Jonathan Bailey becomes first openly gay sexiest man alive

The "Bridgerton" actor snagged the coveted title, becoming the first openly gay man to earn the honour in an American weekly magazine's four-decade history.

Jonathan Bailey is having quite the year. Fresh off a Critics' Choice Award win and an Emmy nomination, the 37-year-old "Wicked" star can now add another accolade to his growing collection: People's Sexiest Man Alive 2024.

Jimmy Fallon dropped the news on Monday night's "Tonight Show," and Bailey couldn't resist a playful jab at his host. "It's the honour of a lifetime," he quipped. "Jimmy, thank you so much for turning it down so that I could be here."

Bailey's selection arrives during a milestone year for the magazine — this marks the 40th anniversary of the Sexiest Man Alive tradition, which kicked off in 1985 with Mel Gibson as its first honoree. The publication has crowned a new heartthrob almost every year since, with one notable exception in 1993 when Richard Gere and Cindy Crawford shared the spotlight as the Sexiest Couple Alive.

But this year's choice feels especially significant. Bailey breaks new ground as the first openly gay man to receive the title, adding another layer of representation to pop culture's most famous thirst trap honour.