Piers Morgan crowned UK’s “Sexiest Man” for second year running – as Louis Theroux and Thomas Skinner make shock surge into the Top 3

* Piers Morgan retains his crown in UK’s Sexiest Man 2025 poll.
* Documentary king Louis Theroux climbs into 2nd place in his debut year, while Thomas Skinner makes a shock entry straight into 3rd.
* 2,000 women rate 50 of the most famous and culturally relevant men from across public life on a scale of 1 to 10, based on their sex appeal.
* Poll conducted by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s largest extramarital dating site.

Piers Morgan Makes It Back-to-Back

He’s divisive, outspoken, and seemingly unstoppable. Piers Morgan has been crowned the UK’s “Sexiest Man” for the second year running in the annual poll conducted by IllicitEncounters.com – the UK’s leading dating site for married people.

It’s back-to-back victories for the combative broadcaster, who shot to the top of the table last year having languished in 40th place the year before. Morgan joins Jeremy Clarkson as the only men to have won the title more than once – though this year it’s Clarkson who finds himself playing second fiddle, dropping to 4th after his own two-year reign at the summit.

The Surprise of 2026: Theroux and Skinner Storm the Podium

But the real story of 2026 is the men who came from nowhere to shake up the podium entirely.

Louis Theroux – the softly spoken documentary-maker known for his quietly devastating interviewing style and low-key charm – makes his debut in the poll straight into 2nd place. It seems that in 2026, the quiet, curious, deeply intelligent type is very much having a moment.

Even more startling is 3rd place. Thomas Skinner, the boisterous Essex businessman and former Apprentice candidate best known for his market trader energy and unapologetic banter, has made one of the most unlikely entries in the poll’s history. The contrast with Theroux could not be more pronounced – yet here they both are, separated by just fractions of a point.

The annual survey asks 2,000 female IllicitEncounters members to rate 50 of the most famous and culturally relevant men in British public life on a scale of 1 to 10, based on their sex appeal.

Rounding out the Top 5, Jeremy Clarkson holds on at 4th – proof that the tweed-wearing, straight-talking farmer has enduring appeal even if the crown has slipped – while Dermot O’Leary slips slightly to 5th place (down from 4th) and cementing his status as one of the poll’s most consistent performers.

Danny Dyer drops three places to 6th after a strong debut last year, while Ben Shephard holds steady at seventh – his second consecutive Top 10 appearance. Sports presenter Andy Goldstein makes a new entry in 8th place.

Radio and TV personality Chris Evans claims ninth, and comedian Romesh Ranganathan rounds off the Top 10 for the second consecutive year, proving that making women laugh is never a bad strategy.

A flurry of British sportsmen also ranked highly in the Top 50, with Formula One’s Lando Norris making a strong debut in the poll at 12th place – while his Ferrari rival Lewis Hamilton, who has kept the gossip columns busy with his rumoured romance with Kim Kardashian, landed at 16th, and Rory McIlroy came in at 23rd.

Harry Styles failed to crack the upper reaches of the table and finished 26rd, while Jonathan Bailey, fresh from another Bridgerton series, could shockingly only manage 30th. Idris Elba slipped further down the rankings than many might expect coming 36th.

Expert Comment from Jessica Leoni

Jessica Leoni, spokesperson for IllicitEncounters.com, said: “Piers doing it back-to-back is remarkable – but in some ways it makes perfect sense. He’s the same man he always was: loud, uncompromising, and absolutely certain he’s right. Clearly that’s a formula that works.

“But the real talking point is Louis Theroux and Thomas Skinner finishing second and third. They could not be more different – one is a softly-spoken intellectual who lets silence do the heavy lifting, the other is one of the most exuberant personalities on British television. What they have in common is that they are both completely, authentically themselves. And that, more than anything, seems to be what women find irresistible in 2026.

“Jeremy Clarkson dropping to fourth will sting a little – he’s used to winning – but a podium finish is still quite the legacy for a man in a tweed jacket.”

Results

UK’s Sexiest Man 2026 Top 10

Piers Morgan
Louis Theroux
Thomas Skinner
Jeremy Clarkson
Dermot O’Leary
Danny Dyer
Ben Shephard
Andy Goldstein
Chris Evans
Romesh Ranganathan

Britain’s mid-life cheating crisis is now female: women aged 40–49 joining affairs site 3x faster than men

The key findings

* Women aged 40–49 are now the fastest-growing demographic joining IllicitEncounters.com
* 67% say turning 40 changed how they felt about their marriage.
* 59% say they felt “invisible” at home before joining the site and a whopping 78% say they have absolutely no regrets about having an affair.

Forget the stereotype of the mid-life man buying a sports car and chasing younger women.

It’s actually women in their forties who are shaking up their love lives – with a surge in them joining the UK’s biggest extramarital dating site.

New data from IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s leading dating site for married people, reveals that women aged 40–49 are now the fastest-growing demographic signing up to the platform.

Site figures show female membership in the 40–49 bracket has grown by 21% over the past year, outpacing every other age group on the site. By comparison, sign-ups among women aged 30–39 increased by 12%, while those aged 50–59 rose by 8%. Younger women aged 20–29 showed only a modest 5% increase, and the 60+ category remained largely unchanged, rising 3%.

Growth amongst men, on the other hand, has been slower. Male membership rose by just 7% among 40–49 year olds and 4% among men aged 50–59, suggesting that it’s women – particularly those entering midlife – who are driving the platform’s fastest expansion.

And according to a poll of 1,500 female members in that age group, hitting the big 4-0 is often the moment everything changes. A huge 67% say turning 40 made them reassess their marriage, with many admitting they suddenly realised their relationship had quietly slipped into autopilot.

For many, the biggest feeling wasn’t anger or resentment – it was simply being invisible. Almost 6 in 10 women (59%) said they felt overlooked by their partner before joining the site. Not necessarily unhappy, but no longer feeling attractive, desired or even properly noticed.

Claire*, 48, says the realisation hit her out of nowhere. “One day I realised I’d become everyone’s organiser – the kids, the house, the schedules – but nobody was really looking at me anymore,” she says. “I felt like I’d disappeared somewhere along the way.”

Sarah*, 45, says the routine of family life slowly swallowed her identity. “I couldn’t remember the last time someone looked at me like a woman instead of just a mum,” she says. “That’s when I realised something had to change.”

For many women, the affair wasn’t even about leaving their marriage. Instead it was about getting a part of themselves back. Nearly 1 in 3 (31%) said their affair helped them rediscover an identity they felt had been lost to years of motherhood and domestic life.

And despite the taboo around cheating, the overwhelming majority say they wouldn’t take it back. A striking 78% say they have absolutely no regrets about stepping outside their marriage.

Expert comment from Jessica Leoni

Jessica Leoni, spokesperson for IllicitEncounters.com, says the findings show how dramatically attitudes are shifting. “Women in their 40s are reaching a stage where life finally slows down a little and they start asking big questions about their happiness,” she says.

“For years they’ve focused on everyone else – their children, their partner, their career. When they finally stop and look at their own lives, many realise they’ve quietly disappeared from the centre of it.”

She adds: “The old stereotype was that men had mid-life crises. What we’re seeing now is something very different – women deciding they want to feel seen, desired and alive again.”

* Names have been changed

Further Reading

Kim Kardashian & Lewis Hamilton go Instagram-official – and relationship experts say the “new rush” may not last

The key findings

* Kim Kardashian and Lewis Hamilton finally confirm their relationship with an Instagram reveal.

* The pairing follows a familiar pattern among high‑profile, high‑achieving individuals whose past relationships struggled under pressure.

* Relationship expert at IllicitEncounters.com, Jessica Leoni explains why the “new rush” of a power‑couple romance is so intoxicating – and why it often doesn’t last.

Kim Kardashian and Lewis Hamilton have finally gone Instagram‑official, after months of speculation linking the reality star and the Formula One champion.

Hamilton posted a video on Instagram featuring Kim in the passenger seat – the first time either has publicly acknowledged the relationship. The pair first fuelled rumours at Super Bowl LX in February, were spotted hand‑in‑hand in Tokyo in March, and sources close to the couple now claim they’re “in love.”

Expert comment from Jessica Leoni

But according to Jessica Leoni, sex and relationships expert at IllicitEncounters.com, the pairing follows a familiar pattern among high‑achieving, high‑profile individuals whose past relationships have struggled under the weight of ambition, fame and relentless schedules.

Commenting on the now Instagram-official couple, she said, “Kim and Lewis are both used to being the most powerful person in the room – and that’s exactly what makes the early rush of a relationship like this so intoxicating. The thrill of the new is unbelievably addictive, especially for people whose lives are built around pressure, performance and public scrutiny.

But that same intensity is often what causes these relationships to crack. When both partners lead, neither is wired to compromise. And that’s when people start seeking emotional intimacy somewhere the power dynamic feels different.

For now, they’re in the sweet spot – the high, the excitement, the escape. But the real story will be what happens when the rush settles and real life returns. That’s where the people left behind often feel the impact most.”

Brainy Brits are the most likely to have an affair – but which degree comes out on top?

The key findings

* 81% of people who cheat have a university degree
* Law graduates top the list of degree holders most likely to stray
* Psychology, Business and Computer Science graduates also feature heavily
* Study conducted by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s largest extramarital dating site

Britain’s most educated are also among the most unfaithful, with new research revealing that university graduates are significantly more likely to stray – and those with law degrees are leading the pack.

A new study by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s leading married dating site, involving 3,500 members has found that a striking 81% of people who cheat hold a university degree.

When asked what subject they studied, law graduates emerged as the most likely to have an affair, accounting for 19% of degree-holding cheats – putting their finely honed skills of persuasion and loophole-finding to rather creative use outside the courtroom. Business graduates follow at 17%, with Psychology graduates in third at 15%.

Computer Science graduates account for 13%, no doubt relying on their tech savvy to ensure there’s no digital evidence left behind, while Marketing and Media Studies alumni clock in at 11%.

One member of the married dating site, a solicitor from Birmingham in her late thirties, says the findings don’t surprise her at all. “Lawyers are trained to compartmentalise,” she says. “You learn very early on to keep different parts of your life completely separate. It’s practically a professional requirement – it just turns out it’s quite a useful skill in your personal life too.”

Expert comment from Jessica Leoni

Jessica Leoni, sex and relationships expert at IllicitEncounters.com, says the pattern reflects the pressures that often accompany high-achieving careers. “Graduates tend to be ambitious, driven and intellectually restless – and those same qualities that make them successful professionally can make it very difficult to switch off that hunger at home. They want stimulation in every area of their lives, and if they’re not getting it in their marriage, they’ll find it elsewhere.”

She adds: “The law graduate finding is particularly fitting. If anyone knows how to build a watertight case – and cover their tracks – it’s a barrister.”

Results

Law – 19%
Business – 17%
Psychology – 15%
Computer Science – 13%
Marketing / Media Studies – 11%
Management Studies – 8%
Engineering – 6%
Economics – 5%
English Literature – 4%
Languages – 3%
Fine Art – 2%

Brits admit secretly checking their partner’s phone at least once a week – and many don’t think it’s wrong

The key findings

* More than half of Brits admit snooping on their partner’s phone without permission
* Over a quarter say they check their partner’s device at least once a week
* Women are significantly more likely to snoop than men
* Study conducted by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s largest extramarital dating site

Smartphones may hold the secrets of our daily lives – but for many couples, they’ve also become a source of temptation.

A new poll of 2,500 people conducted by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s largest extramarital dating site, has revealed that 52% of Brits admit they have secretly checked their partner’s phone without permission.

And for many, it’s not just a one-off act of curiosity. Among those who confessed to snooping, 27% admitted they check their partner’s phone at least once a week, suggesting that secret surveillance has become a regular habit in some relationships.

When asked how often they had secretly checked their partner’s phone, 12% admitted doing so every day, while 27% said they snoop at least once a week. A further 19% said they check around once a month, while 42% insisted they had only done it once or twice out of curiosity.

Despite the obvious privacy implications, many respondents didn’t feel particularly guilty about their behaviour. In fact, 34% of those who admitted snooping said they didn’t consider secretly checking their partner’s phone to be “that bad.”

For some, however, the habit has led to uncomfortable discoveries. 27% of those who checked their partner’s device said they found something upsetting, whether that was suspicious messages, conversations they felt crossed a line, or evidence of behaviour their partner had previously denied.

The research also revealed a clear gender divide when it comes to phone snooping. Women were more likely to admit checking their partner’s phone, with 58% confessing to doing so compared to 46% of men.

One woman who took part in the survey, a 35-year-old sales manager from Manchester who asked to remain anonymous, said curiosity initially drove her to look through her partner’s phone.

“It started as a gut feeling more than anything,” she says. “He’d started turning his phone face down on the table and taking it with him everywhere, even just to make a cup of tea. I told myself I was being paranoid, but the thought wouldn’t leave my head.”

Eventually, she decided to take a look while he was asleep. “I hated the idea of snooping, but at the same time I felt like I needed reassurance,” she says. “Once you’ve had that suspicion planted in your mind, it’s really hard to ignore it.”

What she found wasn’t outright evidence of cheating, but it was enough to shake her trust. “There were messages with another woman that felt a bit too friendly for my liking,” she says. “Nothing explicit, but lots of late-night chats and inside jokes. It made me feel like there was something emotional going on that I didn’t know about.”

Expert comment from Jessica Leoni

Jessica Leoni, sex and relationships expert at IllicitEncounters.com, says the findings highlight how smartphones have become a major issue for modern relationships. “Phones contain so much of our personal lives now – messages, social media conversations, photos and browsing history,” she explains. “For someone who already feels insecure in their relationship, the temptation to look can be overwhelming.”

However, she warns that snooping can often create more problems than it solves. “Checking a partner’s phone might provide temporary reassurance, but it can also damage trust if the behaviour becomes habitual,” she says. “In many cases, it reflects deeper issues in the relationship, such as insecurity, poor communication or a lack of transparency.”

Leoni adds that once someone begins regularly checking their partner’s phone, it can quickly become a cycle that’s difficult to break. “Suspicion often feeds itself,” she says. “The more someone looks for evidence of wrongdoing, the more likely they are to interpret normal behaviour as something suspicious. Healthy relationships depend on trust – and that’s very difficult to maintain if one partner feels constantly monitored.”

Results

Have you ever secretly checked your partner’s phone without their permission?
Yes – 52% (58% women, 46% men)
No – 48% (42% women, 54% men)

How often do you check your partner’s phone? (Of those who admitted to checking without permission)
Every day – 12%
At least once a week – 27%
At least once a month – 19%
At least once a year – 42%

26% of affairs start at the school gate, new data reveals

The key findings

* More than a quarter of affairs begin through school connections, new research shows
* Parents of children in Years 3 and 4 are most at risk, according to the data
* PTA meetings, sports days and class WhatsApp groups are the most common affair flashpoints
* Study conducted by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s largest extramarital dating site

It’s the place you drop off your kids every morning. But according to new research, the school gate is also one of Britain’s most fertile grounds for extramarital affairs.

A poll of 2,200 parents by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s leading married dating site, has revealed that 26% of affairs begin through school connections – making it one of the most common places a marriage starts to unravel.

And the danger zone? Parents of children in Years 3 and 4 are the most likely to stray, accounting for 21% of school-gate affairs. Years 1 and 2 parents follow closely at 19%, with Years 5 and 6 at 18%. Reception parents account for 16%, secondary school parents for 15%, and sixth form parents make up the remaining 11%.

As for where these connections are made, PTA meetings top the list at 31%, followed by class WhatsApp groups at 27% – proving that the group chat intended for reading lists and bake sale reminders could be doing more harm than good in relationships.

Sports days accounted for 19% of initial encounters, while the daily school pick-up and drop-off itself is responsible for 13%. School social events such as discos, fairs and fundraisers account for the remaining 7%.

Perhaps most striking of all is the speed at which these connections escalate. On average, it takes just 4.7 months from first meeting to full-blown affair – suggesting that regular contact, shared parenting experiences, and underlying marital dissatisfaction make for a potent combination.

One woman who took part in the poll, a mother of two from the South East, says her affair began innocently in a Whatsapp group, “We were both in the Year 3 group, and he messaged me privately to ask if my son had brought home the wrong jumper. We started joking about how stressful the homework was, and within a month, those jokes turned into late-night chats.

The school run became the highlight of my day. We’d catch each other’s eye across the playground – it felt like we had this huge secret in plain sight. It’s the perfect cover, your spouse never suspects you’re cheating when you say you’re just staying late for a PTA meeting.”

Expert comment from Jessica Leoni

Jessica Leoni, sex and relationships expert at IllicitEncounters.com, says the findings are unsurprising. “The school gate is a goldmine for connection – you see the same people every single day, you have an instant shared bond in your children, and you’re often at a stage of life where your marriage has settled into routine. Add a flirty WhatsApp group into the mix and it’s a recipe for something more.”

Leoni says the research highlights how everyday routines can unexpectedly create opportunities for relationships to form. “Affairs rarely begin in dramatic circumstances,” she says. “More often they start with ordinary conversations that slowly become more personal over time.”

Results

At what point in your children’s school life did your affair start?

Reception – 16%
Years 1 to 2 – 19%
Years 3 to 4 – 21%
Years 5 to 6 – 18%
Secondary school – 15%
Sixth Form/College – 11%

How did the affair begin?

PTA meetings – 31%
Class WhatsApp groups – 27%
Sports day – 19%
School pick-up/drop-off – 13%
School social events – 7%
Other – 3%

“He preferred me bigger”: Wife says weight loss jab destroyed her marriage and forced her to stray

The key findings

* 44% of women say losing weight boosted their confidence – but many say it damaged their relationship.
* Over a third report their partner became less affectionate after they slimmed down.
* One woman, 42, says her three‑stone “glow up” left her husband distant – and pushed her towards an affair.
* Study conducted by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s largest extramarital dating site.

Weight loss is supposed to transform your life for the better. But, for one woman, shedding three stone didn’t just change her body – it changed her marriage.

A new poll conducted by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s largest extramarital dating site, involving 2,000 women has revealed that while slimming down often boosts confidence, it can also create unexpected tension at home – with 52% saying changes in their weight had a negative impact on their relationship.

According to the data, 44% of women said their confidence increased after losing weight. But the emotional ripple effects weren’t always positive.

More than a third (37%) said their partner became less affectionate after their weight loss, while 34% noticed increased jealousy following their “glow up”.

Meanwhile, 29% of women who slimmed down felt their partner seemed “intimidated” by their new confidence.

For one 42-year-old mother-of-two, who asked to remain anonymous, the change was stark. After losing three stone using Mounjaro, she says she has never felt better in herself – but her husband’s reaction left her blindsided.

“I’ve never felt more attractive in my life,” she says. “For years I struggled with my weight. I didn’t feel confident getting dressed up or initiating intimacy. Losing the weight made me feel like me again.”

But instead of reigniting the spark at home, she says the dynamic shifted. “He used to grab me constantly. Now he barely looks,” she explains. “At first I thought I was imagining it. But the more confident I became, the more distant he seemed.”

She says her husband even admitted he preferred her before the weight loss. “He says he ‘misses my curves’, but I think he misses feeling more secure. When I was bigger, I don’t think he ever worried about other men noticing me.”

As her confidence grew, she began receiving more attention – something she says her husband struggled with. “There were little comments. If I dressed up, he’d ask who I was trying to impress. If I went out with friends, he’d act cold afterwards.”

Eventually, she says the emotional distance pushed her elsewhere.“I thought losing weight would improve everything. I didn’t expect it to threaten my marriage,” she admits. “So, when my husband didn’t appreciate the way I’d become, I decided perhaps it was time to find someone who did – and I’ve been having an affair for the past two months as a result.”

Expert comment from Jessica Leoni

Sex and relationship expert at IllicitEncounters.com, Jessica Leoni, says the findings reflect a power shift that can occur when one partner undergoes a visible transformation. “Weight loss can dramatically alter relationship dynamics,” she explains. “If one partner’s confidence increases significantly, it can unsettle the balance that existed before.”

She adds that insecurity can manifest in subtle but damaging ways. “For some partners, especially if the relationship was built around a certain dynamic, a physical ‘glow up’ can trigger feelings of inadequacy or fear of abandonment. Instead of celebrating the change, they may withdraw or become jealous.”

Leoni says it’s not uncommon for increased external attention to amplify tensions. “When one partner starts receiving more validation from outside the relationship, it can highlight cracks that were already there,” she says. “If communication isn’t strong, resentment can build quickly.”

People trust AI more than their partner with their deepest secrets, poll reveals

The key findings

* More than a third of people now trust AI with personal secrets over their own partner, with many saying it feels less judgemental and emotionally safer.
* Brits are confiding in AI about relationship doubts, sexual fantasies, thoughts of cheating and even past affairs – conversations they avoid having at home.
* Experts warn that while AI offers a consequence‑free space to open up, relying on it instead of honest communication could deepen cracks in real‑world relationships.
* Study conducted by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s largest extramarital dating site.

Brits are now more likely to confide in artificial intelligence than the person they share a bed with. And, it seems the biggest threat to communication in relationships might not be another person – but a robot.

A new poll of 1,800 members of IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s largest extramarital dating site, has revealed that more than a third (38%) would rather share a personal secret with AI than open up to their partner.

In fact, 27% admit they’ve already told an AI chatbot something deeply personal that they have never confessed to their other half.

And it’s not just convenience driving the trend. One in five (21%) say they feel “less judged” by AI than they do by their partner – suggesting that for some, a machine feels safer than a marriage.

So what exactly are people telling these bots? The most common confession involves relationship doubts, with 44% admitting they’ve turned to AI to vent about concerns regarding their partner instead of addressing the issue directly at home.

More than a third (36%) say they’ve used AI to discuss their sexual fantasies – conversations they felt uncomfortable initiating with their partner.

Meanwhile, 31% have confided in AI about thoughts of cheating, and 22% say they’ve opened up about regrets over past affairs rather than revisiting those conversations with the person they’re with.

One married mother-of-two from Surrey, who asked to remain anonymous, says she turned to AI after struggling to open up to her husband of 15 years. “I love my husband, but I couldn’t bring myself to tell him I’d been having doubts about our future. Every time I tried, I’d see his face fall and I’d bottle it. So I typed it into ChatGPT instead. It felt ridiculous at first – pouring my heart out to a robot. But it didn’t interrupt, didn’t get defensive, didn’t look hurt. It just… listened. I know it’s not real, but it was just good to talk about my feelings openly.”

Expert comment from Jessica Leoni

Jessica Leoni, sex and relationships expert at IllicitEncounters.com, says the results reflect a growing emotional shift. “AI doesn’t roll its eyes, raise its voice or bring up something you said three years ago,” she said. “For many people, that makes it feel like a safer space to explore uncomfortable thoughts.”

She believes the appeal lies in the absence of consequence. “When you confess something to your partner, it can change the dynamic of the relationship. There are emotional repercussions. With AI, there’s no fallout. No hurt feelings. No awkward silence.”

But Leoni warns that relying on technology instead of communication could deepen existing cracks. “Using AI as a sounding board isn’t necessarily harmful,” she explained. “In fact, it can sometimes help people organise their thoughts. The problem comes when it replaces honest dialogue rather than preparing you for it.”

She adds that the types of secrets people are sharing are particularly telling. “Relationship doubts, sexual fantasies, thoughts about cheating – these are exactly the conversations that could save a relationship if handled well. But people are too scared to have them. They’d rather test the waters with a robot than risk real vulnerability with a human. And that’s a tragedy.”

Results
What have you confided in AI about rather than speaking with your partner?

Relationship doubts – 44%
Sexual fantasies – 36%
Thoughts about cheating – 31%
Regrets about past affairs – 22%
General relationship advice – 20%
Other – 8%

Brits split over what REALLY counts as cheating – and there’s no going back if you do this one thing

The key findings

* New research reveals Brits are far more forgiving of digital slip‑ups than physical or emotional betrayals.

* Liking photos and harmless crushes top the list, while emotional affairs rank as the hardest to excuse.

* Experts say the findings show how modern couples draw very different lines between impulsive mistakes and deeper breaches of trust.

* Study conducted by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s largest extramarital dating site

New research has revealed the nation’s surprisingly forgiving hierarchy when it comes to infidelity – and it turns out not all cheating is created equal.

The poll of 2,000 Brits conducted by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s largest extramarital dating site, asked respondents to choose the single most forgivable form of cheating from a list of seven common betrayals.

At the softer end of the scale, liking photos on social media emerged as the most forgivable behaviour, with 29% of people saying they could let it slide.

18% said they could forgive their partner for having a crush on a work colleague, suggesting that fleeting feelings are seen as human – as long as they don’t turn into action.

Things became murkier when digital behaviour turned more intimate. Flirty texting with an ex was considered forgivable by 15%, while having a dating app profile – even without meeting anyone – was acceptable to 14% of respondents.

Physical cheating proved harder to excuse. Kissing someone else was seen as forgivable by 11%, but only 9% said they could move past a one‑night stand or sex with someone else.

The least forgivable act of all was an emotional affair, with only 4% saying they’d be able to look past it.

Sex and relationship expert at IllicitEncounters.com, Jessica Leoni, believes the findings highlight how differently people define betrayal. “Cheating isn’t a one-size-fits-all concept anymore,” she said. “For some couples, liking a photo is meaningless. For others, it’s the start of a slippery slope. What this research shows is that people draw their red lines in very different places.”

Expert comment from Jessica Leoni

She added that emotional infidelity can sometimes cut deeper than physical acts.“Many people see sex as a moment of weakness, particularly if alcohol or circumstance is involved,” Jessica explained. “But emotional affairs require time, secrecy and sustained investment. That’s often why they feel more threatening – they suggest a partner’s attention and affection are being redirected.”

One 34-year-old woman from Manchester, who asked not to be named, said she chose to forgive her husband after he admitted to a drunken one-night stand.

“It was devastating at first,” she said. “But when we talked it through, I realised it hadn’t been about feelings – it was a stupid decision in a single moment. What would have hurt more is if he’d been confiding in someone else for months behind my back.”

Leoni added that forgiveness often depends on context. “People are more likely to forgive something they can rationalise,” she said. “If it feels impulsive, they may see it as salvageable. But if it feels calculated or emotionally invested, it can be harder to come back from.”

Results

Which of these do you consider the most forgivable?

Liking photos on social media 29%
Having a crush on a work colleague 18%
Flirty texting with an ex 15%
Having a dating app profile 14%
Kissing someone else 11%
Sex with someone else 9%
An emotional affair 4%

Red Tuesday: Why tomorrow is the most popular day of the year to get dumped

The key findings

* Nearly half of Valentine’s break-ups happen on ‘Red Tuesday’, with 49% choosing the day to end things before romance (and spending) kicks in.

* Money, guilt and emotional burnout are driving the split, as 41% dump partners to avoid Valentine’s costs and 38% admit they’re tired of faking affection.

* Most break-ups aren’t impulsive – over 80% had been planning it for days or longer, with after-work dumps the most common timing.

* Study conducted by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s largest extramarital dating site

Tomorrow marks Red Tuesday – the day Brits are statistically most likely to call time on their relationship as Valentine’s Day looms.

New research from IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s largest extramarital dating site, reveals that the Tuesday before Valentine’s Day (10th February) is the single most popular day of the year to get dumped, as thousands of Brits perform a last-minute romantic U-turn to avoid the most amorous day of the year.

A poll of 1,500 members found that more than a third (34%) admit they have ended a relationship in the run-up to Valentine’s Day. Of those, almost half (49%) said they deliberately chose Red Tuesday to do it, making it the single most popular dumping day of the year.

So why are so many couples calling it quits just days before the most romantic date on the calendar?

Money plays a major role. Over two-fifths (41%) said they broke up to avoid the expense of Valentine’s Day altogether, admitting they didn’t want to splash out on gifts, meals or experiences for a relationship they knew wasn’t going anywhere.

Emotional honesty also came into play. 38% said they were tired of pretending everything was fine, while 29% admitted they no longer wanted to fake affection for the sake of one more “romantic” day.

Others saw Valentine’s Day as a line in the sand. Nearly a quarter (24%) said they wanted a clean slate before spring, while 19% confessed that guilt over seeing someone else pushed them to finally end things.

Timing, it seems, is everything – even when it comes to breakups. The poll found that most Red Tuesday splits happen at the end of the working day, with 37% ending things after work. Mornings accounted for 26% of breakups, while 21% happened at lunchtime. Just 16% waited until late at night, suggesting fewer people want to lie awake stewing after delivering bad news.

For many, deciding to call it quits wasn’t exactly spontaneous. Only 18% said they made the decision to end their relationship on that very day. A third (34%) had been planning it for a few days, 27% had sat on the decision for a week, and 21% admitted they’d been thinking about breaking up for much longer.

One member, Sarah*, 35, from Manchester, says Red Tuesday gave her the push she needed. “I knew by January that the relationship was over, but Valentine’s Day hanging over us made it feel urgent,” she says. “I didn’t want to sit through a forced dinner pretending we were happy. Ending it before felt brutal, but also like a relief.”

Expert comment from Jessica Leoni

Jessica Leoni, sex and relationships expert at IllicitEncounters.com, says Red Tuesday is all about timing and avoidance. “Valentine’s Day puts a spotlight on relationships, and not everyone likes what it shows,” she explains. “For many people, it forces a moment of honesty they’ve been avoiding.”

She adds: “There’s also a very practical side to it. People don’t want to spend money, make grand gestures or post loved-up photos when they know their heart isn’t in it. Red Tuesday becomes the moment they rip the plaster off and move on – even if it’s uncomfortable.”

Leoni says the surge in breakups shouldn’t come as a surprise. “Valentine’s Day is about commitment and affection. If a relationship is already on shaky ground, that pressure can be the final straw.”

* Name has been changed

Results
Reasons for breaking up before Valentine’s Day:
To avoid the expense of Valentine’s Day – 41%
No longer wanting to fake affection – 38%
Wanting to start fresh before spring – 24%
Feeling guilty about seeing someone else – 19%

What time of day did you end the relationship?
Morning – 26%
Lunchtime – 21%
After work – 37%
Late at night – 16%

How long had you been planning the breakup?
Same day – 18%
A few days – 34%
A week – 27%
Longer – 21%

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