Jonathan Bailey reacts after being named 2025's 'Sexiest Man Alive'
Topics: Celebrity, Entertainment, Film and TV, Jimmy Fallon, UK News, US News
Liv Bridge
Featured Image Credit: The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon/YouTube
Topics: Celebrity, Entertainment, Film and TV, Jimmy Fallon, UK News, US News
Jonathan Bailey has been crowned 'Sexiest Man Alive' by PEOPLE Magazine, and he's said it's an 'honor'.
The 37-year-old British actor gained international recognition for his role as Lord Anthony Bridgerton in the Netflix Regency romance series Bridgerton since 2020.
Most recently, he starred as Fiyero in the musical fantasy movie Wicked last year, alongside Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, and was cast in Jurassic World Rebirth, which became a blockbuster hit in cinemas in June.
Bailey has clearly been enjoying quite the buzz for the past few years, and it comes as no surprise, at least in the eyes of fans, that PEOPLE went ahead and named him the 'Sexiest Man Alive' this November, dubbing him 'one of Hollywood's most magnetic stars' of the era.
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Dropping the bombshell on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon last night (Monday, November 3), the curtain swung open to show Bailey stood in front of a huge version of his PEOPLE cover, enjoying a little dance before strutting onto the set to a roar of applause.
As the host asked him how he felt, the celeb said it was 'the honor of a lifetime' before thanking Fallon for 'turning it down so that I could be here'.
After Bailey signed the cover for Fallon, the host explained how the title is a 'big deal' as it comes a part of the 40th anniversary of the competition, making him join quite the hefty list of sexy men over the decades.
When asked where he was when he got the call, Bailey could barely speak.
"Well, it was - Sorry. I'm still giggling," he said.
After gathering himself, he 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 went to explain how he was in the midst of an art production, taking headshots to document the 'rise and fall of the king' for the show when he found out.
"I was in the zone," he confessed as the audience shared a giggle at some of his theatrical pictures. "You go slightly mad and the only thing madder than doing Richard II is being invited to this."
Bailey added: "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 then said he broke the exciting news to his buddies over some drinks, who apparently didn't believe him.
"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 also said he was 'so happy' for the star he calls the 'internet's boyfriend', adding: "You're one of our favorite guests. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.
"There's rumors out there," Fallon later teased, "They want you to be the next James Bond, which I would love that 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," to which Bailey didn't rule out doing, if the opportunity ever did come knocking.