Heat’s Secret Crush celebrates our affection for men of all ages, shapes, sizes and aesthetics. Previous winners have including EastEnders actor Jake Wood, Pointless presenter Richard Osman, magician Derren Brown, former Top Gear presenters James May, Richard Hammond and Jeremy Clarkson plus comedians Karl Pilkington and Russell Howard.

Piers was this year’s runaway winner with more than the rest of the top five combined!  He amassed four times the number of votes as his closest competitor, comedian Lee Mack, who he beat into second place. Meanwhile TV presenter Declan Donnelly took third spot.

Piers will perhaps be most pleased to have trounced his rival host This Morning’s Philip Schofield who could only manage fourth place. Rounding off the top five is Hits Radio breakfast show presenter Dave Vitty (Comedy Dave).

Elsewhere in the list King of the Jungle Harry Redknapp is ninth, Strictly’s Neil Jones is at number 19 and TV personality Eamonn Holmes is at number 21.

Commenting on his victory, Piers said: “I think heat magazine readers are just a more discerning kind of magazine reader, they have a very high bar for their aesthetic likes and this has proven it.”

Asked if the win would go to his head, he said: “I’m a very modest guy by nature and I think I’ll probably just keep it very quiet and not tell anybody other than millions and millions of people the moment the embargo has been lifted.”

He added: “My particular thoughts at this difficult moment are with Lord Sugar who was one of the other people on the longlist. To be fair to him he’s had a very massive crush on his face for quite some time from a 2-ton anvil that landed on it 50 years ago, rendering it such an abomination. I feel for him and I feel for Kanye West, poor old Kim Kardashian’s woken up to the fact that more people fancy me than her husband, that’s not a good morning for her. I feel for Ed Sheeran, you can sing nice songs buddy but you ain’t a crush. Ant and Dec – both of them combined couldn’t beat me. I keep coming back to one word… landslide.”

Piers’ wife, journalist Celia Walden quipped: “People are weird aren’t they? I only married him for the handbags.” 

His Good Morning Britain co-host Susanna Reid added: “I’m not in the least bit surprised he’s won the Secret Crush Award. Who in their right mind would want to publicly declare they have a crush on Piers??”

heat editor Julia Davis commented: “Readers voted in their thousands for the famous men who make them go weak at the knees. We didn’t think anyone could fancy Piers more than he fancies himself, but by some miracle it’s happened. We feel sorry for Susannah now that his ego’s even more out of control.”

The Results: Heat’s Secret Crush 2019:  

1. Piers Morgan
2. Lee Mack
3. Declan Donnelly
4. Phillip Schofield
5. Dave Vitty
6. Ant McPartlin
7. Noel Fielding
8. Arg
9. Harry Redknapp
10. Greg Davis
11. Rob Beckett
12. Joe from You
13. Louis Theroux
14. Francis Boulle
15. Jake Wood
16. Ed Sheeran
17. Richard Ayoade
18. Matt Baker
19. Neil Jones
20. Romesh Ranganathan
21. Eamonn Holmes
22. Greg Shepherd
23. Kurt Russell
24. Thanos
25. Dr Ranj

Ends

For further information:

Jess Blake, Communications Director, Magazine

Jess.blake@bauermedia.co.uk

07739 516345