Hollywood star Paul Rudd has been crowned as People magazine's 'Sexiest Man Alive 2021'.
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"Well, all the speculation ends tonight, ladies and gentlemen, because it is my distinct honour to have been chosen by the good people at PEOPLE to be the official person to announce this year's Sexiest Man Alive," he added.
"And it is not a responsibility that I take lightly."
Colbert then took Rudd through a series of tests and assessments to ensure that the actor was properly suited to take the coveted 'Sexiest Man Alive' title.
On the show, Colbert cut to a previously recorded clip at the "LSSC Sexiness Research Institute," where Rudd enters for evaluation. "I think you have the wrong room," Colbert told Rudd, to which the actor replied: "That's what I'm here for."
Before analysing Rudd's mental and physical 'sexiness', Colbert swore the star in.
"I do solemnly swear to give the sexiest answers I can, to be a man and to stay alive," Rudd proclaimed.
"So help me McConaughey."
After his intellectual assessment, Colbert did a physical exam on Rudd, even running his fingers through the actor's full head of hair, before testing how sexy he could be in a rigorous photograph shoot, during which Rudd posed as a construction worker and a monk before finally pouring a gallon of water on himself wearing only a white T-shirt and jeans.
At the end of Rudd's extensive evaluation, Colbert finally delivered the news on whether or not the actor made the cut to be crowned People's Sexiest Man Alive.
"I just got the results back from the lab, and look...there's no easy way to say this, you tested negative for sexy. I'm sorry," Colbert told Rudd.
It was the actor's gracious reaction that secured him the title.
"Don't you see Paul? There's nothing sexier than humility," Colbert said.
"That was the last test — and you passed, Paul — you passed. You're sexy! Paul, you're the Sexiest Man Alive."
Rudd tells PEOPLE in this week's cover story he does "have an awareness, enough to know that when people hear that I'd be picked for this, they would say, 'What?'"
The actor's wife of 18 years, Julie, 53, was the only person he told ahead of time about his new title.