THE world feels more miserable than ever, so how will we be soothing ourselves in 2026? Sex, of course.
Experts predict next year will be our sexiest yet, but don’t expect business as usual between the sheets.
In times of doom, gloom and economic hardship, people look for escapism – and sex is one of the best pick-me-ups aroundCredit: Adobe Stock / AI Generated
Desire is evolving, and so is the landscape of .
Lovehoney’s annual -trends report predicts how Brits are going to behave in and out of the bedroom.
With the return of office romances and good old-fashioned flirting, the way we meet – and mate – is shifting fast.
One revelation is that advances in technology will see more of us experimenting with AI dating coaches , striking up romances with chatbots and enjoying digital threesomes.
But those keen to explore an online relationship should proceed with caution because nothing can replace real chemistry or the human touch.
In times of doom, gloom and economic hardship, people look for escapism – and sex is one of the best pick-me-ups around.
But after a decade of , singletons are moving away from swipe-right hook-ups and going back to Y2K-style dating instead.
Think speed dating, meaningful connections, proper , and actually getting to know someone off-screen first.
Here, we reveal what is to come.
THE RETURN OF THE OFFICE ROMANCE
AFTER Covid, lots of companies allowed employees to work remotely, meaning a whole generation of Gen Z have never experienced the joys of the office crush.
The result? No flirtatious glances over the water cooler, no sneaky snogs behind the stationery cupboard and no lovey-dovey messages scrawled on Post-it notes.
But that is all set to change.
Global firms including are bringing staff back into the office five days a week, and that is great news for singletons.
Not only will it boost your productivity but it could fire up your love life, too.
Back in the day, a whopping 25 per cent of couples found love at work.
It was the ultimate dating pool — no swiping, no catfishing, just getting to know someone over emails and coffee breaks.
Suddenly, the 9–5 world felt a lot more fun.
That said, there are rules when it comes to mixing wooing with workloads.
Avoid PDAs in the office, don’t accidentally sext your boss and never use work equipment for flirting.
Because nothing kills the mood faster than being hauled in front of HR for a ticking off.
AI THERAPY AND RELATIONSHIPS WILL BECOME MORE COMMON
DESPITE living in a hyper-connected digital world where getting steamy can be just a click away, more people than ever are feeling lonely.
Instead of venting to friends or flirting with potential lovers online, many are turning to AI for comfort.
Despite living in a hyper-connected digital world where getting steamy can be just a click away, more people than ever are feeling lonelyCredit: Getty
Chatbots are fast becoming our late-night confidants — part therapist, part agony aunt and, increasingly, part love interest.
Some couples are in “digital threesomes” as they turn to chatbots for advice on sex and relationships, and some people even have three-way relationships with bots.
The past year has also seen a surge in the number of impossibly beautiful virtual influencers, like , all ready and waiting to interact with their fans on social media.
A worrying 15 per cent of people already admit they are chatting to AI regularly, while another ten per cent would like to.
And our relationship with AI is set to get a whole lot steamier.
has revealed that verified adult users will soon be able to generate erotica on , opening the floodgates to AI relationships with a sexual twist.
Experts say this could warp our ideas of intimacy and connection — especially if these platforms remain largely unregulated.
What starts as innocent emotional support could quickly turn into something more intimate — with users forming bonds that feel real, even if the partner isn’t.
If this is what dating and sex look like in 2026, just imagine where we will be by 2036 . . . scary.
Y2K SPEED DATING REVIVAL
WITH more people breaking up with traditional dating apps, next year is set for a speed-dating revival.
Organisers BODA (Bored Of Dating Apps) predicts a huge rise in their in-person events, giving a cheeky nod to Y2K dating trends.
With more people breaking up with traditional dating apps, next year is set for a speed-dating revivalCredit: Getty
Singletons are swapping their screens for vinyl records, Noughties fashion and analogue cameras, meaning old-school romance is officially back.
Expect a flood of people ditching apps and flocking to book clubs, retro singles’ mixers and even running clubs (yes, really) — as they become the new hotbeds for real-life romance.
KINKY DATING APPS ON THE UP
AFTER a decade of heavy swiping, we’ve finally fallen out of love with traditional dating apps such as , and .
The UK’s top three dating apps have seen a dip in use since 2023, with Tinder losing 600,000 users, Bumble declining by 368,000 and Hinge shedding 131,000.
Alternative dating apps such as Feeld are on the riseCredit: Alamy
But alternative dating apps such as are on the rise.
Once the go-to app for hardcore kinksters, it is now attracting a new, more innocent crowd.
Disillusioned singles are ditching vanilla dating apps in favour of something spicier — and experts reckon it is going to explode in popularity next year.
Feeld first launched in 2014 as 3nder — a hook-up and group sex platform. By 2018, it had rebranded as Feeld (following a lawsuit from ), but it still felt like a very niche space.
In 2023, the app nearly doubled its revenues, jumping from £20.9million to £39.5million — and this is set to rise again next year.
COURTING IS COOL AGAIN
WHO can remember heading out on the pull and snogging a sexy stranger in a sticky-floored nightclub to the sound of cheesy bangers?
If you are , chances are you have never lived it.
The Womanizer Peach Toy Personal MassagerCredit: Womanizer
These days, flirting via tongues and the dancefloor has been replaced by thumbs and an array of dating apps.
This could be down to the fact that 15 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds are teetotal and less than half have experienced a , compared to 69 per cent of 25 to 34-year-olds and 74 per cent of 35 to 44-year-olds.
What’s more, due to the crisis, 18 per cent of people aged 25 to 34 still live at home — up by a THIRD in just two decades.
Unsurprisingly, a whopping 41 per cent of those say living with their folks has affected their .
I mean, who wants to bring someone back for a if there’s a fear your mum will walk in mid-action?
Awkward doesn’t even begin to cover it.
All of this could sound the death knell for the classic and make courting cool again.
WOMEN EMBRACE AGE-GAP RELATIONSHIPS
FROM to , this year’s films and TV were awash with steamy age-gap storylines putting women’s pleasure centre stage.
And now more ladies than ever are following suit.
Nicole Kidman as Romy and Harris Dickinson as Samuel in steamy age-gap flick BabygirlCredit: PA
According to firm Womanizer, women with partners at least SEVEN years younger reported 84 per cent more sexual satisfaction and fewer menopausal symptoms.
But the fun doesn’t stop there.
Couples in their sizzling fifties in ethical non-monogamous relationships are scoring better orgasms than their monogamous peers.
What’s more, there has been a rise in “grey divorces” — and couples calling it quits in later life once the kids have flown the nest.
These newly single empty nesters are getting busy TWICE as often, research shows.
Well, if you have snagged a toyboy who can last all night it is easy to see why.
…AND NERDS ARE BACK
AFTER years of flashy dating profiles stuffed with gym selfies and protein-shaker pics, daters are craving something . . . brainier. Enter: the nerd.
A whopping 71 per cent of millennials now say the classic Nineties man — think glasses, books and an unhealthy interest in niche topics — is actually sexy.
A whopping 71 per cent of millennials now say the classic Nineties man — think glasses, books and an unhealthy interest in niche topics — is actually sexyCredit: Getty
Online searches for “nerdy men” are up 653 per cent, while Googling “nerdy guys” has soared 383 per cent in the past month.
Thanks to and its once-awkward characters now in their heart-throb era, the nerd has gone mainstream.
Being clever, obsessive and deeply into something is no longer niche — it is hot.
Suddenly, knowing your way around a spreadsheet is more attractive than having a six-pack.
Personally, I’ve always loved a nerd, so if this is the era of brains and big opinions, I’m here for it.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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