 'Mob Land', 'Missing You', and the reality hit 'The Celebrity Traitors'.
Top Trending Movies: Anticipated sequels dominated, with Danny Boyle's '28 Years Later' ranking first, followed by the remake of 'Nosferatu' and the new 'Superman' film.
Top Trending Music Artists: In a surprising revival, Oasis topped the list for male artists, ahead of names like Rod Stewart and Kendrick Lamar. For female artists, UK singer-songwriter Cat Burns led, followed by Lily Allen and Charlotte Church.
Top Trending Athletes: Footballers dominated, with Newcastle United's Alexander Isak in first place, followed by Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze and Sporting CP's Viktor Gyokeres.
What Brits Wanted to Know 'How To' Do
The 'how to' searches provided a pragmatic counterpoint to the celebrity-driven trends. Topping this list was 'How to verify age on X' (formerly Twitter), reflecting ongoing debates over online safety and regulation. Other practical queries included applying for Visa debit cards, turning off iPhone emergency alerts, and removing Meta AI from WhatsApp.
Meanwhile, 'when is' searches were led by annual events and premieres, with 'When is Easter' taking the number one spot, followed by Pancake Day and queries about the broadcast schedule for 'The Traitors'.
This comprehensive data from Google serves as a cultural barometer for the year, showing how major news events, entertainment releases, and everyday practicalities converge to shape the UK's collective online consciousness.
