LONDON, May 16, 2008  – England Rugby star Ben Cohen has trounced David Beckham by winning the gold medal in GT’s Readers’ Award for ‘Sports Personality of the Year’ – silver for ‘Sexiest Man of the Year’.

Traditionally it has been David Beckham who wins these awards.  So is Becks losing his luster in the eyes of gay men?

Instead Cohen, the second-highest all-time Rugby Union England try-scorer, has scored a major hit with gay men across the UK.

“Ben Cohen is a fabulous mountain of a man and I’m not surprised he’s charmed our readers so thoroughly,” commented GT editor Joseph Galliano.

“When we interviewed him last year, he was comfortable talking to his gay fans, on sparkling form – and of course drop kick gorgeous.”

Ben Cohen said: “I’m really flattered and am constantly surprised by the amount of attention I get from gay people – to win these awards from Gay Times is just brilliant.”

The rugby hunk pushed David Beckham into second place in the week when Mrs. ‘Posh’ Beckham revealed that gay men fancied her, but straight guys didn’t.

Actor John Barrowman took top spot in the Sexiest Man of the Year category, with Cohen placed second.

In other sections, Terry Wogan, who has been hosting the Eurovision Song Contest for more years than most can remember almost pipped Boy George!

“When we asked for nominations from our readers, it hadn’t occurred to me that anyone other than Dance DJs would be put forward,” said Galliano.

“It just goes to show that we’re not all disco bunnies, and that the warm, evergreen qualities of Terry Wogan clearly captures gay people as much as it does everybody else.  As for me, I love him.”

Kylie Minogue has been voted All-Time Female Gay Icon in the Reader Awards, trouncing Madonna and displacing traditional gay icon Judy Garland.

“While always popular with gay men, it’s still a surprise to see Kylie inching ahead of Judy Garland, who has traditionally been held to be the definitive gay icon – and I think Kylie is seen as much more open and warm than Madonna,” Galliano observed.

Another surprise was Paul O’Grady beating Elton John as runner-up of All-Time Gay Male Icon.

‘While James Dean is voted as all-time male icon, the real surprise is to see the Silver crown fall onto O’Grady’s head’, said Galliano.

The awards were run over a six month period, starting with open nominations in the February issue of GT (formally Gay Times).

The full results are in GT’s June issue which hits the newsstands on May 21.