Sharon's career may have had its ups and downs, but her sex symbol status has remained steady since she first rose to fame in Total Recall (1990). A self-proclaimed feisty feminist, Sharon has courted controversy throughout her career, never more so than that infamous scene in Basic Instinct (1992) where she crossed and uncrossed her shapely legs, and then later claimed she felt pressured on set. Whatever the truth, it did wonders for Sharon's sex appeal.

Best known for his delectable classically trained voice Patrick Stewart began his acting career treading the boards with the Royal Shakespeare Company. However it was only once this balding beauty donned the captain?s uniform, as the quietly commanding Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation that he rose to international fame and sex symbol status. One of the older recipients of the 'sexiest man on television' accolade Stewart has also bestowed his sophisticated charm on to the big screen in several Star Trek movies and more recently in X-men and X-Men 2.

The woman who made food sexy, Nigella Lawson is the domestic goddess of the list. Before becoming the celebrity chef men lust after, Lawson had been a successful journalist. A love of food led to columns in The Spectator and Vogue before her book How To Eat: The Principles And Pleasures Of Good Food established her fame. Since then, Lawson's ample talents have made her TV series Nigella Bites a big hit on Channel 4, her flowing black hair, curvaceous figure and sensual attitude to food making her a sex symbol at the same time.

One of the most unusual sex symbols in the list, Depardieu combines physical presence with one of cinema's biggest personalities. A superstar in France, and admired by moviegoers across the rest of the world, he began his career in a small travelling theatre before going on to star in Get Out Your Handkerchiefs (1978), The Last Metro (1980), The Return Of Martin Guerre (1982), Jean De Florette (1986) and Cyrano De Bergerac (1990). Although Depardieu never quite made it in America, (Green Card was an under whelming use of his talent), keeping Hollywood at arms length has almost made him sexier.

A Miss World winner in 1994, Aishwarya Rai's stunning green eyes went on to mesmerise Bollywood fans in films like Aur Paar Ho Gaya', Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. Aishwarya Rai came to the world's attention in the wonderfully excessive Devdas in 2002, the biggest budget Bollywood film and also the most successful. Since then, she starred in Gurinder Chadha's Bride & Prejudice and looks Hollywood bound.

The sex symbol of the older lady, Donny Osmand found fame after his brothers were discovered at Disneyland by Walt Disney. After they performed on various TV shows, Donny joined the Osmands at the age of six, and became a heartthrob to girls across the world. His wide-eyed innocent looks melted hearts with songs like Puppy Love, Go Away Little Girl and Crazy Horses. As his obsessive fans have aged, Donny has moved out of the pop world and into Broadway and television. He'll score high!

With his intelligence, wit and unusual appearance John Malkovich has become an unlikely sex symbol in Hollywood. His status probably rests on the remarkable performance he gave as the amoral seducer Vicomte De Valmont, in the film Dangerous Liaisons in 1988. Malkovich's shark-like turn in the movie made him an international star. Since then, he has appeared in films like Of Mice And Men (1992), In The Line Of Fire (1993), Con Air (1997), Being John Malkovich (1999) and The Libertine (2004).

How could the daughter of Hollywood legends Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh not be a star? Jamie Lee Curtis started out her career as a scream queen in horror films like Halloween (1978), Terror Train (1980) and The Fog (1980). Her wholesome, natural beauty made her the perfect victim/hero of slasher flicks ? you fancy her, but know that she probably won't go all the way on the first date. Curtis achieved leading lady status after starring as a prostitute in Trading Places in 1983, and has continued to defy our expectations in movies like A Fish Called Wonda (1988), Blue Steel (1990), True Lies (1994) and Freaky Friday (2003).

A footballer with va va voom in every sense, Thierry Henry is one of the most beautiful sportsmen on the planet. Men drool at his fleet of foot, tremendous touch and wonderful skill on the ball. Women, on the other hand, are sent into raptures by Henry's matinee idol good looks. The man really does seem to have walked straight out of a movie set and onto the pitch. Unlikely other footballers that might have made it onto the list, Thierry also seems able to resist playing away from home too. You never hear any gossip about this happily married man.