Lady Gaga was today hailed as the world’s best-loved eccentric.
The pop star became a worldwide sensation after donning steak dresses, telephone hats, and arriving at gigs enclosed in a giant egg.
She beat the Mayor of London Boris Johnson to the title, while heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne came third in the top 50 list.
Prince Philip took fourth place thanks to his verbal clangers and funnyman Russell Brand completed the top five.
A spokesman for Nature Valley Sweet & Nutty Bar, which conducted the poll of 2,000 British adults, said: “British people tend to have a soft spot for anyone out of the norm – anyone who doesn’t conform to the ordinary.
“This is why celebrities such as Prince Philip, Lady GaGa and Russell Brand are close to our hearts.
“More often than not, eccentric attributes are harmless and are actually part of the reason that we love nutty people so much.
“It is hard to dislike or be overly critical of anyone who is a bit nutty as they are often the most brilliant personalities.”
Sixth place on the list of most eccentric celebrities is media personality and journalist Janet Street Porter.
The brilliant Stephen Fry takes seventh place in the poll after turning his hand to directing, acting, writing and presenting.
Other high profile figures to make the top 10 include Eddie Izzard, Vivienne Westwood and Bjork.
Jedward became unlikely sensations in the UK following their run on the sixth series The X Factor.
The Irish twins, best known for their giant quiffs and talking over each other, take 19th place in the study.
Italian footballer Mario Balotelli comes 30th in the poll for random acts of madness such as paying for everyone’s petrol at the filling station, leaving #2,000 in a church collection and camouflaging his cars.
David Dickinson – otherwise known as ‘The Duke’ for his eccentric dress sense – comes in at 31.
Rylan Clark, who was voted off this year’s The X Factor, took 40th place in the poll.
Katie Price came 33rd after living her entire life on the front page of every glossy magazine and television reality programme going since she shot to fame as a glamour girl.
Joan Rivers, Pete Burns, Paloma Faith, Elton John and Johnny Depp also feature in the list.
Interestingly the survey revealed 80 per cent of Brits look up to people who are unique or eccentric individuals – but only one in 10 have any respect for people who try to fit in.
Four in ten claimed stars need to be unique to be classed as a celebrity these days, while one in ten try to emulate the behaviour and lifestyle of their favourite controversial star.
Self-confessed unusual comedian Paul Foot, who features in the Top 50 eccentrics list and is famed for his whimsical musings and ‘rants’, said: “I’m very flattered to be in the list as I view eccentricity as something to be celebrated and even encouraged.
“If everyone conformed to the ‘norm’, what a dull life we would all lead (unless, of course, the norm were being like me), so the UK needs characters like Vivienne Westwood and Boris Johnson to poke, tickle and slap the face of normality.”
TOP 50 MOST ECCENTRIC CELEBRITIES
1. Lady GaGa
2. Boris Johnson
3. Ozzy Osbourne
4. Prince Philip
5. Russell Brand
6. Janet Street Porter
7. Stephen Fry
8. Eddie Izzard
9. Vivienne Westwood
10. Bjork
11. Boy George
12. Helena Bonham Carter
13. Lembit Opik
14. Noel Fielding
15. Tim Burton
16. Chris Eubank
17. Johnny Depp
18. David Bowie
19. Jedward
20. Pete Burns
21. Elton John
22. Christopher Biggins
23. Paloma Faith
24. Uri Geller
25. James May
26. Simon Cowell
27. Joan Rivers
28. Madonna
29. Alan Carr
30. Mario Balotelli
31. David Dickinson
32. Tara Palmer Tomkinson
33. Katie Price
34. Graham Norton
35. Tom Baker
36. Vic Reeves
37. Nicki Minaj
38. Will.I.Am
39. Peaches Geldof
40. Rylan Clark
41. Jonathan Ross
42. Lee Evans
43. Gwen Stefani
44. Janice Dickinson
45. Frankie Boyle
46. Paul Foot
47. Katy Perry
48. Robbie Williams
49. Kim Woodburn
50. Rhianna
