IT’S OFFICIAL – Dubliners boast the sexiest accents, while Brummies find themselves at the bottom of the list, according to a new nationwide study.
In a revelation that’ll make Colin Farrell’s hometown proud, Dublin accents have been crowned the sexiest in the UK and Ireland.
A solid 58 per cent of singletons swooned over the Dublin drawl, making it the top pick in this fascinating survey.
Right behind the Dubliners, the cheeky Cockney accent, charmingly represented by the likes of Tom Hardy, captured 45 per cent of the vote.
The melodic tones of Wales, embodied by Pontypool’s Luke Evans, came in third with 38 per cent.
Edinburgh accents, with their refined lilt, followed closely at 37 per cent, while Liverpool’s unique sound, as spoken by actress Jodie Comer, rounded out the top five at 34 per cent.
On the flip side, the Brummie accent didn’t fare as well, with 65 per cent branding it the least attractive. Essex (55 per cent), Geordie (49 per cent), and Glaswegian (47 per cent) accents also struggled to win over hearts.
This enlightening survey comes just ahead of the launch of Netflix’s new show, Love is Blind UK. In this series, singletons meet, date, and even get engaged without seeing each other face-to-face, relying purely on the charm of their voices.
A considerable portion of the population, 49 per cent, finds regional accents inherently sexy, while 43 per cent are on the fence, saying it depends on the origin of the accent. Only a tiny fraction, eight per cent, remain unimpressed by any accent.
Accents clearly play a crucial role in attraction, with 59 per cent admitting they’ve fancied someone solely because of their voice. Interestingly, 81 per cent would tolerate an annoying accent if the person was physically attractive.
Furthermore, a remarkable 72 per cent believe it’s possible to fall in love just by hearing someone’s voice.
However, 87 per cent of singletons form a mental image of what the person looks like when they hear their voice or chat on the phone. Unfortunately, for 85 per cent, reality often falls short of these mental pictures.
Emma Willis, a Brummie herself and co-host of the new series alongside her husband Matt, expressed her disappointment.
“As a born and bred Brummy, I’m gutted to hear that people think the friendly tones of the West Midlands is the least attractive accent. It’s my absolute favourite!
It is really interesting though to see how accents make a huge difference to the laws of attraction and impact those all-important first impressions for daters.”
Her London-born husband, Matt, chimed in, “I can definitely see why accents can make an impact, but I have to say, unlike many Brits, I love Emma’s Birmingham accent and to hear people talking in their own inflexion.
The UK has so many different accents and that is what makes it unique, but the most important thing to remember is that what matters is who is behind it.”
Celebrity accents also influence attraction. Over half (53 per cent) admitted they found some celebrities less appealing because of their accents.
Yet, Emma Watson (20 per cent), Dua Lipa (19 per cent), and Adele (15 per cent) are adored for their sexy accents.
Sean Connery (15 per cent), Harry Styles (14 per cent), Kate Winslet (14 per cent), and Catherine Zeta-Jones (14 per cent) also ranked highly for their appealing voices.
Beyond accents, music taste can be a dealbreaker for many, with 61 per cent citing it as crucial in a relationship. Bad taste in music was a significant turn-off for 15 per cent of respondents.
Other major dating “icks” included body odour (64 per cent), bad breath (64 per cent), rudeness to waiters (57 per cent), nose picking (52 per cent), and dirty fingernails (52 per cent). Slurping food (47 per cent), always looking at your phone (44 per cent), and using a baby voice (39 per cent) also made the list.
SEXIEST ACCENTS IN THE UK AND IRELAND, ACCORDING TO BRITS:
- Dublin – 58%
- Cockney – 45%
- Wales – 38%
- Edinburgh – 37%
- Liverpool – 34%
- Newcastle – 32%
- Manchester – 31%
- Glasgow – 27%
- Essex – 26%
- Cornwall – 24%
Catch Love Is Blind UK starting Wednesday, 7th August on Netflix, and see if voices alone can spark a true connection.