Wicked star Jonathan Bailey named sexiest man alive

Bridgerton and Wicked star Jonathan Bailey has been named “sexiest man alive” by People magazine.

The British actor, 37, who found global fame as Anthony Bridgerton in the Netflix Regency romance drama, said the title from the US magazine is “a huge honour”.

He added: “Obviously, I’m incredibly flattered. And it’s completely absurd. It’s been a secret, so I’m quite excited for some friends and family to find out.”

Bailey, who will reprise his role as Prince Fiyero in Wicked: For Good later this month, said he expects to be given a lot of grief by his friends.

He told the magazine: “They’ll be furious that I haven’t told them. And then they’ll just squeal with delight.

“They’ve seen me grow up. Behind the mask of being identified as a sexy man are other truths that they know and they’ve witnessed. They know the secrets.”

Bailey was joined by his dog, Benson, for his photo shoot for the cover of the magazine, and said his pet was the only person he told.

He added: “I told my dog Benson. But no, I haven’t [told anyone else]. How do you spell… NDA?”

Bailey unveiled his cover during an appearance on The Tonight Show and told host Jimmy Fallon he got the call while he was starring in a production of Richard II at the Bridge Theatre in London.

He said: “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.”

He recalled being “in the zone” of the production, adding: “So you go slightly mad, and the only thing madder than doing Richard II is being invited into this.”

Bailey started his career as a child at the Royal Shakespeare Company and had notable roles in British TV series, including Broadchurch and Crashing, before rocketing to fame in Bridgerton.

He most recently starred opposite Scarlett Johansson in the latest Jurassic Park film, Jurassic World Rebirth.

Chris Hemsworth, Patrick Dempsey, Chris Evans, and Michael B Jordan are among the stars who have been named “sexiest man alive” by People magazine in recent years.