The Top Ten Famous British People On Twitter

Get closer to your favourite celebrities on Twitter.

Twitter (www.twitter.com) is an interesting little site. It’s like a global chat room where people are only allowed to write short messages to each other. The key is to not look at everyone posting, but join the service and only ‘follow’ your friends – sort of like having an instant messaging chat with your social circle.

But there are people out there who might be more well known than the cute secretary in finance. The famous are real people as well, with lives full of the stuff you and I do. And some of them are on Twitter as well. So here’s The Daily Dust’s guide to the top UK celebs on Twitter.

UPDATE : Labour MP @tom_watson just messaged on twitter – “Just been chatting to tony benn. Says he’s never heard of twitter!”

UPDATE 2: @richardbranson as per comments is confirmed see this blog post on his 2000th twitter follower.

John Cleese (@johncleese)

One of the comedy brains behind Monty Python, now living in the US and popping back to Blighty for the delightfully tacky “Batteries Not Included” gadget show on Dave.

Tony Benn (@tonybenn)

One of a number of MP’s genuinely (see UPDATE above) on Twitter (as opposed to the Downing Street Press Office passing on the words of Gordon Brown), Benn has been spending time exploring and talking to people as he discovers the people on Twitter.

Rory Cellan-Jones (@ruskin147)

Technology correspondant for the BBC (and writes on the dot.Life blog), Cellan-Jones has used Twitter to source stories, discuss important issues of the day and lets people see some of the fun that is working for the BBC.

The Northern Line (@tubenorthern)

Twitter is the sort of site you can look at from your mobile phone, and having London Underground’s Northern Line tell you when there are delays is a very good use for Twitter. Tom Morris has set up an automatic account for each of the lines, so add in your trip home now!

Robert Llewelyn (@bobbyllew)

Star of Red Dwarf, now involved in TV production and writing, and various appearances on Harry Hill’s TV Burp for his ‘How Do They Do That’ documentaries.

Jonathan Ross (@wossy)

There’s no actual way you can know who you are watching on Twitter is who they say they are (such as Britney Spears actually being her press office team, not the miming pop starlet), but in his down time for the BBC, the tarnished comedy god of Jonathan Ross is taking tentative steps.

British Foreign & Commonwealth Office (@foreignoffice)

Twittering about events involving the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office, this is a good example of Twitter being used for more than “Did you watch Top Gear last night?” moments. If people ask what else twitter can be used for, point them here.

Andy Murray (@andy_murray)

Scottish Tennis star (until he wins Wimbledon, then he’ll be British, just like his brother got converted after the Mixed Doubles victory…) Murray’s messages are disarmingly honest and genuine. Lots of talk about training, diets, and the occasional touch of travel to another court. This is how Twitter should be used.

Stephen Fry (@stephenfry)

And then there is Mr Fry, the current holder of ‘Britain’s National Treasure,’ and a man who is eloquent, well spoken, and hooked into the internet to an amazing depth. His recent filming in Africa saw him Twittering his adventures, and of course we called him out on Children in Need’s QI program, given he told us he was in Africa. (“Damm you, I admit it, the QI spesh was pre recorded in June. Happy now? x“).

The Daily Dust (@thedailydust)

And then there’s the UK’s funniest Ten Minute Tabloid, online! never miss a headline again, because when we post the news, the news is posted to Twitter and you can come running!

So who have we missed? Have you got the scoop on someone on Twitter? Let us know in the comments.