Barack Obama tops HELLO! Magazine's personality of the year list

    International celebrity experts also name Angelina Jolie, Prince Harry,
    Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, David Beckham and Kate Winslet among world's most
    influential and inspiring

    TORONTO, Feb. 23 /CNW/ - With 12 million readers around the world in 100
different countries, HELLO! magazine is uniquely positioned to conduct a
global poll about people who influence the news. Editorial experts from each
of the 13 editions (including HELLO! Canada) and their websites, have created
a list of 100 of the most inspiring and influential people of today.
    Barack Obama, the U.S.'s history-making president, won enough votes to
make him HELLO's Global Personality of the Year. First lady Michelle Obama,
also won enough support to take the sixth spot.
    "It seems especially fitting that President Obama made it to the top of
our list the same week that we welcomed him to Canada and put him on the front
cover of the magazine," says Ciara Hunt, editor-in-chief of HELLO! Canada.
    In second and third place respectively were Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt.
"Having become parents of six, the couple has barely been out of the
headlines," says Hunt. "They are highly respected, and their commitment to
their charity work and film careers makes them an inspiring and hugely
influential couple."
    Charming and unpredictable, Prince Harry came in five places higher than
his brother, Prince William. The princes are the only two British royals to
have made it in to the top 10. William's long-term girlfriend Kate Middleton
took the 24th spot as the will-they-won't-they nature of her relationship with
William has kept them regularly in the spotlight.
    David Beckham grabbed eighth place, with wife Victoria 12 places behind
at number 20.
    Kate Winslet's busy career won her 12th spot on the list. "All eyes were
on her at this year's Oscars and she didn't disappoint in the style stakes,"
says Hunt.

    HELLO! MAGAZINE'S TOP GLOBAL PERSONALITIES:
    1.  Barack Obama
    2.  Angelina Jolie
    3.  Brad Pitt
    4.  Madonna
    5.  Prince Harry
    6.  Michelle Obama
    7.  Queen Rania of Jordan
    8.  David Beckham
    9.  Carla Bruni-Sarkozy
    10. Prince William
    11. Rafael Nadal
    12. Kate Winslet
    13. Michael Phelps
    14. Britney Spears, George Clooney, Hillary Clinton (joint)
    15. Tom Cruise
    16. Mary of Denmark
    17. Letizia of Spain, Penelope Cruz (joint)
    18. Nicole Kidman
    19. Nicolas Sarkozy
    20. Hugh Jackman, Kylie Minogue, Victoria Beckham and Cheryl Cole (joint)

    HELLO! magazine has editions in Canada, United Kingdom, Spain, Mexico,
Russia, Turkey, UAE, Greece, Thailand, Malaysia, India, Serbia and Ukraine.
    HELLO! Canada is on newsstands now. For the full list of the top 100
global personalities of the year, go to to www.hellomagazine.com

    About Hello! Canada

    With over 60-plus years of success, 13 editions around the world, and a
reach of more than eight million readers in over 100 countries, Hello!
magazine has been launched in Canada by the country's leading consumer
publisher: Rogers Publishing Limited. The Canadian Hello! presents respectful,
up-close and intimate information on international and national celebrities
known to and loved by Canadians. With unparalleled access to celebrities'
homes and lives, Hello! publishes spectacular photographs, as well as exciting
lifestyle sections featuring fashion, décor, food and travel. The UK edition
of Hello! was launched in 1988, creating the celebrity magazine marketplace in
that country, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Spanish magazine Hola!,
which first debuted in 1944.

For further information: or to set up an interview, please contact:
Louise Leger, (416) 764-4125, louise.leger@rci.rogers.com