Kings of swoon we celebrate TV’s Top 10 heart-throbs

TV heart-throbs have been a small-screen staple from the first days of the gogglebox.

Even during the Coronation back in 1953, you could hear ladies mutter: “That fourth footman from the left’s a bit of all right, eh, Maureen?”

As a result, we’ve had a succession of smouldering hunks in TV series, usually indulging in a bit of shirtless outdoor manual labour for some spurious reason, much like our reborn object of telly lust Poldark.

The list is long and there’s no room for everyone, so I’m afraid John Craven didn’t make the cut.

Mind you, I’m in trouble with the missus because I didn’t put her own fave bit of TV beefcake on the list, David Boreanaz from Bones and Buffy.

1. GEORGE CLOONEY

COME on, it couldn’t have been anyone but George Clooney as our top TV hunk.

Well before his days as cinema’s favourite silver fox, gorgeous George was throbbing hearts as Dr Doug Ross in smash-hit medical drama ER.

To be honest, his character could hardly have been better designed to propel him to small-screen dreamboat status.

A handsome, funny, caring doctor who SAVES CHILDREN? You just can’t compete with that.

Put it this way, rival hospital drama Grey’s Anatomy had to deploy a trio of smoking-hot surgeons Patrick Dempsey, Eric Dane and Kevin McKidd to keep up.

2. COLIN FIRTH

TWENTY years ago, a star was born when Colin Firth emerged from a pond with his white shirt clinging to his chest.

Pride And Prejudice might have focused on a strong female character dealing with a male-dominated world, but it was our Col in tight breeches that grabbed the attention.

The man himself says: “I’ve spent years trying to figure out why Mr Darcy’s fully-clothed swim in his breeches and shirt caused such a sensation.

“My wife certainly wouldn’t go weak at the knees if I came home in a sodden shirt.”

3. TOM SELLECK

MAGNUM P.I. the man, the moustache.

Tom took facial hair and made it sexy again. To this day, fellas take a look at ol’ Tom’s top lip and think: “Hmm, I reckon I could carry that off.”

But the truth is no one before or since has worn a mouser with such panache, and he’s still sporting it aged 70, believe it or not, yet suspiciously with nary a fleck of grey in New York cop hit Blue Bloods.

4. CLIVE OWEN

LADIES love a likeable rogue, it seems, and Clive Owen’s turn as Stephen Crane, Chancer’s wisecracking conman with a twinkle in his eye, certainly did the trick.

Clive was just 23 when he landed the role and it propelled him towards Hollywood, where he’s had an Oscar nomination and now commands £5 million per movie.

It’s a long way from his days as a cleaner in London, though even then his effect on the fairer sex was apparent as he recalls: “I was never alone. Those bored, rich housewives would sit on the couch and read newspapers and stare at me while I was doing the dusting.”

5. RICHARD CHAMBERLAIN

A MEDICAL Romeo from an earlier era, Dr Kildare set the template for Doug Ross in the year Mr Clooney was born, 1961.

Chamberlain became a heart-throb thanks to his six years as the young intern at Blair General, helped by the fact he had a decent singing voice he took the theme from the hit show to No 10 in the charts.

While Kildare made him a teen idol, in later years, he attracted a more-mature fan-base when he became king of the mini-series, with starring roles in The Thorn Birds and Shogun, and there was shock when he was “outed” by a French magazine in the late 80s.

6. PIERCE BROSNAN

LET’S face facts, his stint as Remington Steele was a five-year audition for suave superspy James Bond.

Pierce proved he could wear a well-cut suit as the conman-turned P.I. and that he had 007’s way with the ladies.

Remington Steele also gave us another 80s TV heart-throb as it paved the way for the very similar Moonlighting, starring cheeky chappie Bruce Willis when he still had hair.

7. DAVID CASSIDY

https://youtube.com/watch?v=b_M4Mo1fDNU

THE teen idol all other teen idols are measured against.

Cassidy made his name and fortune in the musical sitcom The Partridge Family, becoming the quintessential 70s pin-up.

“Cassidymania” saw him sell records and concert tickets by the million.

He said at the time: “I asked my housekeeper to buy some cereal, and there was a huge picture of me on the back. I can’t even eat breakfast without seeing my face.”

8. ROGER MOORE

ANOTHER who bagged the Bond job after proving himself as a top secret agent with a twinkle in his eye.

Seven years as Simon Templar in The Saint and then a spell as a Persuader persuaded the 007 people he was the man for the job.

His hunk credentials were established early on as a model but he admitted having to “have my hair cut and lose weight” to fit Bond’s tuxedo.

9. DON JOHNSON

MY school pal Sandy thought he’d look brilliant copying the Don’s look from 80s style classic Miami Vice.

Alas, a pastel jacket with the sleeves rolled up and slip-on shoes with no socks might work when you’re a super-cool cop in sunny Florida, not when you’re a teenager in a Glasgow dormitory town.

Add in the fact Sonny Crockett made stubble acceptable and lived on a yacht with his pet crocodile while driving a Ferrari and Sandy was on a hiding to nothing.

10. NICK BERRY

WHEN Nick was told ITV were writing a drama especially for him, chances are he didn’t think it would be a rural bobby in 60s North Yorkshire.

But Heartbeat was a massive success and built on Berry’s standing as a TV heart-throb from his five years on EastEnders.

Lke Richard Chamberlain and David Cassidy, Nick cemented his status by taking his show’s theme tune into the charts, though it only made No 2 while Every Loser Wins from his days on Albert Square hit top spot.