* Following the hotly anticipated release of Gillian Anderson’s new book Want, IllicitEncounters.com has unveiled a revealing study on sexual fantasies.

* New research shows that a whopping 90% of people have thought about someone else whilst having sex with their partners at some stage of their relationship.

* Men are more likely to fantasise about celebrities, whilst women are thinking about ex partners – and surprisingly, farmers.

* Scenarios at work are the biggest turn on for men, and sun-soaked beaches are the number one location for female fantasies.

A shocking new study has uncovered that nearly everyone is guilty of mentally straying during sex. 

The research was conducted by extramarital dating site IllicitEncounters.com following the release of actress Gillian Anderson’s highly anticipated book, Want – a collection of steamy sexual fantasies compiled by actress Gillian Anderson, which has sparked fresh conversations about the hidden depths of human desire.

Polling 2,000 participants – evenly split between men and women – IllicitEncounters.com, which will be celebrating its 20th birthday in October, revealed that a staggering 90% of people have fantasised about someone other than their partner while getting intimate at some point in their relationship. 

In fact, 86% of men and an astonishing 97% of women admit to letting their imaginations wander to someone other than their partner while having sex.

For men, celebrities dominate the fantasy world, with 19% admitting to thinking about famous faces. Ex-partners and coworkers also feature prominently, at 16% and 15% respectively. 

Women, however, are more likely to fantasise about exes (22%) and coworkers (19%), but the real surprise? Farmers make an unexpected appearance, ranking fourth among women’s most fantasised about figures. This curious attraction may be tied to the ongoing public fascination with Jeremy Clarkson, who was recently crowned the UK’s sexiest man for the second year running by female users of IllicitEncounters.com.

When it comes to the settings for these fantasies, men imagine steamy scenarios at work (25%), in a park (18%), or even on a plane (12%). Hotels also make an appearance, and some fantasise about romantic rendezvous in lifts and even police stations. 

For women, it’s all about sun-soaked beaches (23%), work-related trysts (19%), and hotel escapades (15%). Clearly a fan of the outdoors when it comes to getting intimate, fields, parks and forests are also featured in the most popular fantasy locations.

Surprisingly, the vast majority of people – 89% – don’t view fantasising about someone else as cheating, and only 11% see it as a form of infidelity.

Jessica Leoni, sex and relationships expert at IllicitEncounters.com, commented on the results of the study, “Mental fantasies are a natural part of human sexuality. While they might seem like a form of cheating to some, for most, they’re simply a way to explore desires and enhance sexual experiences. 

It’s important to communicate with your partner and understand each other’s boundaries and expectations, but now there’s confirmation – if you’re thinking about someone else during sex… it’s normal!”