The British Film Institute (BFI) have revealed the favourite couples from the world of film and television, as voted for by the British public as well as thousands of people from all over the globe.
Gay and Trans* characters feature in both polls, with Glee’s Kurt (Chris Colfer) and Blaine (Darren Criss) being just pipped to the top spot in the TV poll, and Torchwood’s (2006-11) Jack (John Barrowman) and Ianto (Gareth David-Lloyd) coming in at number 5.
Meanwhile the heart-breaking romance between Jack (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Ennis (Heath Ledger) in Ang Lee’s Oscar-winning Brokeback Mountain (2005) was voted into the film top ten at number 7.
In the North East of England Boy Meets Girl (2015) topped the TV polls, starring trans* actor Rebecca Root as Judy, a trans* woman in her forties who falls in love with Leo (Henry Hepple) ten years her junior.
Favourites amongst the TV poll results are ‘will they/won’t they’ couples, with such couples from The X Files, Doctor Who, Gossip Girl and The Office all featuring in the top ten.
Whilst the TV poll is dominated by contemporary couples, the film poll results demonstrate that classic couples still resonate with audiences, with top ten appearances from Gone With the Wind, Casablanca and When Harry Met Sally.
Full national and regional poll results are shown below:
Overall Film Top 10:
Overall TV Top 10:
1. DDLJ – Raj and Simran
1. Outlander – Claire and Jamie
2. Before Trilogy – Jesse and Celine
2. Glee – Kurt and Blaine
3. Gone With the Wind – Scarlett and Rhett
3. Poldark – Ross and Demelza
4. Casablanca – Rick and Ilsa
4. Gossip Girl – Chuck and Blair
5. True Romance – Clarence and Alabama
5. Torchwood – Jack and Ianto
6. The Princess Bride – Buttercup and Westley
6. The X Files – Mulder and Scully
7. Brokeback Mountain – Jack and Ennis
7. Doctor Who – The Doctor and Rose
8. Twilight – Bella and Edward
8. Pride and Prejudice – Darcy and Elizabeth
9. When Harry Met Sally… – Harry and Sally
9. Parks and Recreation – Leslie and Ben
10. Star Wars – Han and Leia
10. The Office – Tim and Dawn
UK Only Film Top 10:
UK Only TV Top 10:
1. DDLJ – Raj and Simran
1. Poldark – Ross and Demelza
2. Before Trilogy – Jesse and Celine
2. Glee – Kurt and Blaine
3. Casablanca – Rick and Ilsa
3. Gossip Girl – Chuck and Blair
4. True Romance – Clarence and Alabama
4. Outlander – Claire and Jamie
5. Gone with the Wind – Scarlett and Rhett
5. Torchwood – Jack and Ianto
6. The Princess Bride – Buttercup and Westley
6. The X Files – Mulder and Scully
7. Brief Encounter – Laura and Alec
7. Pride and Prejudice – Darcy and Elizabeth
8. When Harry Met Sally… – Harry and Sally
8. Doctor Who – The Doctor and Rose
9. Brokeback Mountain – Jack and Ennis
9. Parks and Recreation – Leslie and Ben
10. Star Wars – Han and Leia
10. The Office – Tim and Dawn
East Midlands
Film Top 5:
TV Top 5:
1. The Princess Bride
1. Poldark
2. DDLJ
2. Glee
3. True Romance
3. Torchwood
4. Brief Encounter
4. Outlander
5. Gone with the Wind
5. Pride and Prejudice
East of England
Film Top 5:
TV Top 5:
1. DDLJ
1. Glee
2. True Romance
2. Poldark
3. Gone with the Wind
3. Outlander
4. The Princess Bride
4. The X Files
5. Star Wars
5. Gossip Girl
London
Film Top 5:
TV Top 5:
1. DDLJ
1. Glee
2. Before Trilogy
2. Gossip Girl
3. True Romance
3. Pride and Prejudice
4. Gone with the Wind
4. Outlander
5. Casablanca
5. Torchwood
North East
Film Top 5:
1. Casablanca
2. The Princess Bride
3. Harry Potter
4. When Harry Met Sally…
5. Star Wars
TV Top 5:
1. Boy Meets Girl
2. Poldark
3. Doctor Who
4. Torchwood
5. Glee
North West
Film Top 5:
1. Casablanca
2. Before Trilogy
3. True Romance
4. Brokeback Mountain
5. Twilight
TV Top 5:
1. Glee
2. Outlander
3. Gossip Girl
4. Friends
5. Parks and Recreation
Northern Ireland
Film Top 5:
1. DDLJ
2. Gone with the Wind
3. True Romance
4. The Princess Bride
5. Casablanca
TV Top 5:
1. Glee
2. Poldark
3. The Simpsons
4. Parks and Recreation
5. Doctor Who
Scotland
Film Top 5:
1. DDLJ
2. Before Trilogy
3. True Romance
4. Casablanca
5. Brokeback Mountain
TV Top 5:
1. Outlander
2. Glee
3. Gossip Girl
4. Torchwood
5. Poldark
South East
Film Top 5:
1. Before Trilogy
2. Gone with the Wind
3. DDLJ
4. Casablanca
5. Brief Encounter
TV Top 5:
1. Poldark
2. Gossip Girl
3. Glee
4. The X Files
5. Torchwood
South West
Film Top 5:
1. Before Trilogy
2. Casablanca
3. True Romance
4. Brief Encounter
5. Brokeback Mountain
TV Top 5:
1. Poldark
2. Torchwood
3. Glee
4. Outlander
5. Gossip Girl
Wales
Film Top 5:
1. DDLJ
2. Before Trilogy
3. Casablanca
4. Brokeback Mountain
5. The Princess Bride
TV Top 5:
1. Glee
2. Torchwood
3. Poldark
4. Gossip Girl
5. Doctor Who
West Midlands
Film Top 5:
1. Before Trilogy
2. Casablanca
3. True Romance
4. DDLJ
5. The Princess Bride
TV Top 5:
1. Glee
2. Outlander
3. Poldark
4. Gossip Girl
5. Torchwood
Yorkshire
Film Top 5:
1. DDLJ
2. Casablanca
3. Before Trilogy
4. Twilight
5. When Harry Met Sally…
TV Top 5:
1. Poldark
2. Gossip Girl
3. Torchwood
4. Glee
5. Outlander
Outside the UK
Film Top 5:
1. DDLJ
2. Gone with the Wind
3. Before Trilogy
4. Casablanca
5. Twilight
TV Top 5:
1. Outlander
2. Glee
3. Gossip Girl
4. Poldark
5. Torchwood