People names Channing Tatum Sexiest Man Alive

NEW YORK, Nov. 14 (UPI) -- People magazine on Wednesday declared Alabama-born film star Channing Tatum 2012's Sexiest Man Alive.

"My first thought was, 'Y'all are messing with me,'" Tatum, who married actress Jenna Dewan-Tatum in 2009, told the magazine.

"I told Jenna after we'd been in the bathtub washing our dogs because they'd gotten skunked. She was like, 'What?'" he recalled. "Yeah, she calls me [the Sexiest Man Alive] now."

"People know him to be fun and sexy, but they don't know how emotionally deep and spiritually open he is," said Dewan-Tatum, 31. "He is such an open-hearted person; what you see is what you get."

Tatum, 32, is known for his work in the films "Step Up," "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra," "Dear John," "The Vow," "21 Jump Street" and "Magic Mike."

Last year's Sexiest Man Alive was actor Bradley Cooper. Ryan Reynolds held the honor in 2010.