When Andrew Lincoln declared his love for Keira Knightly in the film "Love Actually", he wasn't the only man in the country to fall in love with a friend. In fact, three out of every four men admit to being in love with one of their female friends.
That's according to findings from research by Friends Reunited's newly appointed Friendship Panel into how sex affects friendship. The report marks the second survey in a year-long study, which will look at all areas affecting modern friendship in Britain.
In response to the question, "Could you ever have a platonic relationship with a friend of the opposite sex?" 75% of male respondents said they had actually fallen in love with at least one of their female friends. In comparison, only 6% of women claimed to have had similar feelings for a male friend.
However, a staggering 59% of females have jumped into bed with a male mate. So even though Andrew missed out with Keira, maybe he'll get lucky with another of his female friends.
29-year old Friendship Panel member Rebecca Cooper, from Loughborough, said: "I personally feel that, from past experience, men find it far more challenging to maintain a platonic relationship with a female friend. I would even go so far as to say that in many cases their motivation for establishing a 'friendship' may have questionable intentions! I have sadly seen the demise of a few 'friendships' in my life when so called male friends have seen no further development in the relationship."
24 year old Jenna Backwell, also of the Panel agrees: "It's hardly surprising that men are attracted to their friends, they always want what they can't have!"
The results showed that the likelihood of having sex with a friend may be related to how many friends of the opposite sex you have. The study found that 40% of men in long-term relationships have more than 10 female friends and only 9% said they would only be friends with a female if she was friends with his partner too.
Having such a large number of female friends could give men more than they'd expect. 43% of men reported that their partners were jealous of their female friends and of those guys, 73% of them had ended friendships to reassure their partners.
Perhaps the wives and girlfriends would be comforted to know that less than 1 in 100 men got together with the female friend they fancied, but women seem to be more persuasive, with 25% ending up in a happy relationship with the friend they doted on.
Sometimes love doesn't come into the equation at all and lust takes over. Women get what they want in bed and move on, without getting hung up about it. In fact only 29% said they regretted the experience.
Dr Malcolm Cross, Head of Psychology at City University, London commented: in a study published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships found that (in a colleague sample of 318 males and females) approximately half had engaged in sex with a 'platonic' friend; a finding that is consistent with the current Friends Reunited survey. In addition, respondents in this study reported that sex had the effect of strengthening the quality of the relationship."
Panel Member Martin Penalver, a businessman and author from Clacton-On-Sea, said: "Men are more lustful in general while females tend to be more loving, and in a way, sensible! A female sees being friends with a male as just that. A male may feel the same to begin with but as soon as the male levels rise, lustful thinking takes over and love can soon follow."
Learn more about the Friendship Panel and their next task at: www.friendspanel.co.uk
For case studies or to receive more information about Friends Reunited please contact Carolynne Bull-Edwards or Victoria Reed on 01883 717468 / 07932 723866 or email press@friendsreunited.co.uk
3,500 members from aged 16 upwards had their say on how sex effects friendship in a survey carried out through the Friend Reunited site.
The survey is part of an ongoing investigation by the newly created Friendship Panel. The members were selected from over 250 people who responded to a call out on the Friends Reunited homepage for contributors to the Panel. Representing the 'ages' of friendship they each have their own stories of how the site has helped change their lives. In addition Dr Malcolm Cross gives his psychological interpretations on their findings.
The six panel members sitting alongside the Head of Friends Reunited Jon Clark are:
Dr Malcolm Cross is Head of Psychology at City University London with special interests in gender and psychological well-being. He is also Dean of Students at the University, helping them to make the most of their time at City. He trained as a clinical psychologist in Australia before moving to the UK to undertake his PhD and planned to return to Australia after four years, but 15 years on is still enjoying life in England.
Business networking guru, David brings his years of friendship experience to the panel. The 57 year-old lives in London with his wife and boasts friends all over the world. He never misses an opportunity to bring people together.
29 years old and a company director, Rebecca was contacted by her father through the site after 19 years apart. Despite her busy schedule, Rebecca always finds time for her friends and is often found teaching her pet parrot Toby to swear!
37 year old Juliette from Coventry, prides herself on her happy-go-lucky outlook. Mum to a teenager, by day she's a sales and marketing executive and a singer songwriter by night.
24 year old Jenna, can't sit still for more than 5 minutes and when she's not at work designing homeware, spends all her free time meeting up with friends and traveling to far flung places.
38 year Martin runs a door blinds business, but his true passion is reading and writing books. His first novel is due to be published in October.
Friends Reunited was launched in July 2000 and swiftly turned into a media phenomenon. Since then it has grown from being one of Britain's most favourite websites into a national institution. What began as a back-bedroom hobby to put old school friends back in touch with each other has developed into the unofficial 'People's Who's Who' by including workplaces, teams/clubs, streets and armed forces. It currently has over 20 million members worldwide and operates in four countries. Each week, an average of 35,500 people join the site. Since 2005, Friends Reunited has been owned by the UK's biggest commercial broadcaster, ITV.