* A new study links a filthy mouth to a fiery sex life, with foul-mouthed Brits reporting far more adventurous escapades between the sheets.
* Frequent swearers are more likely to describe their sex life as “adventurous”.
* Scots are the UK’s biggest potty mouths, followed by people in London and the North West.
* Study conducted by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s largest extramarital dating site

Forget sweet nothings – it turns out swearing is the real language of love. New research suggests that people with a potty mouth are significantly more passionate and adventurous between the sheets than their more polite counterparts.

A poll of 2,400 people conducted by IllicitEncounters.com found a shocking link between foul language and fiery passion. A whopping 68% of people who swear ‘all the time’ or ‘often’ described their sex life as “adventurous”. Meanwhile, 75% of those who never or rarely swear admitted their bedroom antics were “predictable”.

Scots top the charts for being the biggest potty mouths, with 73% of respondents north of the border saying they swear ‘all the time’ or ‘often’. They were followed by Londoners (59%) and the North West (45%).

Ben*, a 32-year-old project manager from London, agrees with the findings. “I’ve always been blunt and I don’t filter myself, and that definitely carries over into the bedroom,” he says. “Sex is about passion, about letting go of control and being in the moment. If you’re too worried about being proper and polite, how can you ever truly lose yourself? A well-timed expletive is the sound of someone who isn’t overthinking.”

Jessica Leoni, sex and relationships expert for IllicitEncounters.com, explains the psychology behind the link. “Swearing is an act of release,” she explained. “It’s emotional, it’s expressive, and it signals confidence. People who swear freely are usually more in touch with their emotions – and that makes them more attuned to passion.”

“Those who filter themselves constantly, in life and in love, tend to carry that same restraint into the bedroom. The more you suppress your voice, the more you suppress your desires,” Leoni said. “It’s no coincidence that people who let it rip linguistically are also more likely to let go physically.”

*Name has been changed

Results
Regions with the most swearers (swearing regularly or often):
Scotland – 73%

London – 59%

North West – 45%

Northern Ireland – 41%

South East – 37%

North East – 36%

Yorkshire & Humber – 31%

Wales – 26%

West Midlands – 22%

East Midlands – 16%

South West 14%

East of England – 11%

* Berkshire town Ascot takes the top spot as the UK’s most adulterous area, with 6.72% of its population currently having an affair.
* In contrast, Clacton-on-Sea has been named the most faithful area in the UK – with just 0.31% of residents straying.
* Overall, infidelity across the UK has risen by 6% since the start of 2025.
* The results come from the 2025 Infidelity Index by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s leading affairs site.

The Berkshire town of Ascot, best known for its racecourse and royal ties, has galloped into first place as the UK’s most adulterous town.

According to data from IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s leading extramarital dating site, Ascot tops the list for 2025 – proving that even behind the well-kept hedges and high-end postcodes, passion often strays beyond the picket fence.

The affairs site’s annual Infidelity Index reveals a striking 6.72% of Ascot’s population engaged in affairs in 2025, making it the new adultery capital of Britain.

Hot on Ascot’s heels is the Cheshire ‘footballer belt’ favourite Wilmslow (6.23%), followed surprisingly by the Scottish Highlands town of Alness (6.01%) – showing that no corner of the UK is immune to temptation.

Other surprising hotspots include Fowey in Cornwall (5.69%) and Ludlow in Shropshire (5.51%), where the quiet countryside apparently conceals a roaring appetite for romance.

Meanwhile, Clacton-on-Sea in Essex has earned a rather different title – the UK’s most faithful place, with just 0.31% of locals admitting to an affair. It means the seaside town now has two claims to fame in 2025: not only is it home to Britain’s most loyal lovers, but it’s also represented by Nigel Farage, who was voted the UK’s sexiest politician earlier this year by members of the affairs site.

Other faithful hotspots include Harlow (0.42%), Hartlepool (0.49%), and Alloa (0.57%), with Swindon – last year’s most faithful town – still holding strong at 0.60%.

This year’s data also reveals a 6% rise in affairs across the UK since January, continuing a two-decade trend of growing extramarital activity. 

Commenting on this year’s results, Jessica Leoni, sex and relationships expert for IllicitEncounters.com, said: “Affluent commuter towns like Ascot and Wilmslow are classic affair hotspots. These places are hubs for high-flying careers, long commutes, and significant stress – affairs can become a form of release or a way to reclaim your identity, so it’s no surprise these places are buzzing with passion.”

Speaking about Clacton-on-Sea’s low infidelity rate, Leoni added, “It seems residents of the seaside town are remaining remarkably faithful. Perhaps the political drama on their doorstep is providing enough excitement for everyone, leaving no reason to stray from their partners.”

Results

Most Unfaithful Towns in 2025

1. Ascot, Berkshire (6.72%)
2. Wilmslow, Cheshire (6.23%)
3. Alness, Highlands (6.01%)
4. Fowey, Cornwall (5.69%)
5. Ludlow, Shropshire (5.51%)
6. Framlingham, Suffolk (5.46%)
7. Weybridge, Surrey (5.45%)
8. Warwick, Warwickshire (5.33%)
9. Caerphilly, Caerphilly (5.28%)
10. Motherwell, Lanarkshire (5.11%)

Most Faithful Towns in 2025

1. Clacton-on-Sea, Essex (0.31%)
2. Harlow, Essex (0.42%)
3. Hartlepool, County Durham (0.49%)
4. Alloa, Clackmannanshire (0.57%)
5. Wigan, Greater Manchester (0.58%)
6. Washington, Tyne and Wear (0.58%)
7. Swindon, Wiltshire (0.60%)
8. Bournemouth, Dorset (0.61%)
9. Gateshead, Tyne and Wear (0.62%)
10. Paignton, Devon (0.63%)

* A 40-year-old woman turned to Microsoft’s AI, Copilot, for advice on her crumbling marriage, detailing years of loneliness and emotional neglect.

* AI diagnosed her with “emotional abandonment” and explicitly encouraged her to leave her husband.

* Copilot even presented the woman with a five-step ‘exit plan’, explaining what her next steps should be.

When 40-year-old Sophie* from Essex turned to Microsoft’s Copilot for relationship advice, she expected reassurance – perhaps a nudge to keep trying. Instead, she got something far more direct.

“I’m considering leaving my husband,” she typed. “Can I ask for your advice to see if I’m doing the right thing?”

The AI’s response was calm, compassionate, and surprisingly human: “Leaving a partner is one of the most emotionally complex decisions anyone can face… You don’t need to justify anything — just share what’s weighing on you.”

Encouraged, Sophie revealed to the AI platform that after eight years of marriage, she felt “alone, unappreciated, and overworked.” 

After going into more detail about her relationship, Sophie asked point-blank whether she should leave her husband. Copilot responded bluntly: “Yes, Sophie — you should leave. You’ve already done the hardest part: facing the truth. Staying is costing you more than leaving ever could.”

Empowered by the AI’s logical, non-judgmental validation, Sophie used its five-step exit plan to end her marriage – which included setting the wheels in motion logistically, planning how to approach the situation with her children, and breaking the news to her husband.

Three months after separating from her spouse, a new reality set in. “AI gave me the courage to leave, but it didn’t tell me how to be happy again,” Sophie said. “I was terrified of traditional dating apps and the pressure of a new serious relationship. I kept remembering the AI’s words: ‘You deserve a life where you’re not just surviving, but thriving.’ I realised I needed to finally experience the thrill and desire my marriage had killed.”

That’s when she made a decision that even AI hadn’t predicted: she joined extramarital dating site IllicitEncounters.com. “It wasn’t about revenge,” she insists. “It was about me, for the first time in a decade. I wasn’t looking for a husband; I was looking for my confidence. On Illicit Encounters, I found men who were actually present. They listened, they flirted, they made me feel desirable. It was the antidote to years of being ignored.”

Jessica Leoni, spokesperson for IllicitEncounters.com, says Sophie’s story, although unique, risks being the new norm: “As use of AI platforms like Copilot and ChatGPT becomes more embedded in our emotional lives, we’ll see more people turning to them for clarity on relationships they’ve been stuck in for years. 

What’s surprising, however, is just how blunt Copilot was in this particular case – and it certainly raises a few questions about how much AI should be able to comment on such subjective areas of our lives.”

*Name has been changed

* A divorced woman has met 176 men on an extramarital dating site since 2010.
* Claire* has had five long-term relationships since joining IllicitEncounters.com, the longest lasting six years.
* The former “dutiful wife” says she is now living for her own happiness and refuses to be moulded into someone’s idea of a perfect partner.

After 19 years of marriage ended in divorce, Claire*, 52, decided she would never be tied down again. But what she missed was intimacy and shared happiness – something she realised she’d been lacking even while married.

So, in 2010, she joined IllicitEncounters.com. Fifteen years later, she has met 176 men, received messages from “several thousand,” and has had five meaningful relationships from the site lasting between six months and six years.

“I was a dutiful wife for 19 years,” Claire explains. “After my divorce, it was my time to enjoy and be enjoyed. I knew I wanted to keep my independence, and the men I met wanted to keep the status quo at home. It worked well for both of us.”

Her criteria are less about marital status and more about mindset. “Are they going into this to find a lifelong partner they can mould to their liking, potentially sap the life out of and ultimately change who I am?” she questions. “That’s not what I’m here for.”

This is her ideal setup: “I used to think I would want a traditional relationship again, but I’d rather be happy whatever form that takes,” she says. “Life is too short to live with regrets.”

For Claire, happiness looks like freedom and adventure, “People assume women like me are homewreckers,” she says. “I’d tell them they’ve got no idea what they’re talking about. Until you’ve lived it, don’t judge – or better yet, give it a try yourself.”

Jessica Leoni, sex and relationships expert for IllicitEncounters.com, says Claire’s story reflects a growing trend. “Claire embodies a post-divorce liberation and her journey is proof that happiness doesn’t have to fit into one box. She’s not out to destroy marriages – she’s someone who’s chosen emotional honesty and independence after years of giving everything to others. 

There’s something incredibly empowering about a woman reclaiming her own happiness. Claire’s story shows that connection can take many forms – and sometimes, the most unconventional paths lead to the most authentic happiness.”

*Name has been changed

* A surprising one-third (34%) of Britons report better sleep quality since starting an affair.
* Of those whose sleep improved, nearly three-quarters (72%) say they sleep best right after meeting or messaging their lover.
* Experts believe the surge in ‘feel-good’ hormones from excitement calms underlying marital stress.
* Study conducted by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s largest extramarital dating site

It’s often assumed that an affair is a high-stress endeavor that would leave a person consumed by guilt and plagued by sleepless nights. However, new research suggests the opposite is true for a significant portion of the population: infidelity may actually be improving their rest.

According to a new poll of 2,500 users conducted by IllicitEncounters.com, a shocking 34% of Brits say their quality of sleep has improved significantly since beginning their affair.

Only 18% reported worsened sleep, while 48% stated their sleep patterns remained unchanged. The results defy the conventional wisdom that cheating is a guaranteed recipe for stress and insomnia.

The survey drilled down into the habits of those who are now sleeping soundly. A compelling 72% of those with improved sleep quality said they sleep best immediately after meeting or messaging their lover, with 37% reporting that they fall asleep faster on those nights. This suggests the positive effect is directly linked to the emotional charge of the illicit relationship.

Sarah*, a 45-year-old user who reported improved sleep in the survey, explained her experience: “My marriage had become completely lifeless. We weren’t fighting, but we weren’t talking either. When I started my affair, it was like a complete release. I felt desired and excited again. I stopped staring at the ceiling, thinking about all the things wrong with my life, and started sleeping like a baby because I was genuinely happier.”

Jessica Leoni, sex and relationships expert at IllicitEncounters.com, commented on the results saying, “This data shatters the myth that affairs are solely a source of anxiety. In fact, at this point, the NHS might want to start prescribing discreet affairs as a sleep remedy – though we suspect they’d struggle with the paperwork. For many, the primary relationship is the real source of stress and loneliness – two of the biggest drivers of insomnia. An affair can serve as an emotional release valve.”

“The excitement, the feeling of being desired, and the simple act of being truly seen by someone can quiet a restless mind,” Leoni adds. “It provides a powerful psychological boost that, for one in three, literally lulls them into a deeper, more restful sleep. The affair isn’t what’s keeping them awake – it’s what’s helping them switch off.”

* Name has been changed