What is 'Red Tuesday' and could it end in heartbreak for you?

With Valentine’s Day just days away, it’s typically a time filled with romance and anticipation for couples to share their love whether that be through a fancy gift or dinner at a snazzy restaurant.

However, new research reveals that you could fall victim to ‘Red Tuesday’ instead, as today is the day that people are most likely to be dumped.

(Yes, really.)

A survey by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s largest extramarital dating site polled 1,500 of its members where 37 per cent admitted to breaking up with their partner in the run-up to Valentine’s Day.

Of those, a whopping 52 per cent said they dumped their other half on ‘Red Tuesday’ - the Tuesday before Valentine's Day, which could see your relationship crashing down just before the most romantic day of the year.

In the week leading up to February, 45 per cent revealed that they dumped their partner within this time frame and 5 per cent had the guts to end their relationship on Valentine’s Day itself!

Turns out the most popular method of breaking up is the WhatsApp message route at 33 per cent, while 21 per cent mustered up the courage to break the bad news face-to-face.

Meanwhile, 8 per cent didn’t even bother letting their partner know the relationship was over, and simply ghosted them – ouch!

Jessica Leoni, sex and relationships expert and spokesperson at IllicitEncounters.com, commented on the ‘Red Tuesday’ phenomenon, saying, “It’s a bit of a "V-Day pressure cooker" situation.

"As we get closer to the day of romance and roses, there's this expectation to have this epic, Instagram-worthy love story. Suddenly, people find themselves questioning if their current relationship is measuring up to the grand gestures they see all over social media.

"And let's not forget the gift-giving stress that comes with celebrating Valentine’s Day. If one person is expecting a romantic masterpiece and ends up with a last-minute box of chocolates, it can lead to some serious disappointment.”

Leoni even suggested that people don’t give into the hype of Valentine’s Day, saying “I actually recommend that couples AVOID celebrating Valentine’s Day if you really want your love to thrive.

"Don’t give in to the commercialisation of the day, because you’re just adding extra strain to relationships, especially if they’re already on unsteady ground.”