The results are in, and PETA Europe is pleased to announce that TOTP beauty Fearne Cotton and Big Brother’s Big Shout presenter Russell Brand have been selected as the 2006 winners of PETA Europe’s “Sexiest Vegetarians” poll. Red-carpet runners-up include GMTV presenter Fiona Phillips, award-winning musician Damon Albarn, sexy Sadie Frost, absolutely fabulous Joanna Lumley and multitalented actor and comedian Alan Davies.

This is the first time PETA Europe has announced UK winners of the global poll. In PETA’s worldwide contest, more than 40,000 people voted Kristen Bell and Prince the sexiest vegetarians in the celebrity world.

Why are so many celebs shunning meat quicker than you can say “veggie burger”? Celebrities cite many reasons for forgoing flesh, from avoiding the cruelty inherent in all meat production to improving their health and energy levels and helping the environment by not contributing to factory-farm pollution.

Both of this year’s winners are more than just sexy vegetarians – they’re also active animal lovers. Going vegetarian was an easy choice for tattooed beauty Fearne Cotton, who has just been announced as the new presenter of ITV’s Celebrity Love Island. Fearne says, “Being a veggie is so easy and great, I’m against live transportation and animal cruelty, so it fits in perfectly with my beliefs. … [V]eggie food is yummy, my mum makes a mean veg lasagne!”

Man-of-the-moment Russell Brand is more than happy to be branded a “Big Mouth” when it comes to speaking up for animals. Fans of his BBC radio show have heard him talk endlessly about animal-related topics, including the facts that he has been vegetarian for 16 years and that he named his cat after one of PETA’s biggest supporters, Morrissey!