Hunky actor CHANNING TATUM has landed the coveted title of People magazine's Sexiest Man Alive.

The Magic Mike star, who stripped off to play an exotic dancer in the hit film, has stolen the crown from 2011 champion Bradley Cooper, and follows in the footsteps of previous winners Brad Pitt, George Clooney and Matt Damon.

Tatum was initially convinced his win was a prank, but admits his wife Jenna Dewan-Tatum loves referring to him by his new title.

He says, "My first thought was, 'Y'all are messing with me.' I told Jenna after we'd been in the bathtub washing our dogs because they'd gotten skunked (attacked by skunks). She was like, 'What?' She calls me (the Sexiest Man Alive) now."

The actress, who married Tatum in 2009, insists there is a sensitive side to her chiselled husband that fans don't get to see.

She gushes, "People know him to be fun and sexy, but they don't know how emotionally deep and spiritually open he is. He is such an open-hearted person; what you see is what you get."

Actors Chris Hemsworth, Matt Bomer, Damian Lewis and Paul Rudd also made the annual 'hot list' along with country star Blake Shelton.