After last year's controversy with Blake Shelton winning the Sexiest Man Alive title, People magazine knew they were going to have to pick someone super hot this time around to make up for it - and that meant there was only one true contender for the top spot... Idris Elba.

With his cheeky smile, cool British accent, and effortless ability to pull of everything from a three-piece suit to a turtleneck jumper, the guy is undeniably Sexy (that's sexy with a capital 'S', people).

And we haven't even got to his body yet.

A quick look through his Instagram shows that the 46-year-old actor has a pretty rockin' set of biceps, and this trailer from his 2017 show, Fighter, is thirst-quenching material for anyone who has a thing for ripped physiques:

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Unfortunately, not everyone can have the accent and the cardigan-wearing abilities that Elba has. What you can have, however, is his buff bod.

In an interview with Men's Health a few years back, the Yardie star explained how he attained his toned figure - and how he keeps himself looking so good, even in his forties. Most of his athletic endeavours, it seems, revolve around fighting sports and training practices.

"Shadowboxing is one of the best workouts you can do," he explained. "You don't need any equipment, and it works every muscle. It's what Nelson Mandela did many mornings in his jail cell."

He continued: "Some guys want to be toned or want to jog for miles, but my ultimate fitness goal is to be fight-ready. If I step into the ring, could I go toe-to-toe for five rounds? That's what I strive for. That's what I consider fit. I want to know that if I'm being wrestled to the ground, I've got the strength to fight a man off. Kickboxing is rugged—it's all core strength. But when you're fight-ready, you feel like you can last forever."

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When it comes to cardio, though, Elba likes to pick up a skipping rope.

"My favorite way to break a sweat is skipping," he said in an interview with People. "I like to skip. Ten minutes of skipping is a lot of work, believe it or not. Your whole body’s going and you break a sweat very quickly."

But he also enjoys mixing it up every now and then.

"I try to fit in workouts whenever I can," he told Men's Health, saying that he likes everything from running to swimming to 100 push-ups in one sitting.

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As for dieting, Elba isn't a big fan. He says he eats well, doing his best to have a balanced mix of foods - but there's no way he's willing to give up carbs. In fact, he's even admitted that he loves to indulge in chocolate on a fairly regular basis.

When you work out as much as he does, though, you probably needs the fuel!

Of course, nobody can match up to Idris Elba when it comes to all-round sexiness; but, if you want to be in with a shot of even coming close, get your kickboxing gear - you've got a lot of work to do.

'Sexiest man alive' Idris Elba reveals how he stays in such phenomenal shape