illustration of mouth on yellow background
The rankings have been revealed (Picture: Getty)

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, so things are getting a bit hot and sweaty under the collar.

And it seems there’s one accent in particular that has a certain sway over the UK population – and it’s maybe not what you’d typically expect.

Fittingly, ahead of V-Day, some research has been carried out on the ‘most desired’ accents in the UK.

The one that’s been crowned as the ‘most attractive’ is in fact the Essex accent.

Shedding some light on the findings, Ashish Shah – an audiologist at The Hearing Care Partnership – said: ‘Coined for being one of the most recognisable accents in the UK, the Essex accent takes the top spot for being the most desired accent, with a one month search increase of 59%. 

‘This could be attributed to the fact that the accent has been hugely popularised by reality TV shows like The Only Way Is Essex, known for its witty one-liners and charming Essex slang.’

man holds his hand near ear and listens carefully
Do you like what what you hear? (Picture: Getty)

The Geordie accent scooped second place in the rankings, followed by the West Country accent at number three.

It also seems accents in the South of England are the most-loved, with two out of the top three on the list being southern.

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Perhaps slightly surprisingly, Irish placed outside the top five in sixth position. While Scottish and Yorkshire accents were deemed the least desirable out of the ones listed.

The most ‘desired’ accent in the British Isles:

  1. Essex
  2. Geordie
  3. West Country
  4. Scouse
  5. Welsh
  6. Irish
  7. Brummie
  8. Cockney
  9. Scottish
  10. Yorkshire

However, Ashish stresses what we find attractive ultimately just comes down to individual preferences.

He says: ‘No matter how subtle or strong, an accent is something that everyone has. It plays a significant role in the way we articulate ourselves, communicate, and connect to those around us. 

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‘The tonality, pitch, and pace of speech can change how we feel. So no wonder we are drawn to different accents.’

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