Charming Brits oust Hollywood Hunks topping 2014 sexiest actors poll

With the BAFTAs taking
place in London’s Royal Opera House this weekend, the british film
industry is set to take over from the palm trees of Hollywood this
award season, but it’s not just the incredible films the UK has
turned out in 2013 that has got the world’s attention – it’s the
British male actors that have ladies everywhere in a spin according
to the UK’s leading dating website for extramarital affairs,
IllicitEncounters.com.

Illicit Encounters ran a
poll asking their female members who makes their heart’s beat faster
on screen, and the top objects of desire were: Benedict Cumberbatch
38% in first place, followed by Tom Hiddleston 27%, and Michael
Fassbender 19% third. This is a total turnaround from the 2013 poll
which put Wolverine star Hugh Jackman 48% first, the ultra smooth
Bradley Cooper 29% second, and the handsome Denzel Washington third
with 16%.

British talent really did
takeover in 2013, dominating our screens at home and cinema. Benedict
Cumberbatch has won the heart of the nation with his fantastic take
on Sherlock, giving new life to one of the Uk’s best loved
detectives, he also earned a National Television Award for ‘Best
Detective’ early this year, and played a plantation owner in Steve
McQueen’s brilliant Academy Award and BAFTA nominated ‘12 Years a
slave’.

Dashing RADA trained Tom
Hiddleston was close behind his friend Cumberbatch as heartthrob
number two. Hiddleston
has become a Hollywood star in his right by playing the villain Loki
in the Marvel ‘Thor’ movies, as well as just ending a sell out run at
the Donmar Warehouse in Shakespeare’s Coriolanus;
Hiddleston’s star is firmly on the rise. Rough
and ready German Irish actor Michael Fassbender takes third place,
with lead roles in ‘The Counselor’ and also ‘12 Years a Slave’ in
2013, Fassbender has secured his place among some of today’s greatest
actors – and if you saw him ‘Shame’, it’s not hard to understand why
the ladies love him.

Classically Hollywood’s
leading men top all the sexiest males polls, but the charm and
charisma of this trio seem to have ladies going weak at the knees. Us
Brits are having a bit of a moment right now; Hiddleston also stars
in Jaguar’s new TV advert along with veteran actor Ben Kingsley and
Mark Strong telling us that “It’s good to be bad” as villains in
movies are usually played by Brits – maybe it’s because the Americans
like to see us lose, but it looks like it’s them losing out in the
sexy stakes – viva Britannia!

However it wasn’t all
great news for the British thespians as Gerard Butler only just
scraped into the sexiest actors list with 1% of the female vote.

Illicit Encounters Female
members Favourite Actors 2014

Benedict Cumberbatch 38%

Tom Hiddleston 27%

Michael Fassbender 19%

Illicit Encounters Female
members Favourite Actors 2013

Hugh Jackman 48%

Bradley Cooper 29%

Denzel Washington 16%

End.

Notes to editors: 

Full
2014 Sexiest List