Here are the 10 most read entertainment-related stories from the BBC News website during the past 12 months.

There was a huge outpouring of grief after the death of Steve Irwin

The death of exuberant Australian wildlife presenter Steve Irwin was one of the biggest shocks of the year.

The 44-year-old, who was a familiar face on TV around the world, was killed by a stingray during a diving expedition.

The news of his death broke on a Monday morning (UK time) in September, when many people were logging on at work, and the initial story was read more than 3.5 million times.

Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond's high-speed crash while attempting to break the land speed record was another freak event in 2006.

When news of the accident broke, there was genuine concern about whether he would pull through. Thankfully, his recovery has been almost as speedy as his driving, and he will return to the show in 2007.

The Veteran Feminists of America were among Borat's victims

Spoof Kazakh TV reporter Borat - aka British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen - scored one of the year's biggest box office hits by shocking and offending ordinary Americans.

His comedy struck a chord and this feature aired the views of some of his "victims", including a feminists' group, a public speaking coach and a rodeo manager.

Banksy doctored 500 copies of Paris Hilton's debut album

If Borat was one of the men of the entertainment year, then "guerrilla artist" Banksy was surely another.

When he replaced Paris Hilton's CD with his own remixes and gave them titles like Why am I Famous? and What Am I For?, the story spread around the world. For some reason, readers enjoyed seeing the socialite get her comeuppance.

There was always something of the soap opera about Sir Paul McCartney's romance with Heather Mills, and you tuned in in your droves for this blockbuster storyline.

The couple had married four years earlier but blamed their split on "constant intrusion into our private lives". If proof were needed of the level of interest in their private lives, it is this story.

The Oscars are the biggest annual event in the entertainment calendar, and there was a dose of drama at the 2006 ceremony.

Brokeback Mountain was described by bookmakers as the "hottest favourite ever to win best picture". But that crown was snatched by Los Angeles race drama Crash after a late surge of support.

The Spears photo was originally deemed "too stimulating" for Japan

Ah, the perfect combination. A story about Britney Spears with the word "nude" in the headline is always guaranteed to get those fingers clicking. Don't complain - you read it.

The story was about Tokyo subway officials reversing a decision to ban a poster of a naked, pregnant Britney on the cover of Harper's Bazaar magazine.

When two of Hollywood's top actors get together, their star value is instantly squared - at least as far as the showbiz news appeal is concerned.

The fact that Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes tied the knot at a lavish ceremony in a fairytale castle in Italy added extra appeal, while the Scientology angle increased the fascination.

Guy Goma was actually at the BBC for a job interview

IT expert Guy Kewney was due to be interviewed on BBC News 24 about the Apple vs Apple court case. But a producer actually found Guy Goma, a graduate from the Congo, who was in reception for a job interview.

The wrong Guy was thrust on air and the expression on his face as he heroically attempted to answer the questions was priceless. He described his ordeal as "very stressful" but said he was "happy to speak about any situation".

Back in January 2006, film fans mourned the passing of Chris Penn, younger brother of Sean Penn and Nice Guy Eddie in Reservoir Dogs.

A Los Angeles coroner later ruled Penn, who was 40, died from the effects of a mix of medications and an enlarged heart.