Let me start by saying ‘chunky’ does not mean ‘fat’. Chunky, to me at least, means well built, sturdy, strong, cuddly (sorry!) and well, just ‘fun’ I guess. A chunky man is one who is not obsessed by his six pack or Men’s Health subscription, just happy to get on with life with a slight belly and some meat on his bones. Don’t get me wrong, a decent ‘chunky’ man must scrub up well. Slobs won’t do, oh no. A chunky man must be comfortable in his chunkiness, indeed rejoice in it!

There’s something quite attractive about a decently sized fella, one who’ll tuck right in to a hearty meal and not curse you for doing the same. The UK boasts some rather interesting famous specimens and I’d like to champion them as promising date potentials.

My top chunky dates…

4th Place, Daira O’Briain
He’s certainly a tall and chunky chap and he carries it well. Nice suits, if not much hair, he always looks smart and that’s a great start for any date. His lovely Irish tones, and of course great sense of humour, are surely a dating winner too.

Date venue: I think I’d want to do something outdoorsy with Daira. He’s got the whole boating angle going on for him, so perhaps a nice river walk, or boat trip along the Thames might be ideal.

Character: I’d suspect he’s actually a little shy (this isn’t based on any fact, just a guess!), so it might take a while to get the conversation flowing. But fear not ladies, I think once he’d relaxed with a pint of cider or two, you’d be up for a corker. I bet he’d treat you very well too. A real gentleman.

3rd Place, Ricky Gervais
I’m a big fan of Ricky and his comedy, so of course he had to figure in my top 4. The fact that he likes a pie or two is ok by me, as long as he shares his chips!

Date venue: I have no idea why horse racing just popped into my head, but hey why not. I think we’d have fun choosing our horses, supping champagne and people watching the freaks on show. We’d have our own box though and a luxury buffet to ourselves, naturally.

Character: He’s known for his sharp wit and ego, but I’m guessing the ‘real’ Mr Gervais is probably very down to earth. I loved his ‘Animals’ stand up set, so he could fascinate me all day long with his facts about spiders and dolphins. Brilliant.

2nd Place, Heston Blumenthal
I’ll come clean; I actually have a bit of a crush on our Heston. Most of my friends think I’m a little bit strange because of this, but I’m sticking to my guns! A chunky monkey he is, and he looks tall and strong too (oh, hear me swoon!). I’m also liking the glasses and no hair combo. Do I need help? Let’s face it though, the boy can cook. Well I say ‘cook’, perhaps ‘experiment’ or ‘concoct’ might be closer to the mark. I like the fact that he’s a bit different, and surrounded by top quality food all day. I think he’d make a great date.

Date venue: Hmmmm, a tricky one. I’d feel odd going to any so-called ‘decent’ restaurant when the chap sitting opposite me owns one of the best in the world. So I’m thinking I’d get him to bring a picnic (sans the snail porridge) to impress me and we could find a nice Cornish beach.

Character: I think Mr B would be both an interesting and intense conversationalist. He strikes me as a clever chap, with lots of culinary travels under his ample belt, so I’d be quite happy to listen to him and the lapping waves long into the evening (…somebody wake me!).

1st Place, Justin Lee Collins
You’ve got to truly love this guy (well, I do!). Ok so he’s a little tatty around the edges, but there’s something quite refreshing about that. I’ve watched him attempt various challenges on TV, from ventriloquism to high diving no less, and I’m impressed, and pretty inspired too, by his honest and committed approach to things. Most of all, he’s up for new experiences and doesn’t take himself too seriously, which is very attractive in a chap. And let’s not forget – all this and a chunkmeister too. His size is so much part of his charm, I think he’d lose his power if he were a skinny minny. Justin I salute you (and your impressive mane of hair!).

Date venue: None of this sedate river walking with Justin, no sir. I think we’d have to do something a tad more ‘pepsi max’. I’m thinking quad biking, followed by gourmet burger. Yum!

Character: I’d like to think what you see is utterly what you get with JLC. I imagine conversation would flow from beginning to end; you’d have a good laugh and be able to discuss all sorts of films, TV and music with him. Certainly a date to remember. You might need a day off work to recover though!

So there you have it, my top choices for a chunky celebrity date. Which one would you choose?