Verdict's out!: The hottest singles in town

Linda Beani and Mustafa Al Fadil poll vaulted to the top in an online XPRESS ballot to determine Dubai’s most desirable woman and man.

Linda Beani

TV presenter and sales manager, Linda Beani, 23, topped the polls with 41 per cent of the votes. Linda had few expectations, but was ecstatic when she heard of the result, "I am speechless. People haven’t yet stopped calling me since they heard the news of my win," she said. "I am getting messages on Facebook from people I don’t even know," she added. Linda’s plans to concentrate on her TV career and hopes to produce her own talk show in the future.

As for marriage, Linda said, "Only if Mr Right comes along. I wouldn’t mind settling down in the next three years, but for now I want to concentrate on my career."

Mustafa Al Fadil

Mustafa Al Fadil emerged as the most eligible bachelor, receiving 64 per cent votes in the men’s category.

The 24-year-old Iraqi TV presenter, however, didn’t appear too surprised. "It was obvious as I was born here and have loads of friends and supporters," he said.

"My family and friends are very happy for me. I am no less thrilled with all the adulation that’s come my way," he said.

Mustafa plans to continue working in the media industry. "TV is a much bigger medium, but my latest passion is the radio," he said. Mustafa expects space in a relationship as he considers himself to be a free bird.

Renee Mauricio

Renee Mauricio bagged 36 per cent of the votes to take the second spot. Even though the Dubai-based TV producer was born and raised in the UAE, she became a rallying point in her native Philippines after being featured in the contest.

"I know many of my friends voted for me, but what I didn’t expect was the support I got from back home. I was not expecting such a huge response. To tell you the truth, I took part in the contest just for fun," said the 24-year-old.

In the Philippines, where she is a virtual unknown, her story was picked by ABS-CBN, a Manila-based TV channel.

Employees from the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) also rooted for her via an e-mail campaign.

Renee wants to work full-time in the film industry after completing further studies on the subject.

Jordan Baker

Runner-up Jordan was way behind Mustafa in terms of votes but he was way ahead of Vishal and Bruno. Before being featured in this contest, the 27-year-old engineer has done everything from flipping burgers to acting.

Jordan, who hails from the midwestern state of Minnesota, US, did many odd jobs before becoming an Applications Engineering Manager for a Dubai-based firm.

According to Jordan, consideration for your partner is the most important aspect of a relationship. The handsome bachelor is looking for a partner who is well-balanced and will respect his values.