Never mind the actors who play them, we’ve decided it’s time to crown TV’s most desirable characters. From Dr McDreamy to a very Desperate Housewife, we reveal the current TV characters steaming up our TV screens.
The men . . .
1. Don Draper (Jon Hamm) – Mad Men
There are few characters on TV who cut a more dashing figure than Don Draper. And fewer who deal with so many demons. Yes, Don Draper is confident, smart and his sexiness is undeniable: that face, the fedoras, even his dark secrets, all of it comes together to form a potent cocktail of old school sex appeal – adored by millions of female viewers and envied by the men. But any woman who’s seen even one episode of the show knows she’d be just one in a long list of conquests. Despite all this, his charismatic ’60s character is completely irresistible, despite his multiple romantic dalliances. Husband material? Probably not, but we never said we were looking for a life partner!
2. Dr Gregory House (Hugh Laurie) – House
Doctors are well paid and have a charming bedside manner. They’re also pretty handy to have round for all those cuts and grazes incurred by all those children that will soon be running around the back garden. Doctor Gregory House may be the most popular medical man on TV right now, but he’s not a particularly nice person. In fact, Dr House is damaged goods. He’s not only a near cripple but he’s also a total emotional cripple. Oh and he’s addicted to prescription drugs, doesn’t care about his personal appearance, and has a romantic history as complicated as the central nervous system. So he’s not exactly George Clooney in E.R. but on the plus side, he’s a ruddy genius, plays piano and speaks nine languages. Yes, Dr Gregory House, gaunt and haunted-looking with a wishy-washy beard, is not a nice man. We’re in love!
3. Dr Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey) – Grey’s Anatomy
Dr McDreamy certainly wouldn’t be our choice if we were on the lookout for a happy-go-lucky, laugh-a-minute, every-day-is-a-barrel-of-fun kind of guy. His self-righteous attitude, whether he’s pulling a bullet out of a shooting victim (probably a necessary trait here, though) or choosing what paint is going to grace the walls of his newly built home, would be enough to drive us crazy. So why does he make our list? Well, it’s his hair, to be honest. Teamed with his blue eyes and unkempt stubble . . . we can keep dreaming that one day he will walk through the door to check our ever-so-fast pulse.
4. Jack Branning (Scott Maslan) – EastEnders
With his chiselled jaw, toned torso and year-round tan, ex-copper Jack Branning is the reason quite a few of us tune into EastEnders. He has a penchant for the females in the Mitchell clan, but Jack always seems to be on hand for any damsel is in distress. Yes he’s cheated, yes he’s corrupt and yes, he’s prone to throwing the odd punch, but he is just so beautiful that if we lived in soapland, we could forgive all his wrongdoings in an instant.
5. Chuck Bartowski (Zachary Levi) – Chuck
The whole CIA thing is a bit scary, but he’s managed to survive four seasons without any major issues. Also, he has an aversion to major violence, which is always endearing. He’s a computer genius, meaning you’d never have to worry about getting the red button to work. What else? He always puts his family first; he’s trustworthy and loyal; he always assumes the best of people; and last but not least, he’s got a sense of humour – what more could you want?
6. Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer) – True Blood
Everybody (especially teenagers) lives in fear of the chilling question – is that a hickey on your neck? Sookie Stackhouse never stood a chance when she first met William Erasmus ‘Bill’ Compton. He’s the morally conflicted prince of the undead who broods at the black heart of vampire drama True Blood. You’ll get none of that prissy Twilight twaddle on this show; True Blood seethes with sexiness and Compton (– 42-year-old English actor, Stephen Moyer) doesn’t have to vamp it up one little bit as he palely loiters in the shadows. Maybe it’s that Southern accent, maybe it’s because he looks like he hasn’t been to sleep in several decades, or maybe it’s the cheekbones. Some girls like older men, but at the overripe age of 171, Bill may be pushing it a tad. He’s still (un)dead sexy, though.
7. Peter Florrick (Chris Noth) – The Good Wife
He may be a disgraced politician, who on the first episode of The Good Wife admitted to his role in a sex scandal and resigned his office, but Florrick is the epitome of tall, dark and handsome. His commanding presence, even in his lowest moments, oozes charm and there is something slightly addictive about him. If you’re OK with somebody being more into their career than you, well then, Mr Florrick fits that bill.
8. Patrick Jayne (Simon Baker) – The Mentalist
The blond, green-eyed consultant solves crimes using his powers of observation in this high-rated show. Jane is known for his wit and reasoning as well as his tea-drinking and dapper dressing. His laid-back looks and easy, breezy smile make him so approachable – yet another reason to love him.
9. Vince Chase (Adrian Grenier) – Entourage
He must be one of the most boyishly charming characters we can think of. A rising star in Hollywood, he is so loyal to his homeboys that he brought them with him to Hollywood. So that’s the generosity box well and truly ticked. A sensitive sort, Vince enjoys the female attention that comes with his fame, but still fears his heart being broken. What’s not to love about this gorgeous green eyed heart-throb with dark wavy hair? We can’t think of a thing!
10. Mike Delfino (James Denton) – Desperate Housewives
TV’s sexiest plumber Mike Delfino has been setting pulses racing on Desperate Housewives for seven years now and there’s no sign of us losing interest in this neighbourhood hunk. As the very patient husband to the scatty Susan, we wonder if she realises how lucky she is.
The women . . .
1. Joan Harris (Christina Hendricks) – Mad Men
As the saying goes, men love her and women want to be her, so it’s no wonder the immaculately dressed Joan Harris is top of our poll. With her womanly curves, lashings of lashes, and a come hither look that can be sensed through a brick wall, Joan Harris is many a fantasy personified. But Joan is not just a pretty face, she’s observant, sensitive, funny, worldly, more intelligent than most of her bosses and she is certainly not one to take any nonsense from the male of the species. To top it off, she is the soul of discretion, knows how to enforce boundaries and is well-versed in the politics of life. Phew . . . could she be the perfect woman? On the outside perhaps, but from what we’ve seen so far in Mad Men, her hubby Dr Greg Harris, is not a nice guy. We’re still holding out for a Don and Joan union – we think she could be the one to tame him.
2. Gloria Delgado-Pritchett (Sofía Vergara) – Modern Family
There’s hot TV moms and then there’s dangerously hot TV moms – and in case you didn’t notice, Modern Family’s Gloria is the latter. With her sexy curves and steamy accent, this smouldering bombshell makes being a hot mom look easy. And just because Vergara's character Gloria is married to a rich old man, it certainly doesn't mean she's a gold-digger. Actually, the fact that she's completely sincere about her affection, coupled with her thick Colombian accent, is what makes her one of the sexiest funny girls on TV.
3. Nikita (Maggie Q) – Nikita
Recently – and rightly – described as ‘the leanest and meanest star on TV’ in these very pages, 32-year-old Margaret Denise Quigley has brought a fresh spin and high kick to rogue assassin Nikita. Nikita is the kind of girl your mother warned you about; hell, Nikita is the kind of girl anyone in their right mind would warn you about. She’s an über babe with a body to die for and looks that literally kill, but with that tensile toughness comes a vulnerability which makes Nikita more than just sexy. Physically flawless she may be, but Nikita is also a flawed human being. Maggie Q has made her a star all over again and she does most of her own stunts. Lean, mean and keen . . . what more could anyone ask for?
4. Sarah Walker (Yvonne Strahovski ) – Chuck
Half James Bond and half blonde bombshell, that’s Special Agent Sarah Walker. Who doesn't want a super-hot spy for a girlfriend? Her kick-ass demeanour and ability to fight absolutely anyone while dressed in skintight leather never hurts her popularity either. A mysterious, sexy spy with a difficult past, struggling between personal desire and duty is nothing new. In fact, it’s pretty much a staple, but there’s a depth to Sarah that gives her the edge.
5. Liz Lemon (Tina Fey) – 30 Rock
Are women funny? That’s a debate that’s been raging for decades, despite much evidence to the contrary. Arbiter of all things cool, Vanity Fair even dedicated a cover story to it in which Tina Fey was, it seems, in the vanguard of ‘funny women’. We first noticed Tina for her uncanny portrayal of half-baked Alaskan Sarah Palin on her alma mater, Saturday Night Live, but when Fey turned up in 30 Rock, a show she also writes, we were in lurve. Liz is a socially awkward geek who dresses ‘neutral’ but manages to hold her own in world of sexist and dumb men. For that alone she’s on our list, but Liz is also a gal who can cut anyone off with a catty putdown. She also thinks German is the most beautiful language in the world. Sexy and funny, yup we lurve Liz Lemon.
6. Tina McIntyre (Michelle Keegan) – Coronation Street
With her girlband good looks, Tina McIntyre has the boys of Coronation Street falling at her feet, especially now that last boyfriend Graeme did a runner with her best mate. Caring, thoughtful and up for a laugh, Tina really has everything going for her as girlfriend material. Oh, and did we mention she’s a barmaid at the local pub? Not only did her ex do the dirty, before that she also managed to get herself involved with the devious David Platt, so you can’t blame her for being a little wary when it comes to men now. However we reckon a good Irish boy might be just what she needs.
7. Amy Pond (Karen Gillan) – Doctor Who
When Doctor Who made his much-celebrated return six years ago, it was clear that changes were afoot. And that went for his companions too. First we got Billie Piper as Rose but last year we were introduced to Amy Pond, the young Scottish woman who has proved a vivacious and insightful sidekick to the Time Lord. Beside those indispensible smarts, there is also Ms Pond’s natural good looks to consider. Blessed with a fresh-faced beauty and a natural sweep of red hair, she has a real presence on screen that have left the likes of Winston Churchill and Vincent Van Gogh pretty smitten since she joined the Doctor in the TARDIS. Her penchant for wearing a timeless mini skirt has proved popular with sci-fi geeks too.
8. Quinn Fabray (Dianna Agron) – Glee
Forget Rachel Berry, Quinn Fabray is the name on everyone’s lips when it comes to Glee club. Despite her sometimes strange psychological issues it’s hard to deny that this blonde beauty has it going on in more ways than one. As the former cheerleading captain for the Cheerios, she pulls off the popular girl role to perfection. Often described as a ‘mean girl’, we think high school and the world would be a pretty dull place without a bit of spice!
9. Alicia Florrick (Julianna Margulies) – The Good Wife
Smart, sexy and independent, Alicia Florrick may play the long-suffering political wife but she’s not one to lay down and roll over. She’s the sort of person who never speaks just for the sake of speaking; she reads the room first. She's fascinating, a plausibly real woman, someone you could proudly bring home to your mother. Apart from all that, you may have also noticed she’s seriously attractive and easy to watch.
10. Gabby Solis (Eva Longoria) – Desperate Housewives
Gabrielle Solis is the ex-model on the block with everything she’s ever wanted, so really we should hate her right? Try as we might, though, there’s something so endearing about the pint-sized Gabby that women want to be like her and men want to date her. While she can be self-centred, rude, outrageous and bitchy, her mischievous sense of humour and loyalty towards her friends always manage to redeem her
Hot TV characters: Hall of Fame
Before any of us had a real relationship, it’s fair to say we had lots of dreamy, romantic, completely delusional relationships with some of our favourite TV characters – here’s a trip down memory lane with some of the screen sirens that set our pulses racing.
The men . . .
Magnum PI – Tom Selleck (Magnum PI)
Dr Doug Ross – George Clooney (ER)
Dick Moran – Emmet Bergin (Glenroe)
Pat Barry – Gabriel Byrne (The Riordans, Bracken)
Michael Knight – David Hasselhoff (Knight Rider)
Sonny Crockett – Don Johnson (Miami Vice)
Kenneth Hutchinson – David Soul (Starsky and Hutch)
Trampas – Doug McClure (The Virginian)
Simon Templar – Roger Moore (The Saint)
Dr Kildare – Richard Chamberlain (Dr Kildare)
The women . . .
Jill Munro – Farrah Fawcett (Charlie’s Angels)
Buffy – Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
Catwoman – Julie Newmar (Batman)
Dana Scully – Gillian Anderson (The X Files)
CJ Parker – Pamela Anderson (Baywatch)
Daisy Duke – Catherine Bach (The Dukes of Hazzard)
Purdy – Joanna Lumley (The New Avengers)
Jaime Sommers – Lindsay Wagner (The Bionic Woman)
Stacy Sheridan – Heather Locklear (TJ Hooker)
Pepper Anderson – Angie Dickinson (Police Woman)
