2016's Most Popular Celebrity with schoolkids is..?

This year I visited schools in England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Romania giving my Comic Art Masterclasses to kids aged 7 and upwards, and a few adults. As part of every class, I do a demonstration strip on the flipchart and, as part of keeping them involved, I get them to suggest a celebrity who will star in it. I take four suggestions from around the room, then we have a show of hands to choose the favourite. 15 minutes later they know the basics of comic strip storytelling, and I make a note of which celebrity they chose, adding a mention of it to the front cover of the comic the class produces together.

Which celebs have they chosen? In the past few years there's been one in particular who tops the chart every time. In 2015 it was Simon Cowell (chosen 31 times). In 2014 it was Simon Cowell (24 times). 2013? Simon Cowell (25 times). Before that I hadn't started keeping a tally of the celebs the kids chose, in fact it was only the pre-eminence of Simon Cowell up to that point that had made me start counting. 

So, to 2016. Who did the kids choose?

ALSO RANS Chosen only once: 

Adam Sandler

Adele

Alan Carr

Alan Shearer

Albert Einstein

Ali-A (a Youtuber)

Beyonce

Cheryl Cole

"Chewbacca Mom"

David Attenborough

David Bowie

David Cameron

Dynamo

Ghandi

Hillary Clinton

James Corden

Jennifer Lawrence

Jeremy Corbyn

Jeremy Kyle

Jessica Ennis-Hill

JK Rowling

Joey Essex

Kim Jong-Un

Kylie Jenner

Leonardo DaVinci

Leonardo DiCaprio

Mary Berry

Michael McIntyre

Miley Cyrus

Mr T

Nigel Farage

Paul Walker (from Fast & Furious)

Pope Innocent

Rihanna

Rita Ora

Stan Lee

Stephen Hawking

Stevie Wonder

Uncle Ben off of Uncle Ben's Rice

Will Smith

William Boody aka Paul Bearer (a wrestler)

CHOSEN TWICE:

DJ Khaled

Elvis Presley 

James Bond 

Taylor Swift 

Tom Cruise 

Will I Am 

CHOSEN 3 TIMES:

Ant McPartlin 

Cristiano Ronaldo (2015 4th place/chosen 8 times)

John Cena 

Michael Jackson (2015 2nd / 12 times)

Selena Gomez 

THE TOP TEN

10th Equal (chosen 4 times each)

Katy Perry (2015 7th / 5 times, 2014 2nd / 11 times)

Keith Lemon (2015 once, 2014 2nd / 11 times)

Lionel Messi (2015 8th / 4 times)

7th Equal (chosen 5 times each)

Ariana Grande (2015 chosen twice)

David Beckham (2015 9th / 3 times)

Declan Donnelly (2015 chosen twice)

5th Equal (chosen 6 times each)

The Queen (2015 5th / 7 times)

Barack Obama (2015 8th / 4 times)

4th Place - chosen 7 times

Kim Kardashian (2015 3rd / 10 times)

3rd Place - chosen 9 times

Justin Bieber (2015 & 14 not chosen once)

2nd Place - chosen 20 times

Simon Cowell (2015, 14 & 13 1st place)

1st Place - chosen 25 times

Donald Trump 

In 2015 Trump was chosen twice, before that he'd never been mentioned. He was also the single most featured person on the front covers of the kids comics, as we shall see. And there we see how the fickle finger of fame has pointed this year. And having pointed, moves on.

Kev F Sutherland, as well as writing and drawing for The Beano, Marvel, Doctor Who et al, runs Comic Art Masterclasses in schools, libraries and art centres - email for details, and follow him on Facebook and Twitter. View the promo video here.