Ahead of Valentine's Day Brits have opted for brains over brawn and chosen Sherlock and The Imitation Game actor, Benedict Cumberbatch as their ideal partner for a romantic break.

This is rather than Jamie Dornan who will hit cinema screens as handsome billionaire, Christian Grey on 14 February. According to a poll commissioned by leading UK property rental company, holidaycottages.co.uk, our ideal female celebrity companion is Taylor Swift who received almost twice as many votes as selfie-obsessed, Kim Kardashian.

One in five British women (21 per cent) would like to spend a cosy break with Oscar nominee and Sherlock star, Benedict Cumberbatch, compared with one in ten ladies (11 per cent) fantasising about a holiday with Fifty Shades of Grey star Jamie Dornan. The UK men's ideal romantic getaway partner is Taylor Swift, with one in four choosing the pop songstress (25 per cent). While surprisingly, Geordie Shore reality star Charlotte Crosby came below Celebrity Big Brother contestant, Katie Hopkins (scoring six per cent and seven per cent respectively).

Benedict Cumberbatch topped the poll across almost all of the UK apart from in Northern Ireland where their fellow countryman, Jamie Dornan took more than a fifth of all votes (21.88 per cent). 'Mr Grey' is also a popular choice in the East Midlands where the decision was split equally with Cumberbatch, both securing 12 per cent of all votes). In the West Midlands the man of choice was voted as TOWIE's Mark Wright, with 14 per cent of the votes, with the Sherlock star coming a close second (11 per cent).