Britney Spears was hardly out of the headlines last year for issues relating to her private life, and she’s in the limelight again this week after earning top spot in hellomagazine.com’s Most Attractive Woman poll with 29 per cent of the vote. The 26-year-old singer, who clearly impressed fans with the trim new figure she unveiled last year, beat off competition from fellow songbird Delta Goodrem, who came a close second with 26 per cent. 

Over 110,000 votes were cast in the Most Attractive Woman poll, which had Britney leading the field in a long list of beauties including third place winner Spice Girl Mel C, and shipping heiress Athina Onassis. And in a ranking dominated by pop singers, last year’s winner Angelina Jolie headed up the list of representatives from the world of acting – coming in fourth with nine per cent of the vote. 

Claiming the Most Attractive Man title for the second year running, after garnering over a quarter of the votes cast, was hunky Sharpe actor Sean Bean. Giving the rugged Yorkshire man a run for his money, however, was House’s maverick medic Hugh Laurie, who just missed out on the top slot with 23 per cent. 

A staggering 778,000 votes were cast in the poll, dominated this year by British talent, including third place winner, Dr Who star David Tennant and 007 hunk Daniel Craig. Flying the flag for the US meanwhile were Backstreet boy Nick Carter, who came fourth, and Brad Pitt. 

In the Most Elegant Woman category it was the queen of pop, Madonna, who impressed readers most with her impeccable sense of style – storming to victory with well over a third of the vote. She saw off competition from pop princess Christina Aguilera, who came in second with 27 per cent, as well as former Buffy The Vampire Slayer beauty Sarah Michelle Gellar and last year’s winner, Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, who was in fourth position this time around.