The Press Association website today reveals that in a survey of more than 30,000 funerals last year, X Factor winner Alexandra Burke’s version of ‘Hallelujah’ was “25th in the chart of popular songs” played at funerals and apparently, it’s the first time a reality TV star has appeared on that particular list.

It seems that ‘My Way’ is the most popular song to be played at funerals followed by ‘Wind Beneath My Wings’ and Andrea Bocelli duet with Sarah Brightman, ‘Time To Say Goodbye’.

Other tunes included were AC/DC’s ‘Highway To Hell’, Doctor And The Medics’ ‘Spirit In The Sky’ and ‘Another One Bites’ The Dust by Queen…

Even TV and radio theme tunes are seemingly popular at final send-offs, with music from Emmerdale, Only Fools And Horses and – completely bizarrely – the Radio 4 Shipping Forecast have all been played at funerals.

Co-operative Funeralcare commissioned the survey and their spokesperson, Lorinda Sheasby, believes it shows how trends at funerals are changing…

“As more people choose non-religious funerals, so they incline towards contemporary songs with which they closely identify,” she said.

But who identifies with the Shipping Forecast??