Jeremy Hunt, NHS, Frank Sidebottom, M&S, #Webindex – why are they trending?

What’s trending and why?

Jeremy Hunt, NHS

Jeremy_Hunt has replaced Andrew Lansley as Secretary of State for Health in the cabinet #reshuffle.  There has been a bit of an outcry due to Hunt’s alleged anti-NHS leanings. He reportedly wanted to pull the NHS tribute section in the Olympics opening ceremony.  The actor ‏@Markgatiss tweeeted: ”Wait. Startled-thumb faced Jeremy Hunt PROMOTED? Not lashed to a spiked wheel, set alight and rolled to death through the streets?”

Frank Sidebottom

If you don’t know who Frank Sidebottom was, this might explain a bit. Sidebottom was an invented comedy character, created by Christopher Mark Sievey, a musician and comedian from Greater Manchester. He was easily recognisable from his giant cartoon-style fake head and worked alongside Mrs Merton and BBC Radio 5 duo Mark and Lard. The character also had his own band, called the Oh Blimey Big Band. Former  members include Mark Radcliffe and Jon Ronson, and his driver was Chris Evans. He passed away in 2010 after a brief battle with cancer. According to the website BleedingCool.com Michael Fassbender will play Sidebottom in a film about his life. If it’s true, it’s probably one of Fassbender’s stranger roles.

M&S

Forget about the cabinet reshuffle, retail marketeers eyes are on an even bigger shake-up – at the merchandise team of British supermarket staple @marksandspencer. They’ve caused a stir with news that they are poaching Stephanie Chen, director of womenswear at House of Fraser. The move comes after M&S suffered from poor womenswear sales at the start of the financial year, but the chain hopes that this move, combined with Rosie Huntington-Whiteley’s hot new lingerie range, and a campaign featuring models aged from 20 to 57 and from size 8 to 16, will boost sales.

#Webindex

This techy hashtag relates to this website, which attempts to measure “the Web’s growth, utility and impact on people and nations.”  The site was launched today by Olympic opening ceremony star (and Internet founder), Sir Tim Berners-Lee. Economist.com editor, @tomstandage, tweets: “At #WebIndex launch, @timberners_lee reveals he has secret “nuclear submarine patents” that will let him take over the web. He’s joking!” Never underestimate the brain of Berners-Lee, Tom.

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