AceShowbiz -

The rumors are true, Channing Tatum is People's choice of 2012's Sexiest Man Alive. Words got out earlier this month that the "Magic Mike" actor would follow the footsteps of Ryan Reynolds and Bradley Cooper who took the honor of Sexiest Man Alive in 2010 and 2011 respectively.

Tatum appeared on the cover of the magazine with his buffs on display. "My first thought was, 'Y'all are messing with me'," the 32-year-old actor said about being chosen to take this year's title. "I told [my wife] Jenna [Dewan] after we'd been in the bathtub washing our dogs because they'd gotten skunked. She was like, 'What?' "

He added, "Yeah, she calls me [the Sexiest Man Alive] now." Tatum has been married to Dewan since 2009. He admitted that he has started thinking about having kids with her. "I'm ready; I think she's ready," he said. "The first number that pops into my head is three, but I just want one to be healthy and then we'll see where we go after that." He continued, "It's really easy for us guys to say, 'I want like 15 kids'. Jenna will be like, 'Well you better get another wife!' "

Tatum stole attention earlier this year when he starred in stripper movie "Magic Mike". The actor, who started his career as a real-life stripper, told People that he likes to keep himself in shape. "I like to be lean. If I get too bulky I can't move well and I like to move," he said. "When I'm not training, I get really round and soft."

Dewan offered more insight than meets the eyes about her husband, saying, "People know him to be fun and sexy, but they don't know how emotionally deep and spiritually open he is. He is such an open-hearted person; what you see is what you get."