Afternoon:
14°c
An awesome and ridiculous film that leaves you thrilled beyond the point of your natural endurance
Ministry of Defence spent £149 million on an "urgent" upgrade to 900 tanks that are now only being used in training exercises, it was revealed
More...
Cheryl Cole crowned world's sexiest woman
Last updated at 10:41am on 23.04.09Cheryl Cole has topped another beauty poll and been named FHM's World's Sexiest Woman 2009.
The Girls Aloud and X Factor star, who said recently she hates looking thin and gets nicknamed "flatty batty", knocked last year's winner Megan Fox down to second place.
Cole's victory is the first for a Brit in three years.
Last year Britney Spears languished at number 31, and following a mixed year for the singer FHM bosses thought she would drop out completely.
But following an online campaign by fans, she claimed fourth place.
Pictures: The top 10 sexiest women
After wowing the United States, Anna Friel secured a place at number nine and Slumdog Millionaire star Freida Pinto is a new entry at number 10.
Women with brains as well as looks stormed into the top 100.
News reader Fiona Bruce and Countdown's Rachel Riley both made debuts, at numbers 98 and 95 respectively.
Now in its 15th year, nearly 10 million votes were cast by FHM readers worldwide this year.
FHM's 100 Sexiest supplement, featuring 52 pages of "the hottest women in the world", comes free with the June edition of FHM, on sale now.
Here is the FHM 100 Sexiest Women 2009 top 10 (with last year's position in brackets):
1. Cheryl Cole (7)
2. Megan Fox (1)
3. Jessica Alba (2)
4. Britney Spears (31)
5. Keeley Hazell (3)
6. Adriana Lima (21)
7. Elisha Cuthbert (4)
8. Kristin Kreuk (48)
9. Anna Friel (re-entry)
10. Freida Pinto (new entry)
Related articles
Reader views (9)
Cheryl Cole may be very pretty but it's all manufactured and styled and she's *so* slim. Big styled hair, whitened teeth, and having to spend hours being styled, primped and told what to wear...not my idea of sexy (or my husband's, fortunately!)
Jealous....no, couldn't be doing with all the faffing around and holding my breath to wear tiny outfits and ridiculous heels. What's sexy is being comfortable in your own skin and if that means having messy hair and a bit of meat on your bones that's fine by me.
- Anna, S.E. UK
How dull of you, Phila-whatever, to trot out the tired old "you must be jealous" comment. Cheryl "Cole" is the opposite of sexy - all big hair, fake tan and too-white teeth. Perhaps meat-heads who read FHM think otherwise but anyone with any scrap of intelligence wouldn't give two hoots about the opinion of that demographic.
- H, London, UK
Why are we bombarded with images of identical plastic pneumatic women when the real glamour is represented by women with individual style and intelligence like sophia loren, catherine deneuve, lauren bacall, brigitte bardot etc! What on earth do young girls have to aspire to when we are presented with lists like this!
- Jools, uk
Ahh Brian Fast, My hero!!
and no I am not jealous of her Philaumpalumpa (or whatever you daft name is!) I've got enough going on in my life without wondering what my husband is up to with whom every time he goes out!
I am glad to be brainy and plain thank you very much!
- Janey C, inverness scotland
Her implants are lopsided and much to big for her frame.
- Beth Dwyer, London, Uk
Who dreamt this list - none of them are "sexy". Ugh and I include lips protruding Jolie as being not sexy - once yes not any more. Cheryl who? Didnt even know who she was till she appeared on some talent show as a judge - and she aint sexy.
- As, Birmingham
Jealous of what! They sure got that one wrong. It just shows you what type of man reads that rubbish.
- Brian Fast, Sydney australia
i think janey c may be jealous!
- Philaloolaa, london
I suppose she is the male's ideal of the perfect woman, she is petite, pretty and not too challenging (mentally) for them!
- Janey C, inverness scotland
