David Attenborough, Bradley Walsh and Holly Willougby named UK’s dream neighbours

Britain’s dream neighbours have been revealed, with Sir David Attenborough topping the UK’s list of celebs they most want to live next door to.

The broadcaster and naturalist has claimed the title of the nation’s ‘Dream Neighbour’ ahead of a number of global stars from film, TV, music and sports, following a nationwide survey.

Commissioned by McCarthy Stone, the survey results showed that Brits are particular about who live next to them and are willing to shun Hollywood’s glitterati in favour of some homegrown talent.

Sir David’s selection as the UK’s no.1 ‘Dream Neighbour’ that they want to live next to comes as no surprise, with the 95-year-old taking eight per cent of the vote. Second place goes to another national treasure, Bradley Walsh, with the former Doctor Who star claiming five per cent, followed by Good Morning star Holly Willoughby (4.4%).

The other big names in the top five most in-demand dream neighbours include the cast of Friends and Hollywood actor Tom Hanks, both on 3.6 per cent, with Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson on 3.5 per cent of the vote.

The UK’s Top 20 Dream Neighbours

1. Sir David Attenborough – 8%
2. Bradley Walsh – 5.2%
3. Holly Willoughby – 4.4%
4. Cast of Friends – 3.6%
5. Tom Hanks – 3.6%
6. Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson – 3.5%
7. Prince William and Kate Middleton – 2.6%
8. Rita Ora – 2.4%
9. Kim Kardashian – 2.4%
10. The Queen – 2.3%
11. Gino D’Acampo – 2.3%
12. Will Smith – 2.3%
13. Harry Styles – 2.3%
14. Gordon Ramsey – 2.3%
15. Marcus Rashford – 2.2%
16. Taylor Swift – 2.1%
17. Beyonce – 2%
18. Brad Pitt – 1.7%
19. Cristiano Ronaldo – 1.5%
20. Donald Trump – 1.5%

However, a famous name in the neighbourhood might not mean much difference to the community, with 44 per cent of Brits saying they haven’t been round to their neighbours’ house.

Celebs looking for a bit of privacy from their neighbours would best head to Bristol with 56 per cent of Bristolians admitting that they haven’t been round to their neighbours, followed by Brighton and Cardiff (both 55%).

Miruna Constantinescu, National Marketing Director, McCarthy Stone, said: “I think the results show the type of character we value in the community.

“We have been really proud of the way neighbours in our developments have pulled together to help each other get through the pandemic, showing incredible warmth and community spirit – it has made all the difference.

“Neighbours are literally some of the closest and longest relationships we can have in our lives, so it’s important to build and maintain a healthy rapport.”

Here are McCarthy Stone’s tips for starting and maintaining a good relationship with your neighbour.

1. Give them a warm welcome – It’s the easiest and most natural time to make yourself known to neighbours when they first move in, and this small gesture can go a long way in terms of setting up the relationship in the long run. It can simply be just introducing yourself, a note or even a welcoming gift.
2. Keep up the communication – It doesn’t have to be a regular chat but a simple smile, nod or “hello” could be crucial if you eventually do need to speak to them. It’s a good way to gauge if they’re open to chatting, but it’s also good manners and can help both yours and their mental health if they live alone or have been working from home a lot.
3. Lend a hand or ask for help – Kind gestures go a long way, especially in the current climate. It can be small like lending someone some tools for the garden or offering to pick up some shopping while you’re out. You can always ask them to return the favour when you’re away, like watering the plants or putting the bins out. It’s always good to build up credit for these acts with your neighbours!
4. Research your area – There are multiple benefits to making friends in the community, and while we might feel isolated right now, there will soon be more opportunities to visit places at the heart of the community to speak with other locals. Whether that’s the pub, your nearest place of worship, down the shops, or at the community centre, there are plenty of places to say “hello”.
5. Use technology – Nowadays there are a number of ways to find out what’s going on in your local area, whether that’s through local Facebook groups or the app Nextdoor, which can tell you all sorts from bin collection days to where you can buy and sell items.

The full results and findings of the study can be found here: https://www.mccarthystone.co.uk/relationships-with-neighbours-stronger-through-pandemic/