June 30, 2026 — 5:00am
There’s a new breed of male celeb in town: he’s affectionate, eager to please and always thrilled to come to heel. So-called “golden retriever men” are a growing pack of romantic, sensitive A-listers who have consigned bad-boy behaviour to the doghouse.
Best in Show right now is undoubtedly NFL superstar Travis Kelce, the incoming Mr Taylor Swift. Though details of their upcoming wedding remain as closely guarded as any state secret, loyal Swifties have been won over by Kelce’s boundless devotion. Despite standing at 196 centimetres tall, he somehow gives off the aura of an overexcited puppy rolling over for a tummy tickle.
Kelce is far from alone, and others wagging their metaphorical tails include the internet’s favourite boyfriend Ryan Gosling, Spider-Man star Tom Holland, fellow Brit heartthrob Callum Turner, who recently wed singer Dua Lipa, and The Last of Us actor Pedro Pascal. The tag has even been applied to Prince Harry, thanks to his unwavering adoration of Meghan – although the Sussexes are perhaps not the most trusty barometer for any kind of zeitgeisty trend.
In any case, it’s fair to say women are going ga-ga for big-hearted golden retriever men. Explaining the characteristics of this particular pedigree, Sarah-Louise Ryan, a relationship psychotherapist and professional matchmaker of 15 years, says: “Golden retriever men are fiercely loyal, enthusiastic and reliable. They’ll knock you over with love, and that’s what many of the women I work with [at my agency] want. They want to be pursued, to feel desired, and need a man who can match their zest for life.”
