I’ve been with smelly, filthy men like Benny Blanco. Here’s the sex truth no woman will admit… I’m going to sound SO unhinged saying this: JANA HOCKING

There’s a new epidemic that knows no status nor class.

It’s gross men. They’re everywhere – and they’re plaguing women.

I was rudely reminded of that fact this week by the vomit-inducing tootsies shamelessly displayed by Selena Gomez’s husband, Benny Blanco, during his podcast Friends Keep Secrets.

To be honest, I couldn’t tell you what was discussed on Tuesday’s episode – all anyone was whispering about were his dirt-caked feet placed squarely on the tan sofa.

And I wasn’t the only one. Fellow viewers flocked to the social to question the cleanliness of his house, or whether he had been taking a stroll outside while barefoot. I mean, the man boasts his pedicures online (see: his bizarrely intricate toenail art) – so how could his feet possibly get that dirty?

The whole thing got me thinking about how gross men actually are.

Apologies, not all men *eye roll* but a lot of you often look like you could do with a good scrub and a master class in hygiene.

Recently I went on a date with a man who was so ridiculously handsome I could barely look him in the face, but as he greeted me, I caught a whiff of a putrid, pungent odor emanating from his mouth.

The halitosis was real, dear reader. Seriously, it was so bad that I had to put my hand up to my mouth and nose just to avoid the stench every time he spoke. At one point, he let out a big breathy laugh and I almost passed out.

Could you imagine kissing that?

All I could think was, hasn’t someone told you that it’s time for a dental check-up? Annoyingly, I couldn’t because I had only just met the man. But when I brought it up with the friend who set us up, he said, ‘Really? I’ve never noticed it.’

And that’s part of the problem. Men just don’t notice.

During a recent plane trip from New York, I was sat between a man who smelled like he had hopped straight on the plane from a night out. He was practically sweating rum and body odor, and all I could do for the five-hour journey was hike my hoodie right up over my face in a bid to soften the waft.

As he got up to go to the bathroom, I side-eyed the man sitting on the other side of him, and he seemed completely oblivious.

And that’s when it dawned on me. They are immune to their own caveman ways.

You may not have a problem with your stinky breath after a creamy, garlicy pasta. Or the stench you bring home from a heavy gym session. Or the sight of your god-awful feet.

But we do.

Because women take pride in our hygiene habits. We double down on the deodorant. We douse ourselves in heavenly perfumes, we floss, we exfoliate, we gargle.

Ask any woman what she keeps in her handbag, and she will reach in and pull out a small perfume bottle, a deodorant stick, lip balm and a pack of mint chewing gum.

We take it that seriously.

Now, I will admit that the faint hint of body odor coming from my man after a hot, sweaty night under the duvet can actually be… a turn-on. But before you judge me, this isn’t merely unhinged behavior. It’s science.

Apparently, male sweat contains pheromone-like compounds called androstadiene and androstanol, which can subtly boost mood, relaxation and even arousal in women. So yes, fancying his smell might actually be a biological green flag.

Clearly, that man next to me on the plane was not a good match.

Luckily, I only had to spend a few hours dealing with that specimen of a man. Gomez, however, is not so fortunate. She’s married to Benny – and those feet.

But while fans called on her to divorce him over the matter, there’s a reason why these gorgeous gals can’t get enough of these gross guys – and the answer is grim.

It’s because they’re unavoidable.

And my – and my friends’ – dating history will attest. Just look at the nicknames we’ve assigned these men in our group chat.

My guy was forever referred to as ‘Stinky Breath.’ He would be brought up in casual conversation with the girls like, ‘Hey, did you ever hear from Stinky Breath?’

Another guy my friend went on a date with was officially given the moniker ‘Wet Sock’ because he had clearly left his clothes in the washing machine too long before their date. All she could smell was the stale, mildewy smell of damp laundry.

And don’t get me started on ol’ ‘Trench Foot.’ Word to the wise lads: don’t turn up to dates in flip flops or Birkenstocks. Save your un-pedicured feet until at least date five.

But perhaps Blanco’s foul feet are the wakeup call that men everywhere so desperately need. After all, just because women put up with their barbaric hygiene habits doesn’t mean they should have to – nor will they forever.

So, men, for the love of god, please step it up. And actually, while we’re at it: clean your damn room. Throw out the old tissues, put the pizza box in the bin and the dirty socks straight into the wash.

It’s not rocket science.