Bruce's take on Victoria left Rear of Year voters amused

The hotly-contested annual competition determines which male and female celebrity possesses the most delectable derriere.

Bruce, 46, is better known for reading the news headlines on the BBC, but her appearance on a documentary about Queen Victoria sparked a flurry of comments about her tight trousers.

When Bruce presented Victoria: A Royal Love Story a viewer wrote in: "Is Fiona Bruce looking to win Rear of the Year with those jeans she is wearing? I reckon she has got a ruddy good chance."

But the comments rapidly turned into votes as Bruce stormed up the Rear of the Year charts.

Accepting the award, she said: "This award has caused some hilarity among family, friends, and colleagues, as you might imagine.

"What I tell them, when they've picked themselves up off the floor, is that if someone had told me I'd been nominated for this 20 years ago, I'd have poked them in the eye. Now I'm just flattered anyone's still looking."

Whittle, 28, who until recently played love rat Calvin Valentine in Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks, grabbed the nation's attention with his performances as runner-up in the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing.

He said: "I'm honoured and very flattered to have been named Rear of the Year – although my mum has been telling me it's my best side since I was a kid."

Last year's winners were Rachel Stevens and Russell Watson.