Scorching Temperatures Send Affairs Site Sign-Ups Soaring During a ‘Cheatwave’ as UK Baked on the Hottest Day of the Year

* Affairs site IllicitEncounters.com saw a 58% surge in new sign-ups in the past four days – peaking on Tuesday as temperatures hit 34.7°C

* Women made up 62% of new members, with the biggest spike among 35–44-year-olds

* 68% of new members said the heat made them feel “more impulsive,” while 55% admitted the weather gave them the “final push” to cheat

* Experts say “sundrunk” Brits lose inhibitions in hot weather, entering a holiday mindset even at home

As Britain sweltered through its hottest day of the year, with temperatures hitting a blistering 34.7°C in London, experts are warning of an unexpected side effect of the heatwave – a dramatic surge in cheating. 

Dubbed the ‘cheatwave’, this phenomenon has seen sign-ups to the UK’s leading affairs site, IllicitEncounters.com, skyrocket by 58% over the past four days, peaking on Tuesday as the mercury climbed to its highest level.

Experts point to a dangerous cocktail of hormonal surges, lowered inhibitions, and “heatwave hedonism” that drives otherwise loyal partners to stray. “When the sun blazes, so do passions,” says Jessica Leoni, sex and relationship expert for IllicitEncounters.com. “We see this with every heatwave – the hotter it gets, the more people seek excitement outside their relationships. Extreme heat essentially rewires our impulses.”

From Saturday to Tuesday, new registrations on the affairs site surged by 58% compared to the same period last year, with Tuesday being the peak. Women accounted for 62% of new members, with the most common age group being 35-44-year-olds (45%), followed by 45-54-year-olds (32%).

One member who joined on the hottest day of the year, “Sarah” (39, from Brighton), admits the scorching weather pushed her over the edge. “I’d been unhappy for months, but the heatwave was the final nudge,” she says. “Yesterday, I was lying in the garden, sweating, bored, and scrolling on my phone. The sun made me feel restless – like I needed to do something reckless. By 4PM, I’d signed up.”

Sarah isn’t alone. A poll of 1,000 new members found that 68% said the heat made them “more impulsive,” while 55% admitted they’d been considering an affair for some time – but the soaring temperatures gave them the “final push.”

Sexpert Jessica Leoni added, “The sunshine strips away inhibition. It’s like the British public have collectively entered their holiday persona – even if they’re not abroad. We call it ‘sundrunk.’ You’re not drinking rosé on the Med, but you’re mentally already there.”