Chris Hemsworth has been named the Sexiest Man Alive of 2014.

The Australian actor and star of the Thor and Avengers movies takes the crown from Adam Levine, who won the People magazine honour last year.

Hunks Bradley Cooper, Ryan Reynolds, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Patrick Swayze, Sean Connery, Ben Affleck and Channing Tatum have previously been given the honour.

Channing Tatum
Channing Tatum previously won the title (PA)

Chris, who also starred as Formula One racer James Hunt in the Ron Howard-directed Rush and the Star Trek reboots, was unveiled as the winner on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

When asked who he wanted to thank, the actor gestured to his body and told the chat show host it was his parents “for putting this together”.

And he joked: “I learned everything there is about being sexy from Matt (Damon)”.

Previous winner George Clooney
George Clooney is another previous winner (PA)

Mel Gibson, another Australian, was the first to get the award in 1985.

Chris, the 31-year-old star of Thor: The Dark World, and his 38-year-old wife, Elsa Pataky have three children.

Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky
Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky (PA)

Chris told People that the award “bought me a couple of weeks of bragging rights” around the house and with his wife. “I can just say to her, ‘Now remember, this is what the people think, so I don’t need to do the dishes any more, I don’t need to change nappies. I’m above that. I’ve made it now’.”