Jonathan Bailey has been named ‘Sexiest Man Alive’ by PEOPLE Magazine, a title he describes as an ‘honor’.
The 37-year-old actor from the UK rose to fame internationally due to his portrayal of Lord Anthony Bridgerton in Netflix’s Regency-era hit, Bridgerton, starting in 2020.
Recently, Bailey played Fiyero in the musical fantasy film Wicked alongside stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, and appeared in Jurassic World Rebirth, which became a major box-office success in June.
With Bailey’s rising profile over recent years, it isn’t surprising to his fans that PEOPLE Magazine selected him in November as the ‘Sexiest Man Alive,’ calling him ‘one of Hollywood’s most magnetic stars’ of today.
The announcement was made on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Monday, November 3. Bailey appeared in front of a massive version of his PEOPLE cover, dancing as he entered the set to loud applause.
When asked about his feelings on the accolade, Bailey described it as ‘the honor of a lifetime’ and thanked Fallon for ‘turning it down so that I could be here’.
After signing the cover for Fallon, the host emphasized the significance of the title, noting it is part of the 40th anniversary of the competition, placing Bailey among a long list of noted attractive men over the years.
Bailey was nearly at a loss for words when asked about where he was when he received the call.
“Well, it was – Sorry. I’m still giggling,” he admitted.
Once composed, Bailey explained: “At the beginning of the year I was doing Shakespeare’s Richard II — for those of you who don’t know, it’s not a comedy. And we were, I think, 30 shows into 103 shows.”
He further elaborated that he was involved in an art production at the time, taking headshots to capture the ‘rise and fall of the king’ during the show when he received the news.
“I was in the zone,” he laughed as the audience enjoyed some of his theatrical photos. “You go slightly mad and the only thing madder than doing Richard II is being invited to this.”
Bailey continued: “And also in 2025, I’m sort of thrilled that PEOPLE magazine have invited someone in to bestow this honor on someone who can really cherish the value of a sexy man.”
He shared that he celebrated the news with friends over drinks, who were initially skeptical.
“I was like, ‘Guys, guys.. I’m the Sexiest Man Alive.’ And they were like, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah. Do your affirmations..’
“I mean, it’s just an honor, isn’t it?”
Fallon expressed his happiness for Bailey, dubbing him the ‘internet’s boyfriend’ and stating: “You’re one of our favorite guests. Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.”
“There are rumors floating around,” Fallon hinted, “They want you to be the next James Bond, which I would love because you can do action, you can do it all! After seeing Wicked and then Jurassic World, I’m like, ‘This guy can do everything.’ You’re phenomenal.”
“Then I saw someone wanted you to be Batman,” Fallon added, to which Bailey didn’t dismiss the idea if such opportunities were to arise.