Top Alpha females

Nigella Lawson

Age 43. TV cook, author and domestic goddess.

Alpha Career: During her years as a journalist, she became a mega-celebrity when her TV series Nigella Bites coincided with first husband John Diamond's column about his terminal cancer. Now an icon on both sides of the Atlantic.

Background: As well-connected as anyone in Britain. Father Nigel was Maggie Thatcher's Chancellor. Brother Dominic edits a Sunday newspaper and husband Charles Saatchi is a legendary ad-man.

Style: Qualifies as an alpha-female on ripe lushness alone.

Watch out boys! The Lawson/Saatchi partnership should be a fascinating match. She can be highly-strung, claiming:'I've been prevented from becoming a monster by my friends. But I'm sure I have it within me.' On the other hand, Saatchi's ex-wife Kay claims he is easily bored.

So that's Alpha for Aga, Ample (as in her charms) and Aristocratic (which, in a modern sense, she is).

Nicole Kidman

Age: 36. Movie star.

Alpha Career: After years as supporting cast to former husband Tom Cruise, post-divorce Nicole has become one of Hollywood's hottest stars, earning about £17million last year.

Background: Born in Hawaii, the daughter of an Aussie scientist and his nursing instructor wife. Spent most of her youth in Sydney, making her name Down Under before becoming Cruise's love-interest. STYLE: Women would give her alpha-plus for her tall, willowy body, tumbling red hair, porcelain skin and tasteful dress-sense.

Watch out boys: Having been utterly supportive throughout her marriage to Tom, she has delivered some brilliantly acidic sideswipes since, and has been linked to a string of men including Jude Law and, recently, singer Lenny Kravitz.

Watch out Hollywood: Nicole is on the prowl for a new high-profile partner.

So that's Alpha for Aussie, A-List and Anorexia (which she must absolutely avoid).

Paula Radcliffe

Age: 29. Golden athlete.

Alpha Career: Britain's top sportswoman doesn't just beat opponents - she runs them into the ground, crushing them in alpha-tastic style. She maintained last year's form with a string of victories and world records and is favourite for gold at the 2004 Olympics. Seriously bright, too, with a First in modern languages.

Background: A Bedford babe, with a brewery-executive father and headmistress mother.

Style: Girl-next-door Paula runs in flesh-toned knee-socks, with a pained look on her face. But she has supermodel legs and blonde hair.

Watch out boys: Paula's married to fellow athlete Gary Lough, who's also her manager and training-partner.

Watch out cheats: Paula's fiercely antidrugs and doesn't hold back from protests when she think another girl's hitting the (pill) bottle.

So that's Alpha for Athletics, Awesome and Adorable.

Susan Greenfield

Age: 52.Celebrity neuroscientist.

Alpha Career: Baroness Susan's astonishing energy enables her to be an Oxford research fellow, the first woman director of the Royal Institution, an author and a TV commentator. She also runs a research company, Synaptica. But some scientists claim her research is second rate: Susan blasts them as jealous, sexist fogeys.

Background: A true meritocrat, rising from working-class roots.

Style: This feminist fashionista sports designer mini-skirts. 'Men say that I'm scary,' she sighs, 'but I love make-up and clothes.'

Watch out boys: Never scared to berate male boffins for their patronising attitudes, Dame Susan famously dumped ex-husband Peter Atkins (a 61-year-old, millionaire, er, boffin) while on holiday in Jamaica, causing Atkins to wail that he had been 'declared redundant' by his 'fiercely ambitious' spouse.

So that's Alpha for Armani (she loves him), Ambition (says hubby) and Attitude.

Robin Saunders

Age: 41. City slicker sex-kitten.

Alpha Career: Brains, ambition and a round-the-clock work ethic, making deals for the German WestLB bank, have earned Robin a £25 million fortune, a £4 million home and a full-time domestic staff. But recent attempted deals have fallen through and the City's alpha-male vultures now claim Robin may quit her job.

Background: Southern belle Robin was a Florida cheerleader, whose first love was ballet. She cut her teeth on Wall Street before moving to Britain in 1991.

Style: Alpha-plus. Blonde, blue-eyed, she has a trim figure, pretty face and pearlywhite smile. But, while getting a name as the City's Claudia Schiffer arouses bankerboys' lust, does it inspire their respect?

Watch out boys: Robin is happily married, she insists, to fellow-banker Matthew Roeser and she behaves like 'a model of propriety'. But Square Mile gossips have spread tales (all denied) linking her with clients such as Robert Tchenguiz. Now, to Robin's distress, and further denials, come accusations that restaurateur Marco Pierre White has declared his 'great love' for her.

Watch out wives: Robin's alleged closeness to Marco Pierre was announced to the world by his wife Mati. A grand media cat-fight ensued.

So that's Alpha for American, Astute, and the financial art of Arbitrage.