Branson beats Abramovich as the rich-lister we would most like to date

Only 12% of British men and 14% of British women claim they find money and power a turn-on, but a new survey by online dating firm PARSHIP, identifying the UK rich-listers we’d most like to date, has found that nearly 50% of men would be up for a meet with Kyle Minogue, while over a third of women wouldn’t turn down Virgin-al Richard Branson.

Pert-bottomed pop princess Kylie danced off with the male vote, scoring 49%, while literary queen JK Rowling made a respectable runner-up with 23%. The word is that Madonna will soon be single again, but for all her sass – and her reputed £300 million – can she still be a hit with the guys? Only 12% of men polled fancied a remix with her. Kate Moss, once rated the world’s most desirable woman, pulled in just 11% of the vote, scoring just twice the appeal of Jackie Collins (3%) and the Queen (3%) combined.

Richard Branson (35%) topped the Romantic Rich List poll, but veteran rocker Paul McCartney managed to take 25% of the women’s vote, proving he’s a hit will all ages. Roman Abramovich (19%), with his billions, must have a special appeal to the gold digger, while 13% of women said they wouldn’t kick Alan Sugar out of their boardroom. Musicals mogul Andrew Lloyd Webber (5%) beat Harrods boss Mohamed al-Fayed (2%), suggesting that women prefer the strains of a ballad to the ring of the cash till.

The online Romantic Rich List poll of 1,000 British singles seeking a long-term relationship was conducted by PARSHIP, Europe’s largest serious online dating site for single men and women, which features a unique psychometric compatibility test and a methodology that matches you with people who are genuinely right for you.

Topping Women’s Romantic Rich List
1. Richard Branson (£2,700 million) 35%
2. Paul McCartney (£500 million) 25%
3. Roman Abramovich (£11,700 million) 19%
4. Alan Sugar (£830 million) 13%
5. Andrew Lloyd Webber (£750 million) 5%
6. Mohamed al-Fayed (£555 million) 2%

Topping Men’s Romantic Rich List
1. Kylie Minogue (£40 million) 49%
2. J.K. Rowling (£560 million) 23%
3. Madonna (£300 million) 12%
4. Kate Moss (£40 million) 10%
5. Jackie Collins (£90 million) 3%
6. The Queen (£320 million) 3%

Dr Victoria Lukats, psychiatrist and PARSHIP’s dating expert, commented:

"The UK really is not a nation of gold diggers. Indeed, many people still consider it bad taste to talk about money. Surveys asking people what they find attractive in others have shown that personality factors and looks are cited as being far more important than wealth by the vast majority of people. These poll results appear to highlight this - rather than the favourites simply being the richest on the list, the rankings were probably influenced more by perceived personal qualities - kindness, sense of humour, passion, ambition, enthusiasm, likeability, charisma and talent - as well as looks and style."

Tony Blin-Stoyle, PARSHIP’s UK and Ireland Director, commented:

“It’s not surprising that the mature man is likely to be richer. However, he will also be wiser in the ways of what puts a smile on a woman's face. It's not just about diamonds and being a sugar daddy. It's very much about being self-assured and at ease in the glare of publicity. Knowing which restaurant fits what mood and being more patient in romantic situations.”