Bridgerton actor Jonathan Bailey has been named People’s Sexiest Man Alive, making him the first openly gay man to hold the title.
The British actor was named this year’s recipient of the title on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, taking the crown from The Office star John Krasinski, who received the award in 2024.
“It’s a huge honour,” Bailey, 37, told People. “Obviously, I’m incredibly flattered. And it’s completely absurd.”
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Joking about the announcement, Bailey told Fallon he had only told his dog Benson before the public reveal.
On the show, the host revealed two versions of the magazine cover — one showing Bailey standing chest-deep in the sea, and another featuring him holding his dog Benson.
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The English actor rose to global popularity through his portrayal of Lord Anthony in Netflix’s hit period drama Bridgerton and went on to take the role of Prince Fiyero in Wicked (2024). He is set to reprise the role in the forthcoming sequel, Wicked: For Good, which opens on 21 November.
Bailey also earned a 2024 Emmy nomination for his role in the limited series Fellow Travelers, and starred in the summer 2025 blockbuster Jurassic World: Rebirth.
Bailey said he first learned he had been chosen at the start of 2025, while appearing in a production of Shakespeare’s Richard II.
“The only thing madder than doing Richard II was to be invited into this,” he said. “And also in 2025, I’m sort of thrilled that People magazine has invited someone in to bestow this honor on someone who can really cherish the value of a sexy man.”
When asked whether he expected to be treated differently after receiving the title, he replied: “I f***ing hope so.”
Bailey told People that he’s known he wanted to be an actor since he was five, and his grandmother took him to see a production of the musical Oliver! Within two years, he had achieved that dream, performing with the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Bailey, who is the first openly gay actor to receive the Sexiest Man Alive title, has spoken frequently about LGBT+ visibility in the industry. He founded The Shameless Fund, which supports LGBT+ organisations in the UK, and said the work felt more urgent than ever.
“I know the LGBT+ sector is under immense threat at the moment,” he said. “So it’s been amazing to meet people who have the expertise and see potential that I could have only dreamed of.”
