Iain Banks’ death top UK story on Twitter in 2013

THE DEATH of Scottish author Iain Banks was the most talked-about UK news story of the year on Twitter.

By The Newsroom Thursday, 12th December 2013, 11:04 am

Scottish author Iain Banks, who died earlier this year. Picture: Ian Georgeson

Banks died in June at the age of 59, just weeks after revealing he had been diagnosed with gall bladder cancer.

Banks’ death reached the list of top topics of conversation on the social network more often than any other UK news story, being talked about more than the deaths of fellow writer Seamus Heany and former prime minister Margaret Thatcher.

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Banks also came third on the list of people who trended most often in 2013, with only Canadian singer Justin Bieber and Liverpool striker Luis Suarez reaching the site’s list of top topics more frequently.

Dundee’s failed bid to become UK City of Culture and the discovery of Richard III also made the list of trending UK topics.

Earlier this week, it was revealed that Andy Murray’s Wimbledon victory was this year’s most talked-about event on Facebook.