The figures were published to mark the iPlayer's second birthday

BBC Two show Top Gear was the most watched programme of the year on BBC iPlayer, figures show.

The first episodes of series 13 and 14 of the car magazine show were streamed 1.7m and 1.3m times respectively.

The figures have been published to mark the second birthday of the iPlayer on Christmas Day.

November saw a record 88.2m requests for BBC TV and radio programmes, bringing the total number of requests for content to 729.2m.

Viewing patterns

"These figures show people are making the most of the choice they now have," Erik Huggers, the BBC's director of future media and technology said.

"Whether it's watching EastEnders on your PC during your lunch break, listening to Desert Island Discs on the bus or watching Mock The Week in bed, viewing patterns change depending on the time and location of the audience."

The iPlayer is now available on more than 20 different devices including games consoles and mobile phones.

The new data provides an insight into how users differ depending on the platform they use.

Mac and PS3 users prefer comedy shows like Mock The Week, while PC and Virgin Media users are more keen on drama, with EastEnders and Waking The Dead proving more popular.

More people also tend to watch content after 9pm and on Saturday and Sunday mornings.

This Christmas sees a range of films available on iPlayer including The Incredibles, Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End and the Oscar-winning La Vie En Rose.

The Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special, The Queen's Christmas message and David Tennant's final outing in Doctor Who will also be available to watch.

Meanwhile, Doctor Who has achieved a record primetime audience for BBC America, the channel has confirmed.

The Waters of Mars, which was broadcast in the US on Saturday attracted 1.1 million viewers.

It is the first of three Doctor Who specials airing on Saturday nights on BBC America, culminating in Tennant's farewell show on 2 January.