In the world of pop, the Christmas No.1 was sometimes religious, often cheesy, and frequently by Sir Cliff.

But the record that entertained us most in the days up to December 25 was a guaranteed bestseller that somehow counted culturally.

It’s the same in the new media, and one of the top pretenders for this year’s Christmas No.1 iPhone app was none other than a Catchphrase app, based on the programme that set the tone for ITV1 afternoon programming from 1986-2002, with Northern Ireland’s very own Roy Walker.

Given the transient nature of new media, the top selling app can change by the hour on Christmas Day, making it difficult to pin down one definite festive winner.

But there’s no doubt the Catchphrase app was among the biggest sellers in the UK in the run-up to yesterday.

The app is voiced by Walker and allows users to play the much-loved game on their iPhone in the same format as the television show.

Contestants try to identify the familiar phrase represented by a piece of animation but instead of saying what they see to Walker, they type the answer into their phone.

The Catchphrase app, produced in London by Deluxe Digital Studios, has been a top seller in Britain over the last two weeks.

This is in no small part due to the enduring appeal of Mr Walker. Roy (71) is the Belfast boy who made it big via the 1970s TV show The Comedians, alongside Frank Carson, Mike Reid and Tom O’Connor.

As a teen, Roy sang soprano in the Francis Longford Choir, then worked as a riveter in Harland & Wolff before joining the Army.

Something you probably didn’t know about the man with the relaxed manner is that he was Northern Ireland champion hammer thrower for two years.

Certain veteran comics, such as Frankie Howerd and even Ronnie Corbett, have reinvented themselves and become popular with younger generations, sometimes by trading on their cheesiness and familiar catchphrases.

Roy Walker doesn’t need to do that.

His popularity on YouTube is based firmly on his cheery chappie demeanour and jokes about chickens, although the fact that Chris Moyles picked him for his ‘car park catchphrase’ on Radio 1 hasn’t hurt his career.

Every morning, hundreds of thousands of listeners pitch their wits against Roy, before he embarks on a famously shaggy dog anecdote which somehow morphs into a song title.

So what’s the appeal?

According to Henry Bennett, director of Deluxe Digital Studios, the Catchphrase app, which has adapted the original with a gaming format and is available for 69p from iTunes, is selling to “thirtysomethings who remember the classic ’80s and ’90s show”, but the 10,000 daily sales have also been reaching a younger demographic.

Student unions are now booking Roy, who brings with him a version of Catchphrase and his famously amiable vibe.

Deluxe Digital is now working on a version of Bullseye.

Factfile

? Catchphrase first appeared on ITV on January 12, 1986.

? A US version of Catchphrase was launched, but it never caught on.

? The show’s original mascot was a golden robot named Mr Chips. He was replaced by a family in the 1990s, but they never equalled his popularity.

? Originally produced by TVS in Southampton, Catchphrase was later produced in Kent, finally by Carlton in Nottingham.

? Roy Walker’s own catchphrases included “If you see it, say it” and “It’s good, but it’s not right”.