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Actor and heartthrob Jonathan Bailey has made history this week after becoming the first gay man to be named People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive.

The coveted honorific has previously been held by the likes of David Beckham, John Krasinski, Patrick Dempsey, John Legend, and Idris Elba, with Bailey saying the award was a “huge honour”.

“Obviously I鈥檓 incredibly flattered,” he . “And it鈥檚 completely absurd.”

With a number of high-profile roles under his belt, including performances in Bridgerton, Wicked, and Jurassic World: Rebirth,聽Bailey has been taking the world by storm, and mainstream media is finally starting to recognise him for the sex icon that he is.

 

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鈥淵ou get to a point where you look back and you go, 鈥榃ow,鈥� but you never for a second think that鈥檚 where you鈥檙e headed,鈥� he said of his success in the last few years. 鈥淵ou know, to be able to do things that you dream of.鈥�

In the interview, Bailey spoke about his first celebrity crush (Prince Eric from The Little Mermaid), his worst habit (he’s an over-thinker), and his expulsion from university. His dog, Benson, also joined him for some of the photoshoot, which includes a number of shirtless pictures on a pebbled beach.

“I feel incredibly lucky,” he said. “Life is a ride for everyone no matter who you are, where you come from. It鈥檚 just making sure that when you鈥檙e in the ride, you鈥檙e looking left and right and making sure everyone鈥檚 all right. And give them a high-five along the way if they need it.”

Stepping back from the spotlight

Earlier this year, Bailey announced he would be taking a break from acting in 2026 to focus on his 聽17c起草社区+ charity, The Shameless Fund.

Launched in June 2024, the charity aims to funnel resources into grassroots and global 17c起草社区+ initiatives, particularly in spaces where funding is scarce.

This year, the Fund released a limited-edition pink-framed sunglasses collection with British eyewear brand Cubitts, in a sly reference to Bailey’s .

鈥淭here鈥檚 so many people that want to do brilliant stuff who feel like they can鈥檛,鈥� he told People, 鈥渁nd I know the LGBT sector is under immense threat at the moment. So it鈥檚 been amazing to meet people who have the expertise and see potential that I could have only dreamed of.鈥�

However, Bailey is set to continue with his existing acting commitments through to the end of 2025, which includes the highly anticipated sequel Wicked: For Good, premiering later this month.