Who's the hunk with the hottest facial hair?

Hugh Jackman, Bradley Cooper and David Beckham. Photo / AP

Hugh Jackman has been given a confidence boost as he prepares for the Oscars - he's beaten Best Actor rival Bradley Cooper to be named the celebrity with the sexiest facial hair.

The Les Miserables star will be going up against Silver Linings Playbook's Cooper in the coveted category on the biggest night in Hollywood, and he will be heading into the ceremony a winner - in the battle of the beards, that is.

Jackman came out on top in the new survey conducted by officials at the UK's leading hair transplant centre, Crown Clinic in Manchester.

Soccer ace David Beckham placed third, behind Cooper, while George Clooney and Ben Affleck rounded out the top five.

"Hugh Jackman looks great whatever kind of facial hair he has - stubble, a moustache or a beard,'' Crown Clinic surgeon and hair loss expert Dr Asim Shahmalak said.

Meanwhile, Brad Pitt has been named and shamed as the star with the least sexy stubble - he pipped Joaquin Phoenix to claim that dishonour.

Also included at the bottom end of the hairy poll are Duran Duran's Simon Le Bon, who was recently pictured with a strange handlebar moustache, comedian Jim Carrey and British TV presenter Jonathan Ross.

- WEN