Google’s top searches of 2020 are revealed and the list is dominated by coronavirus-related phrases

If the evidence of Google searches is to be believed, we’ve spent the year working out while rustling up homemade bread and creating hand sanitiser.

The web giant’s list of the ‘big hitter’ search terms for 2020 by tech users in the UK is, unsurprisingly, dominated by coronavirus.

From the search for symptoms and pandemic updates to the Eat Out To Help Out scheme, it represented four of the top ten searches.

Those looking for ‘How to’ answers to cope during lockdown lodged millions of questions around making face masks and hand sanitiser. 

The third most asked question involved how to make bread, which explains the shortage of flour in supermarkets during the crisis, while millions sought advice on hair cutting and styling at home.

For those looking for culinary advice on home cooking, a surprisingly high number wanted to know the best way to cook eel, which Google suggested may have been driven by an episode of I’m A Celebrity. 

With government advice to stay inside apart from essential trips, many saw online sessions by the nation’s PE teacher, Joe Wicks, as a lifeline. For fitness, the top two searches were for ‘Joe Wicks kids workout’ and ‘Joe Wicks workout’.

And as favourite eateries were closed for parts of the year, searches for ‘KFC recipe’, ‘Wagamama katsu curry recipe’ and ‘Ikea meatball recipe’ all made the top 10 recipes.

Although this year’s Love Island was postponed, it was the top trending TV programme, explained by the death of presenter Caroline Flack, whose name came third in the most common search terms.

Kirstin Wright, a Google Trends expert, said: ‘The 2020 Year in Search lists not only reveal the most popular trends, but also give an insight into the biggest events in the news, politics, sports, entertainment and popular lockdown trends. 

‘Google Search keeps evolving to make the world’s information accessible and useful to all.’