They’re the men we all love to hate (and hate to love) – but, after spending some time out of the spotlight, the bad boys are back in town.

A psychologist has now revealed why we can’t resist the charms of a bad boy – and why we continue to go back to them despite our better judgement.

British hunk and former TOWIE star Pete Wicks, 36, has charmed Strictly fans in recent weeks, winning the public vote each week despite his obvious lack of dancing ability – and it seems the charms of the bad boy cannot be easily resisted.

Other celebrity ‘bad boys’ include the likes of Adam Collard, Matty Healy and even Tommy Fury, who denied cheating on his ex-partner Molly Mae Hague, but nevertheless made headlines for his wild partying.

This return is despite the best efforts of Gen Z who, earlier this year, declared ‘babygirl’ guys with soft features and a cutesy air of vulnerability to be their most darling celebrity crushes.

But after Jilly Cooper’s swoon-worthy lothario Rupert Campbell Black won hearts across the nation in Rivals, it seems that nice boys are out, and the bad boy is back in once more.

A psychologist has now revealed why bad boys are so irresistible – and it isn’t just down to their enticing looks.

Speaking to FEMAIL, human behavioural psychologist Jessen James said their appeal taps into some of the ‘primal’ instincts we have as humans.

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Bad boys are back – with Pete Wicks winning fans each week on Strictly Come Dancing

He said: ‘The appeal of the “bad boy” is simple. It really comes down to a mix of confidence, mystery, and excitement.

‘Bad boys often give off a kind of unshakable self-assurance. They tend to break the rules, and that unpredictability can make them feel exciting and different from ‘safe’ or predictable partners.

‘There’s also a big psychological element here because sometimes people are drawn to a challenge – the idea that they can be the one to ‘tame’ the untamable. Like you’re the saviour who can tame the wild beast – it is human nature and instinct.

‘On a deeper level, it taps into something primal. Bad boys often project traits like dominance, resilience, and independence, which can be linked to evolutionary instincts about strong, capable mates. Even if they’re not the right choice for long-term stability, they spark an emotional and physical response that can be hard to resist.

‘One of our human needs is curiosity and variety and deep down we crave it. The normal “steady Eddy” relationship doesn’t provide that hence the attraction to the ‘mystery’ of the bad boy.’

Relationship expert Kate Daly, who runs online divorce services company amicable, added that the psychological principle of ‘intermittent reinforcement’ can keep us returning to bad boys as their ‘unpredictable rewards’ in fact create a ‘stronger emotional attachment’, which make them hard to leave.

Most often, the celebrity bad boy is tall, dark and handsome. He also usually has some form of ‘dark past’ and an element of mystery, making him seem slightly out of reach, but not impossible to change for the better.

According to the Mirriam-Webster dictionary, a bad boy is simply one who ‘flouts convention’.

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Pete and Jowita have been sailing through the dance competition each week – despite regularly placing last in the leaderboard. Pictured last Saturday

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Other celebrity bad boys include Adam Collard – who was the first person to go on Love Island twice

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The 1975 frontman Matty Healy is the archetypal bad boy, often seen with a hipflask or cigarette while on stage

Put more bluntly, the Urban Dictionary defines him as ‘a guy who had bad things happen to him in his life’.

‘He drinks, smokes, steals, is gang afflicted. He’s absolutely gorgeous and a player. He says all the right things to get some from you. He plays with your head and your feelings, but you love the way he makes you feel.’

But although looks play a ‘big part’ in bad boys’ appeal, Jessen said their appeal ‘goes beyond looks’.

He continued: ‘Bad boys typically have that rugged, well-groomed appearance – almost like they’ve mastered how to draw attention without looking like they’re trying too hard.

‘But the deeper appeal goes beyond looks. It’s ultimately about how they carry themselves. Their confidence and charm can make people feel special in the moment, even if their actions don’t match up later.

‘The paradox is that some people are drawn to that emotional rollercoaster – being treated badly can create a sense of longing or ‘earning’ their affection, which can feel intoxicating. It’s a classic push-pull dynamic – where the bad boy keeps people guessing, and that unpredictability feels exciting.’

The celebrity ‘bad boy’ first became popular in the 1970s and 1980s – and now Gen Z have come up with their own answer to the trope, with the likes of Pete Wicks, Adam Collard and Matty Healy proving popular.

Pete Wicks has long been known as the bad boy of TOWIE and thanks to his Strictly stint – accompanied by rumoured girlfriend Maura Higgins taking on the I’m A Celebrity jungle – he is back in the forefront of everyone’s minds.

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Speaking to FEMAIL, human behavioural psychologist Jessen James (pictured) said the appeal of bad boys taps into some of the ‘primal’ instincts we have as humans

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Relationship expert Kate Daly (pictured) added that the psychological principle of ‘intermittent reinforcement’ can keep us returning to bad boys

A veteran of reality TV, the star has featured in all manner of series, from Celebs Go Dating to Masterchef, and more recently Celebrity SAS – but was considered an unlikely signing on Strictly.

But nine weeks into the show with his professional partner Jowita Prytzal, and the couple have won over legions of fans.

Despite regularly coming bottom of the leaderboard, Pete and Jowita seem to be unstoppable as they make it through each week – soaring through on the public vote.

Last weekend, Pete and Jowita scored 29 out of 40 for their fierce tango to Easy Love by Philip Bailey and Phil Collins.

Meanwhile EastEnders star Jamie Borthwick and his partner Michelle Tsiakkas were eliminated, despite scoring three points more than Pete and Jowita, who also managed to avoid the dance off.

It seems his bad boy image has – if not yet won over the judges – secured him guaranteed success in the public vote.

Pete ditched his job in the City when he joined the lineup for The Only Way Is Essex back in 2015, but relationship woes and a messy split from Megan McKenna saw him painted as one of the show’s biggest bad boys.

Pete has previously admitted he’s found relationships ‘harder’ due to the lack of a father figure in his life.

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Pete Wicks has become an unlikely star of this year’s Strictly Come Dancing, with many fans praising his ‘likeable’ persona after shaking off his bad boy image

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After growing up in Essex, Pete’s career was kickstarted in 2015 when he made a guest appearance on TOWIE alongside James Locke, and went onto star on the show until 2023

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While he left viewers in hysterics due to his dry sense of humour, it was his love life that dominated the show, including a fiery romance with Megan McKenna

He added in 2019: ‘I have done a lot of work, I’m in a better position than I ever have been.’

During his time on TOWIE, it was also revealed that he and his friend Chloe Sims had been ‘sleeping together’ for around two years, and in a dramatic episode of the show he told her: ‘I can’t be in a relationship, I can’t give you what you want and I can’t give you what you deserve and I know that.’

Pete also had another fling with his TOWIE co-star Ella Rae Wise, but faced scrutiny over their 11-year age gap.

He eventually decided to leave the show in early 2023, saying on the Not My Bagg podcast: ‘I was starting to become the Ian Beale of TOWIE, just this sort of drunk in the corner, so it was definitely time for me to f*****g do one.’

More recently, Pete has sparked romance rumours with Love Island star Maura Higgins, leaving flirty comments on her Instagram posts – while there has also been speculation that he is ‘secretly seeing’ his Strictly pro partner Jowita, showing he’s seemingly still up to his bad boy ways.

The TV personality, 36, is thought to be dating Maura, 33, but she has since insisted that she is single, and said a romance in the jungle is likely to be off the cards.

However, Pete chose not to hold back after watching a clip of Maura doing an eating challenge in the latest Bushtucker Trial, as he took to the comments to write: ‘WHAT A WOMAN’.

Other examples include Love Island’s ‘biggest bad boy’ Adam Collard, who made such a mark that he was the first person to be allowed on the ITV dating show twice.

This was despite such a worrying demonstration of gaslighting during his first stint in 2018 that Women’s Aid put out a statement warning against his behaviour.

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Pete has sparked romance rumours with Love Island star Maura Higgins, with the pair putting on a flirty display during a night out (pictured in May)

Strictly’s Pete almost sends Jowita ‘flying’ after awkward stumble

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However, he has also grown close with his dance partner Jowita, even appearing to share a kiss during one of their routines together

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The duo struggled to impress with their first dance on the show, a Paso Doble to The Prodigy’s Breathe, scoring just 17 points out of 40

The domestic abuse charity previously noted he displayed ‘clear warning signs’ towards love interest Rosie Williams, such as ‘questioning her memory of events, trivialising her thoughts or feelings, and turning things around to blame her’.

When he returned for a second go in 2022, producers declared him to be the ‘ultimate bombshell’ while he was quickly sought after by the islanders, coming in fifth place with Paige Thorne.

But Women’s Aid issued another statement, reading: ‘We hope that ITV recognise how serious this issue is and that it must be learned from, considering they have asked Adam to return to the show.

‘Love Island is watched by many young people and we know what a huge influence it has.

‘Producers must make sure there is support for contestants throughout, and intervene if relationships become unhealthy or abusive.’

Just weeks after the show ended, Adam split from Paige after he was spotted getting cosy to a woman in McDonalds and appeared to be back to his ‘bad boy’ ways despite his instant chemistry with the Welsh brunette.

In a later interview with MailOnline, he revealed he’d chosen the ‘right person’ in order to ‘stay on the show’ for longer.

He said: ‘The thing with Love Island is I’m the only one who is willing to admit it, I would completely choose the right person to stay on the show.

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Women’s Aid released a statement following Adam’s treatment of fellow islander Rosie Williams (pictured) during his first stint on the show in 2018

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Adam went on to date Zara McDermott, who he also met on the series (pictured in December 2018)

When he returned to the show in 2022, he appeared to have ‘reformed’ himself and coupled up with Paige Thorne – but was soon back to his bad boy ways

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Adam is often considered to be Love Island’s ‘biggest bad boy’, and it allowed him to go on the show twice

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Nevertheless, his bad boy appeal has won him the heart of Laura Woods, to whom he is now engaged (pictured together)

‘That’s why I got back on the show in my eyes, they realised I didn’t care about anything.’

He continued: ‘We all know the game. It was really hard for me the second time because I could see through everything, it is unbelievable how clear it is the second time.

‘It messes with your head, you almost convince yourself you like these people and then once you see the light and get back home you realise you aren’t a perfect match.’

Nevertheless, his bad boy appeal has won him the heart of Laura Woods, to whom he is now engaged, and the couple are expecting their first child.

Adam and Laura went public with their romance in October 2023, after the sports presenter ‘accidentally’ posted a slew of later-deleted loved-up snaps.

He previously admitted he ‘seems to get a nosebleed’ in relationships at around the 18 month mark and was rumoured to have left his girlfriend at the time in order to return to the show – claims sources close to him firmly denied.

And The 1975 frontman Matty Healy has survived a series of scandals against all odds – with his ‘bad boy’ charm ensuring he remains in the spotlight despite his questionable behaviour.

He even dated pop superstar Taylor Swift for a brief period in 2023 after she broke up with her ‘nice guy’ boyfriend of seven years, Joe Alwyn.

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The 1975 frontman Matty Healy has survived a series of scandals against all odds – with his ‘bad boy’ charm ensuring he remains in the spotlight despite his questionable behaviour. Pictured in August 2023

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Matty is known for wearing distinctive black suits during live performances. Pictured performing at Leeds Festival in 2023

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Taylor Swift and Matty Healy seen leaving ‘The Electric Lady’ studio in Manhattan on May 16, 2023 in New York City

However, his ‘bad boy’ image and ‘racist’ remarks soon caused Swift to face backlash, damaging her squeaky clean image.

Matty is known for wearing distinctive black suits during live performances and the pair are believed to have broken up in June 2023.

And on Taylor’s most recent album, The Tortured Poets Department, she seems to reflect on dating ‘bad boy’ Matty in her song I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can).

She sings: ‘They shake their heads, saying, ‘God help her’ when I tell ’em he’s my man / But your good Lord doesn’t need to lift a finger / I can fix him, no really I can / And only I can.’

Another track, But Daddy I Love Him appears to show Taylor admitting she falls for bad boys and ‘slamming doors’ in the face of her critics.

At the time, Glamour Magazine published an essay titled ‘Matty Healy and the Allure of the British Bad Boy’, saying: ‘Girls only want one thing… a cigarette-flavoured, enthusistically consensual snog with Matty Healy’.

He is often seen puffing on a cigarette or drinking from a hip flask while on stage, while his past struggles with drugs and alcohol have been well-documented.

Meanwhile, when Tommy Fury burst onto the Love Island scene in 2019, his bad boy image won him the hearts of both the public and Molly Mae Hague, with whom he placed second and went on to share a five-year relationship.

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Even nation’s sweetheart Tommy Fury has been called a ‘bad boy’ due to his wild nights out partying

With millions in the bank, a beautiful baby girl, and a stunning mansion and private jet holidays, the couple appeared to have it all.

Through Love Island, Tommy’s ‘bad boy’ image was spun around and he was soon framed as the nation’s new sweetheart, with endearing scenes showing him and Molly confessing their love for one another, and him taking care of her teddy bear Ellie Belly while others strayed during Casa Amor.

Their split in August shattered the ‘perfect’ life they presented to millions on Instagram, after cracks appeared this year amid rumours of Tommy being increasingly absent and tension over his partying.

She ‘doesn’t know where he is going’, one source said prior to the news, as Tommy increasingly seemed to be returning to his bad boy ways.

He later denied all claims of cheating in an interview with the Mail, giving his side of the story for the first time.

Aside from the appeal of ‘bad boy’ celebrities and TV characters, it seems women also prefer bad boys in the real world.

Scientists from the University of Western Australia previously surveyed more than 1,300 women from 47 countries about their preferences in men.

The results showed that women prefer men who take risks – but only for short-term flings.

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Molly and Tommy met on Love Island in 2019 and were together for five years

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During this time, they had the picture-perfect li)e, welcoming baby Bambi together and getting engaged (pictured)

‘In long-term partnerships, the disadvantages of being attracted to a habitual risk taker likely become excessive and thus curb attraction to risk takers,’ the team explained.

The women were asked to rate how attractive they found descriptions of various men, for both short- and long-term relationships.

The descriptions included details about the man’s risk-taking tendencies and occupation, such as: ‘Pete works as a teacher.

‘In his spare time, he likes to rock climb and abseil outdoors. He enjoys the adrenaline rush associated with these activities.’

The results revealed that women who rated themselves as healthy and lived in countries with a higher life expectancy found high risk-taking men more attractive as short-term mates.

However, women who said they enjoyed risky activities themselves, as well as bisexual women, were also found to rate risk-taking men more highly for both short- and long-term relationships.

To avoid the appeal of the bad boy, relationship experts advise the importance of getting to know someone ‘for who they really are’.

Dating app Plenty of Fish’s resident expert Eva Gallagher said: ‘A person who exudes mystery and charm can seem appealing at first but this type of attraction is often short-lived, so it’s important to seek authenticity, dive deeper when looking for a connection, and make sure you’re getting to know someone for who they really are, not for a bad-boy persona they are portraying or that you are perceiving.’

Again speaking to FEMAIL, Jessen concluded: ‘Bad boys have always had a certain attraction about them, but their resurgence might say something about the cultural moment we’re in.

‘Scientifically, several researchers have found that women are drawn to rugged men, like the Jason Momoa or Leonardo DiCaprio types, especially in periods of uncertainty.

‘Bad boys project this sense of freedom and defiance, which can feel refreshing when the world feels overwhelming.’

Kate added: ‘Cultural cycles often revive trends, and the resurgence of the ‘bad boy’ in popular media may be partly a reaction to more sanitised or predictable portrayals of masculinity in recent years.

‘Figures that offer a modern twist on the trope blending the traditional ‘bad boy’ mystique with vulnerability or humour, can feel fresh and relatable, resonating with an audience that craves complexity and authenticity in their cultural icons.’