There is no other way to describe Patrick Dempsey other than sexy. From the minute he appeared on our TV screens as Derek "McDreamy" Shepherd on Grey's Anatomy, we have only fallen further in love with him. So it's no surprise People magazine has named Patrick as its Sexiest Man Alive this year. And while we're all here saying, "It's about time!" Patrick was "completely shocked" when he found out.
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Always the bridesmaid, never the Sexiest Man Alive
This isn't Patrick's first appearance in the annual tradition — he has been selected for the future 10 times before getting the top honor.
"I was completely shocked, and then I started laughing, like, this is a joke, right? I’ve always been the bridesmaid!" he said, adding "I’d completely forgotten about it and never even contemplated being in this position. So my ego is good."
He doesn't plan on giving up his role any time soon
In the intro video he made for People, he said that he was the Sexiest Man Alive "for the next 10 years."
"I don't know why there should be anybody after me to be honest with you," he joked. "So this is it. It's been a great run for People, and congratulations. And I'm glad I could finish it all for you."
He claims his life has been one big "awkward phase," but we beg to differ
Many people fell in love with Patrick as a lovable goof in the 1980s movie Can't Buy Me Love, and if you ask him, that's who he's always been. He claims to have been in an awkward phase "pretty much my entire life." However, he credits his current self-confidence to "better clothes, and my wife does a great job taking care of my hair."
His wife, Jillian, is a makeup artist who has also created a clean beauty line. They share three kids: Talula, Sullivan, and Darby. Patrick swears his kids are "just going to make fun of me and pick on me and figure out every reason why I shouldn’t be."
He wants to use his Sexiest Man platform for good
As much as Patrick is reveling in his role as Sexiest Man Alive, he's trying to use his platform to talk about something near and dear to his heart, the Dempsey Center. He founded the center in honor of his mother, Amanda, who died after a lengthy battle against ovarian cancer in 2014.
"We help people who have been impacted by cancer," he explained. "We don’t treat the disease, we treat the person and entire family at no cost in what is called wraparound care."
He's riding this high while he can
Now that it's finally Patrick's turn, he's going all out to commemorate the honor. "I’ve got the bumper stickers, T-shirts, posters," he joked. When asked if he thinks winning the title means he's peaked, he says, "I peaked many years ago. But I’m still here."
