Since its launch in 2014, Daily Mail Australia has been one of the best-read news sites in the land and currently sits in fourth spot for scoring the most Aussie eyeballs of any news site.
A mix of international and local news with a focus on both hard news and light entertainment, it employs a growing stable of local journalists that now surpass the 60-plus mark.
And if you’d been wondering what stories have been scoring the clicks, today B&T can reveal all. In this exclusive, the folk at the Daily Mail have revealed the top five stories for both its news and entertainment categories for 2015. Here’s the top five for both…
NEWS
1) Bali Nine’s Andrew Chan Allegedly Masterminded A Previous Heroin Deal
The Daily Mail’s number one news story for the year – and by a long way – unsurprisingly centered on the biggest news story of the year: Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran. In December, it was alleged that Chan was in charge of another drug run, this time involving importing heroin into Australia from Hong Kong. However, it all went wrong when his mules – two young Aussies – were arrested with their stash before they could board the plane. Read the full story here.
2) Mum Mistakenly Shames Father Of Two She Believed Was Photographing Her Kids
Last May, an unsuspecting Melbourne father of two was mistakenly shamed on social media by a concerned parent who mistook a harmless selfie in the belief he’d photographed her children in a Target store. Social media went to town until the truth was revealed, with the unnamed man threatening to sue after being labelled a “creep”. Read the full story here.
3) Lynch Mob Beats Suspected Rapist To Death In India
This March the Daily Mail led with a story about a furious mob in India who broke into the prison of an alleged rapist, dragged him into the street and administered their own justice by dragging him naked through the streets and stoning him to death. Warning: article contains disturbing images. Read the full story here.
4) Humble Aussie Beautician Converts To Islam And Gets Married In “Wedding Of The Century”
In August, the nation was transfixed by the grandiose Sydney wedding of property developer and local pollie Salim Mehajer and his new bride Alysha. But it was the former life of the bride that caught Daily Mail readers’ attention. Alysha came from far humbler beginnings and grew up as April Learmonth in the working-class Wollongong suburb of Woonona. Read the full story here.
5) Melbourne Mum Attaches Signs To Twins After Constant Questions About Their Conception
Last July, Daily Mail readers were intrigued to hear about a disgruntled Melbourne mother, Annie Nolan, who became so sick of clichéd questions about her twins she photographed the two holding answers to her “frequently asked questions”. As so happens, the whole thing went viral, went global and Nolan fast became the pin-up of parents of twins the world over. Read the full story here.
ENTERTAINMENT
1) Did Sam ‘The Bachelor” Impregnate One Of The Show’s Contestants?
If you think this year’s Aussie version of The Bachelor is all bitchiness, fat-shaming and big frocks then think again. In August, The Daily Mail reported that things had taken a decidedly interesting turn with rumours “bachelor” Sam had not only found the love of his life before the show’s finale but he’d secretly seeded her – and we’re no talking a rose here – in one of the mansion’s bedrooms! The rumours had aired in the women’s weeklies already with sultry brunette Snezana Markoski named as the probable lady to have caught Sam’s eye among other things. Read the full story here.
2) Was One Of This Year’s Bachelorettes Actually A Paid Actress?
We’re not sure of Daily Mail readers’ obsession with this year’s The Bachelor but the show managed to scoop the top two positions in its most read entertainment stories. In August, the site revealed that one of this year’s contestants – the sultry Heather Maltman – was, perhaps, not as she seemed. Rather than looking for lifelong love, it was suggested Maltman was a paid actress sent in to spice-up proceedings. And judging by the findings, she certainly enjoyed a long and lengthy Thespian career. Read full story here.
3) Kerri-Anne Blows Fuse On ACA
Number three on the list belongs to the typically cool media stalwart Kerri-Anne Kennerley. In July, Nine’s A Current Affair interviewed the unflappable presenter only for her to become all the more flappable and storm off set. And what was the cause of Kerri-Anne’s disquiet? Allegedly, she’d pulled out of hosting a paid promotional overseas trip to appear as an “apprentice” in the – presumably far better paying – Aussie version of The Apprentice. Read the full story here.
4) Kyly Clarke Blamed For Bad Morale On Recent Ashes Tour
Despite Australia’s batsman failing at most opportunities it appears Michael Clarke’s wife is copping most of the blame for Australia’s recent Ashes woe. The Daily Mail reported that Kyly Clarke was queen of the player’s wives and girlfriends (or WAGS as they’re more affectionately known). However, rather than be a supportive shoulder to their playing husband and boyfriends, the WAGS were in fact a “vipers’ nest” and “behind the glossy facade of friendship, lies simmering tensions and snide remarks”. Oh dear! Read the full story here.
5) Delta Goodrem Confirms She Wasn’t The Slightest Bit Interested in Guy Sebastian
In one of the more bizarre celebrity claims of recent times came February’s doozy by none other than fuzz-haired warbler Guy Sebastian that he once dated honey-tongued Delta Goodrem. A nice claim to make considering the sauciness of the songbird; however, Delta certainly didn’t see it that way and quickly issued Guy with her own slap down. “What the hell?” was Delta’s alleged response to the couple’s supposed dalliance. Read the full story here.
