Women prefer Olly Murs before, men prefer after — this is why

You might assume that straight women would prefer a man with chiselled abs, huge biceps, and a tightly defined jawline. But less is sometimes more — at least when it comes to Olly Murs.

The 40-year-old pop star has been proudly documenting his physique on social media, sharing topless workout photos ahead of his nationwide tour.

His nutritionist, Greg, posted a side-by-shot comparison: one of Olly before starting his new training plan, and another after three months of healthy eating and what he described as ‘discipline’. The caption read: ‘12 weeks to shredded and pumped’.

But Olly’s new look has led to a bit of a debate online. A poll posted by X user @CostelloWilliam asked followers: ‘Do you think he looks better before or after?’ revealed a clear gender divide.

Out of more than 4,900 votes, more than 79% of women said they preferred Olly’s ‘before’ body, compared to just 35.65% of men.

‘We aren’t lying, he’s more attractive to most women in the first picture,’ one woman commented. ‘Maybe it’s because it looks like he’d protect us, pick us up and hug us, take us camping and do other fun shenanigans – and just generally be enjoyable to be around.’

In the first reply to this poll there is a picture of Olly Murs before and after a 12 week gym transformation.

Do you think he looks better before or after?

Are you male or female?

— William Costello (@CostelloWilliam) April 23, 2025