Justin Bieber and Kate Middleton have been revealed as new names on Barbara Walters’ annual ‘most fascinating people’ list.
The American broadcaster will announce the full 2010 list in a special TV programme to air in the US on 9 December, but in the meantime she has let slip eight names to make the cut.
Teen heartthrob Justin Bieber is making his debut entry on the list, rounding off a year of ‘Bieber mania’ sparked by the 16-year-old.
Future Princess Kate Middleton has also made the list, and is the only Brit in the running this year so far.
Others include Sarah Palin, who appeared at number three last year, and new American Idol judge Jennifer Lopez.
Oscar-winner Sandra Bullock, commedienne Betty White and basketball player LeBron James are all also on the list.
One surprise entry is the entire cast of MTV Reality TV show Jersey Shore. The programme, which follows eight housemates partying the summer away, has been dismissed as vacuous by many critics. They will no doubt be curious to discover what Walters finds ‘fascinating’ about the stars.
The overall winner, plus two more names, will be announced on 9 December. Walters has chosen a woman as her overall most fascinating person for the last five years running: Michelle Obama (2009), Tina Fey (2008), J.K. Rowling (2007), Nancy Pelosi (2006) and Camilla Parker Bowles (2005).