The voluptuous beauty from S Club 7 raised the interest of UK males of all ages thanks to her Californian tan and predilection for showing off her toned midriff. Now a solo star, Rachel's raunchy dance moves borrow heavily from the queen of pop, Kylie Minogue, but with songs like 'I Said Never Again (But Here We Are)', Rachel proves that although she's a pop princess rather than a queen, she's got what it takes to top sex symbol polls.

A cult sex symbol, Raquel Welch proved to be the ultimate fantasy cave woman. After years of appearing in minor movies, Welch dressed up in a fur bikini for the film One Million Years BC (1966). Despite featuring numerous dinosaurs and volcanic explosions Welch turned out to be the best special effect in the movie and shot to international fame. Although she would go on to appear in films like Fantastic Voyage (1966), Bedazzled (1967) and The Three Musketeers (1973), Welch will forever be remembered as a sexy prehistoric woman.

The daddy of all sex symbols, Ray Winstone was a former amateur boxer before turning to acting to pay the bills. Alan Clarke's BBC drama Scum brought Winstone to the attention of Britain in 1979; in which he shone as a violent borstal bully. Gritty roles in Nil By Mouth (1997), The War Zone (1999) and King Arthur (2004) have since followed. Winston's unusual sex appeal first surfaced in the movie Sexy Beast (2000), in which he spends rather a lot of time loafing around in a very tight pair of swimming trunks. It's a shame that no one ever asks him to star in romantic roles.

One of Hollywood's most popular romantic leads, Richard Gere famously was once confident enough in his sexual powers to display all in American Gigolo (1980). Less controversial roles in movies like An Officer And A Gentlemen (1982), Breathless (1983) and No Mercy (1986) established him as a genuine movie sex symbol. Don't forget that Gere can act as well, but only when required by a demanding role, as was demonstrated in Internal Affairs (1990). Gere also played one of the few romanticised curb crawlers, in the movie Pretty Woman (1990).

What is it about the power of daytime television that creates sex symbols? Richard Madeley is the TV partner to Judy Finnigan, and the man who sets the pulses of students and housewives racing. The pair have dominated the air waves for over a decade on shows like This Morning and Richard & Judy. Somehow, Richard has managed to become a sex symbol in the eyes of the British public. Maybe it's his forthright style? Maybe it's try anything once attitude? Whatever it is, there's just something sexy about him.

Robbie's sex symbol status has more to do with his cheeky chappy persona than his tattooed torso, though that probably doesn't hurt. The charismatic crooner effortlessly wins over ladies and lads alike an amazing stage presence, mixed with a tortured soul and Rob's inability to find love, leave fans swooning. Nothing left to do then but prance around in some underwear with a tiger motif on the front, and Robbie's sex symbol status is assured.

Although a little too craggy and ginger today Robert Redford was once one of the sexiest men on the planet. His youthful, all-American good looks caused a stir in women all around the world after his breakthrough film Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid (1969) opened to acclaim. Since then, Redford has often starred in movies as the man who makes beautiful women want to have affairs, such as The Way We Were (1973), The Great Gatsby (1974) Out Of Africa (1985) and Havana (1990). He famously offered Demi Moore $1m to sleep with him in Indecent Proposal (1993), although we suspect he probably didn't need to.

The sex symbol that Hollywood created, Rock Hudson went from being a truck driver to movie star after being reinvented by Universal-International Pictures. Despite having very little acting experience, Hudson got by on his looks in movies like Undertow (1949), The Desert Hawk (1950) and Scarlet Angel (1952), before developing into a fine actor in roles like Magnificent Obsession (1954), Giant (1956) and A Farewell To Arms (1957). Despite being gay, the Studios forced him to live in a shame marriage, but Hudson courageously revealed all when dying of AIDS in the mid-1980s. His bravery helped society to better understand the disease and broke down barriers.