This is the UK’s most attractive accent — but some think it’s ‘ugly’

While a Welsh accent helped Charlotte from The Traitors gain trust, if you want people to fancy you, you’ll need to take a different tack.

According to Hearing Care Partnership’s annual research, the UK’s most attractive accent is now Manc, with a huge 127% search increase in the run-up to Valentine’s Day.

Ashish Shah, an audiologist at the company, commented: ‘It’s interesting to see how the Manchester accent has become popular all of a sudden… Last year, Manchester wasn’t even in the top five, so jumping to number one is really impressive.’

2024 was a big one for the Rainy City, from Oasis announcing their return to Man City taking home their fourth consecutive Premier League win.

And with all sorts of major cultural moments (like the long-awaited opening of the Co-Op Live Arena) dominating headlines, it seems to have translated to the population desiring all things Mancunian.

But calling your lover ‘ar kid’ or going from whispering Wonderwall instead of sweet nothings isn’t a turn-on for everyone.

On Reddit, @beedoopdeebop wrote: ‘It’s one of the worst, if not, the worst English speaking accents there is. It sounds like the person got slammed in the head by a cast iron skillet and can’t move their tongue… Good god it sounds ridiculous.’

‘A bit of a North West twang is fine, but the proper thick accent goes right through me,’ @sleepyprojectionist said in another thread, while @planetwords added: ‘I don’t like it – it’s ugly.’

It’s not the first time a controversial dialect has made top spot either.

Last year, the Essex accent was crowned most attractive, sparking a flurry of comments arguing otherwise.

One, Paddy B, claimed hearing the TOWIE drawl makes him feel like he ‘should’ve been born without ears’, alongside Karen who replied with an emphatic: ‘No way!!’

Yet despite being beaten to first place, Essex still came second this time around, followed by Wales, Yorkshire and Newcastle.

On the contrary, Scottish and Irish both stayed towards the lower end of the ranking, which Ashish says is potentially due to ‘recent media and cultural changes’.

He adds: ‘Accent play a significant role in the way we articulate ourselves, communicate, and connect to those around us. And the tonality, pitch, and pace of speech can change how we feel, so no wonder we are drawn to different accents! 

‘However, when we don’t hear well, accents can become an additional barrier when trying to communicate. As the recognisable vowel sounds are not so easy to pick up, it requires more listening effort, which means people have to work harder just to hear the words.’

To ensure you communicate – romantically or otherwise – effectively, Ashish recommends speaking clearly and using visual cues like hand gestures. There’s no need to alter your accent to get a date though; even if it’s not everybody’s cup of tea, it’ll be somebody’s shot of whisky.

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