Matt Damon named 'Sexiest Man Alive'

Matt Damon has topped a poll to find the sexiest man alive.

The actor saw off competition from Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp and Grey's Anatomy star Patrick Dempsey to take the spot in the People magazine survey.

Damon, whose career has seen a major upturn with his starring role in the Bourne trilogy, joked: "You've given an ageing suburban dad the ego boost of a lifetime!"

People writer Ericka Souter said: "Matt wrote us a letter turning down the position when we first decided he was the winner. But it actually backfired because the letter showed everything we liked about him - including his irresistible sense of humour, his dedication to his family, and his heart-melting humility."

He added: "He eventually gave in, and also gave us permission to print the letter in our latest issue."

Atonement actor James McAvoy made his first appearance in the list, but last year's winner George Clooney failed to make the top 14. Last year, Damon vowed to steal the crown from his close friend, saying: "I'm going to get a war chest going and save my money. George said I was close this year but I ran out of money for my campaign, which is why he won."

Ryan Reynolds, Will Smith, Javier Bardem and Brothers and Sisters star Dave Annable also feature in the poll, along with soap actor Shemar Moore, Ben Affleck, Adrian Grenier, Justin Timberlake and Bionic Woman's Will Yun Lee.