People magazine has named Patrick Dempsey the sexiest man alive for 2023.
Dempsey’s selection was revealed Tuesday evening Jimmy Kimmel Live! The 57-year-old actor and racing driver, famous for his role as neurosurgeon Derek “McDreamy” Shepherd in Grey’s anatomytakes the title from Chris Evans.
It’s been a long time coming for Dempsey, a perennial contender for Sexiest Man Alive, thanks in large part to his run on Gray but also for playing overtly handsome characters in the Enchanted movies too Bridget Jones’ baby.
In addition to acting, Dempsey has bolstered his heartthrob credentials by dabbling in race car driving. He has been racing at elite level for a number of years and has even competed in the prestigious Le Mans 24-hour race.
“I’m glad it’s happening at this point in my life,” Dempsey said People. “It’s nice to get the recognition, and certainly my ego gets a little bit of a boost, but it gives me the platform to use it for something positive.”
When asked how he felt when he first heard the news that he had been selected as Sexiest Man Alive for 2023, Dempsey said: “I was completely shocked and then I started laughing, like this was a joke, right? I have always been the bridesmaid!”
He added: “I had completely forgotten about it and never even thought about being in this position. So my ego is good.”
Aside from Evans last year, other past winners of the Sexiest title include John Legend, Michael B. Jordan, Paul Rudd, Ryan Reynolds, Chris Hemsworth, Bradley Cooper, Dwayne Johnson, Idris Elba, Adam Levine, Richard Gere and Channing Tatum ManAlive. and David Beckham.
