Turn off before you turn off is the message from a new survey as it’s found certain TV shows make you less attractive.


Yes, apparently what we choose to watch can be damaging our chances of finding ‘the one’.

There we were perfecting our pout for all of those online dating profiles, when all along it’s because we’ve added that we watch Doctor Who in our likes and interests. Next we’ll be told sitting around in our pyjamas eating a whole tub of ice-cream on Friday nights is the real reason we’re single…

But yes, according to EliteSingles UK’s survey even a classic like Doctor Who is a bad choice. In fact, 22% ranked the sci-fi series in their top-three TV turn offs. You should step away from the ‘doof doofs’ too apparently as 54% would be turned off by someone liking Eastenders. 49% deem Corrie as a ‘red flag’.

If you’re wondering what on earth you should be watching, take some comfort from the fact that Sherlock is a winner. 23% of British singles think that liking the BBC detective series makes you more attractive. This is followed by Big Bang Theory at 23% and Game of Thrones at 22%.

You can take further comfort from the fact that this was a small sample: just 850 British singles aged 18-75 were surveyed. Thank goodness.

Although one thing they seem to have got pretty spot on is which celebrities we’d like to snuggle up with on the sofa for a good binge sesh (of GoT, Sherlock and Big Bang, obvs…).

Billie Piper (Doctor Who, Penny Dreadful) is men’s favourite TV temptress, followed by Kaley Cuoco (Big Bang Theory) and Natalie Dormer (Game of Thrones).


For British women, the most-wanted TV celebrity is Aidan Turner (Ross Poldark in Poldark), followed by Idris Elba (DCI John Luther in Luther) and Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock Holmes in Sherlock).