The incoming titleholder who takes over a role, crown or honour from the person who held it before. Jonathan Bailey’s reflections on his Sexiest Man Alive year are framed around his successor, the soon-to-be-announced 2026 pick, to whom he offers good-humoured advice. The handover is part of the franchise’s ritual charm: every reign ends with the previous winner welcoming the next.
(Gaily44 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0))
Mentioned in: A Crown, a Blockbuster and a Cockapoo: Inside Jonathan Bailey’s Year as the Sexiest Man Alive