* Piers Morgan stormed to first place in UK’s Sexiest Man 2025 poll after ranking 40th last year.
* Jeremy Clarkson loses out after his two-year reign, whilst Danny Dyer, Dermot O’Leary and Jonathan Ross round off the Top 5.
* 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.
Controversial broadcaster Piers Morgan has been named the UK’s “sexiest man” in a new poll of 2,000 women – dethroning two-time champion Jeremy Clarkson, who slips to second place in this year’s rankings.
The annual survey, conducted by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s leading dating site for married people, asks its female members to 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.
It marks a major comeback for Morgan, who languished in 40th place just last year. But whether you love him or loathe him, there’s no denying that his signature no-nonsense style, quick wit and unshakeable self-belief have struck a surprising chord with women in 2025.
Joining Morgan and Clarkson in the top three is new entry cockney actor Danny Dyer, whose blend of bad-boy charm and blunt East End charisma seems to have appeal with female voters. Meanwhile, TV favourite Dermot O’Leary enjoyed a strong rise in this year’s rankings, jumping from 10th to 4th, closely followed by chat show veteran Jonathan Ross, who leapt a remarkable 18 places to claim 5th.
In the survey which asked women who (if given the chance) they would choose to have an affair with, Sunday Brunch presenter Tim Lovejoy made his debut landing 6th, but perhaps one of the biggest surprises of this year’s poll is the appearance of Tory Shadow Secretary of State for Justice, Robert Jenrick in 7th place.
Comedian Bob Mortimer took 8th place, whilst presenter Ben Shephard landed 9th, and funny-man Romesh Ranganathan will undoubtedly be disappointed, having dropped three places this year (10th).
The results weren’t without a few eyebrow-raising exits from last year’s top spots. Hollywood actor Tom Holland fell from 2nd to 17th, Cillian Murphy dropped from 5th to 20th, and Idris Elba slipped to 25th after ranking 6th in 2024. Even Prince William, who had previously enjoyed a surge in popularity, tumbled from 3rd to 31st, while his brother Prince Harry failed to make the Top 50 altogether.
New entries included McFly’s Danny Jones, who courted controversy in March after being caught kissing Maura Higgins at the Brit Awards, with the headline-grabbing moment helping him land in 12th place. Post Office campaigner Alan Bates also made a shock entry into the Top 50, coming in at 41st.
Politics had an unusually strong showing this year. Nigel Farage, one of the UK’s most polarising public figures, soared from 39th to 11th. Even Boris Johnson saw a modest rise, climbing two places to 28th.
Sporting stars also featured throughout the list. England defender Kyle Walker impressed at 13th, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta held steady at 14th, and David Beckham, despite being a regular on “sexiest man” lists in decades past, dropped eight places to 19th.
The full list spanned celebrities, politicians, athletes and other public figures – proving once again that sex appeal is about far more than good looks. From quiet confidence to outspoken charisma, the qualities that turn heads in 2025 are refreshingly varied.
Jessica Leoni, spokesperson for IllicitEncounters.com, said: “We were expecting surprises this year, but even we were taken aback when Piers Morgan soared to the top of the table. His unapologetic style clearly taps into something deeper for a lot of women – confidence, conviction, and not being afraid to ruffle feathers.”
UK’s Sexiest Man 2025 Top 10
- Piers Morgan
- Jeremy Clarkson
- Danny Dyer
- Dermot O’Leary
- Jonathan Ross
- Tim Lovejoy
- Robert Jenrick
- Bob Mortimer
- Ben Shephard
- Romesh Ranganathan
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