FHM 100 Sexiest Women was an annual listing compiled by the monthly British men's lifestyle magazine FHM, based on which women they believe to be the "sexiest". , each year's list is first announced through a section on FHM official website, FHM.com. The first listing was published in 1995 and was voted for by a panel of 250 judges. The inaugural winner was German supermodel Claudia Schiffer. From 1996 to 2015, the poll was instead voted for by the general public with, at its height, several million votes being cast each year. Subsequent winners have included the British singer Cheryl, the American actress Halle Berry, and Jennifer Lopez. At 36 years old, Berry is the oldest woman ever to top the listing, while Lopez is the first to top the list more than once. By the time FHM ceased publication of its print edition in January 2016, the 100 Sexiest Women list had been compiled 21 times. The most recent holder of the Sexiest Woman title was Israeli actress Gal Gadot in 2017.
Alongside the 100 Sexiest Women list, FHM has also twice published a "Most Eligible Bachelorettes" list, in 2006 and 2007, to celebrate qualities such as "talent, star quality and cash". These lists were topped by the American actress Mischa Barton and the American socialite Kimberly Stewart, respectively. To commemorate the 10th and 20th anniversaries of the 100 Sexiest Women list, two one-off charts were compiled in April 2004 and May 2014, to recognise the sexiest women up to those points. The winner of the 2004 list was English singer Louise Redknapp, who had placed on every 100 Sexiest list since 1996, while the 2014 chart topper was singer Rachel Stevens, who had peaked at number two in 2001, 2002 and 2004.
History The first 100 Sexiest Women list was published in 1995, and was compiled exclusively by a panel of 250 judges. German supermodel Claudia Schiffer topped the inaugural chart. The following year's poll was the first to be opened up to the general public. A total of 10,000 votes were cast, with American actress Gillian Anderson being announced as the winner in September. A spokesman for FHM described her as the "thinking man's crumpet" and a "surprise winner". Anderson had posed half-naked on the front cover of the magazine earlier that year.
Over subsequent years, the list's popularity continued to grow. The 1998 poll was voted on by half a million readers, with its companion issue being sold sealed inside a plastic cover. Martin Daubney, a former features editor of FHM, noted that it added a "sense of mystique and occasion" to the issue, which went on to sell 936,000 copies. The issue's cover girl was British TV presenter Cat Deeley, who had placed at number seven; the 100 Sexiest winner was Playboy model Jenny McCarthy. The following year, FHM publicists promoted the poll by projecting a 60 ft naked image of British TV presenter Gail Porter onto the front of the Palace of Westminster. A FHM spokesman remarked: "We want to up the voting frenzy for the poll ... It is a cheeky way of increasing interest." Porter was placed at number eight in the chart that year, while American actress Sarah Michelle Gellar was number one.
The first person to top the 100 Sexiest Women list more than once was American singer Jennifer Lopez, who placed at number one in 2000 and 2001. Speaking about being named the sexiest woman in the world for a second year running, Lopez said that she was "overwhelmed" and added: "Any woman who says they don't like being called sexy, they're lying." By 2002, the list was attracting more than five million votes – that year, Russian tennis player Anna Kournikova was number one. A further five million votes were cast the following year, when American actress Halle Berry was named as the world's sexiest. At 36 years old, Berry was the oldest woman to top the list. She responded: "Wow, that's a pretty heady title. I'm not so sure I live up to it, but thank you anyway." The first British woman to top the listing was the model Kelly Brook, who was named the world's sexiest in 2005, the most successful poll to that point. , Brook has been featured in the top ten of FHM 100 Sexiest Women ten times, which is more than any other entrant.
The 2011 list was noted for featuring an androgynous male model, Andrej Pejić, who was voted at number 98 on the poll (Pejić later came out as a trans woman in 2013 and changed her name to Andreja). FHM caused controversy when the entry's accompanying blurb warned its readers to "pass the sick bucket" and described Pejic as a "thing". Following a backlash, FHM removed the text from their website, spoke directly with Pejić and issued a public apology, saying that the online entry "wasn't subbed prior to going live". The final 100 Sexiest Women poll to be voted for by the public was published in 2015, before FHM went out of print in January the following year. The list included its oldest entrant ever, 80-year-old food writer Mary Berry, who was placed at number 74, while the sexiest woman that year was British actress Michelle Keegan. Speaking in November 2015 as FHM suspended its print publication, a spokesman reflected that the poll was what the magazine was best known for, and that it had "helped propel the careers of many well-known actresses, musicians and models". Subsequent 100 Sexiest Women lists have been compiled by FHM writers themselves, and have been published on FHM.com. , the last winner is Gal Gadot.
100 Sexiest Women winners +100 Sexiest WomenYearWinnerTop ten1995 2nd: Uma Thurman 3rd: Nastassja Kinski 4th: Elizabeth Hurley 5th: Michelle Pfeiffer 6th: Tabatha Cash 7th: Demi Moore 8th: Daryl Hannah 9th: Julie Christie 10th: Sherilyn Fenn1996 2nd: Louise Nurding 3rd: Cameron Diaz 4th: Teri Hatcher 5th: Sandra Bullock 6th: Jennifer Aniston 7th: Emmanuelle Béart 8th: Elizabeth Hurley 9th: Demi Moore 10th: Pamela Anderson 1997 2nd: Jennifer Aniston 3rd: Gillian Anderson 4th: Louise Nurding 5th: Jenny McCarthy 6th: Yasmine Bleeth 7th: Cameron Diaz 8th: Geri Halliwell 9th: Courteney Cox 10th: Dannii Minogue1998 2nd: Denise van Outen 3rd: Louise Nurding 4th: Jennifer Aniston 5th: Cameron Diaz 6th: Carmen Electra 7th: Cat Deeley 8th: Melanie Sykes 9th: Courteney Cox 10th: Gillian Anderson1999 2nd: Louise Redknapp 3rd: Kelly Brook 4th: Catherine Zeta-Jones 5th: Jenny McCarthy 6th: Jennifer Aniston 7th: Cameron Diaz 8th: Gail Porter 9th: Cat Deeley 10th: Melanie Sykes2000 2nd: Britney Spears 3rd: Sarah Michelle Gellar 4th: Anna Kournikova 5th: Kelly Brook 6th: Shania Twain 7th: Cat Deeley 8th: Cameron Diaz 9th: Louise Redknapp 10th: Jennifer Aniston2001 2nd: Rachel Stevens 3rd: Britney Spears 4th: Kelly Brook 5th: Denise Richards 6th: Salma Hayek 7th: Cat Deeley 8th: Charlize Theron 9th: Carmen Electra 10th: Alyson Hannigan2002 2nd: Rachel Stevens 3rd: Britney Spears 4th: Jennifer Lopez 5th: Kelly Brook 6th: Kylie Minogue 7th: Carmen Electra 8th: Holly Valance 9th: Shakira 10th: Kristin Kreuk2003 2nd: Holly Valance 3rd: Britney Spears 4th: Rachel Stevens 5th: Carmen Electra 6th: Jennifer Lopez 7th: Jennifer Love Hewitt 8th: Anna Kournikova 9th: Kylie Minogue 10th: Jolene Blalock2004 2nd: Rachel Stevens 3rd: Beyoncé 4th: Carmen Electra 5th: Holly Valance 6th: Halle Berry 7th: Jennifer Lopez 8th: Jordan 9th: Angelina Jolie 10th: Elisha Cuthbert2005 2nd: Cheryl Tweedy 3rd: Angelina Jolie 4th: Michelle Ryan 5th: Elisha Cuthbert 6th: Britney Spears 7th: Abi Titmuss 8th: Sarah Harding 9th: Beyoncé 10th: Charlotte Church2006 2nd: Keeley Hazell 3rd: Scarlett Johansson 4th: Angelina Jolie 5th: Kelly Brook 6th: Cheryl Tweedy 7th: Beyoncé 8th: Evangeline Lilly 9th: Jessica Alba 10th: Jessica Simpson2007 2nd: Keeley Hazell 3rd: Eva Longoria 4th: Adriana Lima 5th: Scarlett Johansson 6th: Hayden Panettiere 7th: Cheryl Cole 8th: Angelina Jolie 9th: Emily Scott 10th: Elisha Cuthbert2008 2nd: Jessica Alba 3rd: Keeley Hazell 4th: Elisha Cuthbert 5th: Hayden Panettiere 6th: Scarlett Johansson 7th: Cheryl Cole 8th: Hilary Duff 9th: Angelina Jolie 10th: Keira Knightley2009 2nd: Megan Fox 3rd: Jessica Alba 4th: Britney Spears 5th: Keeley Hazell 6th: Adriana Lima 7th: Elisha Cuthbert 8th: Kristin Kreuk 9th: Anna Friel 10th: Freida Pinto2010 2nd: Megan Fox 3rd: Marisa Miller 4th: Frankie Sandford 5th: Keeley Hazell 6th: Kristen Stewart 7th: Kelly Brook 8th: Adriana Lima 9th: Jessica Alba 10th: Abbey Clancy2011 2nd: Katy Perry 3rd: Rihanna 4th: Megan Fox 5th: Olivia Wilde 6th: Brooklyn Decker 7th: Marisa Miller 8th: Kelly Brook 9th: Nicole Scherzinger 10th: Irina Shayk2012 2nd: Cheryl Cole 3rd: Rihanna 4th: Rosie Jones 5th: Georgia Salpa 6th: Katy Perry 7th: Megan Fox 8th: Keeley Hazell 9th: Mila Kunis 10th: Emily Atack2013 2nd: Rihanna 3rd: Helen Flanagan 4th: Michelle Keegan 5th: Kelly Brook 6th: Kaley Cuoco 7th: Pixie Lott 8th: Kate Upton 9th: Cheryl Cole 10th: Georgia Salpa2014 2nd: Michelle Keegan 3rd: Rihanna 4th: Emily Ratajkowski 5th: Kaley Cuoco 6th: Mila Kunis 7th: Beyoncé 8th: Lucy Mecklenburgh 9th: Nicole Scherzinger 10th: Scarlett Johansson 2015 2nd: Kendall Jenner 3rd: Jennifer Lawrence 4th: Kate Upton 5th: Caroline Flack 6th: Ariana Grande 7th: Margot Robbie 8th: Lucy Mecklenburgh 9th: Emilia Clarke 10th: Kelly Brook2016 2nd: Scarlett Johansson 3rd: Emily Ratajkowski 4th: Beyoncé 5th: Jennifer Lawrence 6th: Taylor Swift 7th: Kendall Jenner 8th: Emilia Clarke 9th: Ciara 10th: Kim Kardashian2017 2nd: Emilia Clarke 3rd: Alexis Ren 4th: Margot Robbie 5th: Scarlett Johansson 6th: Lais Ribeiro 7th: Emily Ratajkowski 8th: Megan Fox 9th: Beyoncé 10th: Jennifer Lawrence
Most Eligible Bachelorettes Alongside the 100 Sexiest Women list, FHM also twice published a "Most Eligible Bachelorettes" list, which compiled women based on their "eligibility" and was voted for by the magazine's readership. Unlike the 100 Sexiest Women list, this list also considered qualities such as "talent, star quality and cash" as well as sex appeal in its compilation. Similar lists published by the US version of FHM had been topped by women such as model Lauren Bush and socialite Paris Hilton.
The 2006 list was voted for by more than 3,000 FHM readers, and was published in March of that year. It was topped by American actress Mischa Barton. Speaking about the result, FHM editor Ross Brown remarked: "Our most eligible list consists of much more than just sex appeal and our readers recognise a good catch when they see one." The following year, the Most Eligible Bachelorettes list was topped by American socialite Kimberly Stewart. The list received more than 10,000 votes from FHM readership, and was featured in the April 2007 issue of the magazine. An FHM spokesperson stated: "Kimberly Stewart has all the attributes you want in a woman. She's rich, gorgeous, likes to party and she's the daughter of a legend."
+Most Eligible BachelorettesYearWinnerTop ten2006 2nd: Naomi Watts 3rd: Kate Moss 4th: Joss Stone 5th: Zara Phillips 6th: Elizabeth Jagger 7th: Keira Knightley 8th: Rosamund Pike 9th: Tamara Ecclestone 10th: Mickey Sumner2007 2nd: Carmen Electra 3rd: Princess Beatrice of York 4th: Sarah Harding 5th: Scarlett Johansson 6th: Lindsay Lohan 7th: Maria Sharapova 8th: Paris Hilton 9th: Keeley Hazell 10th: Keira Knightley
Anniversary lists