Jonathan Bailey’s Childhood Best Friend Kit Buchan Recalls Reaction to Actor's Sexiest Man Alive Cover (Exclusive)

Raven BrunnerWed, June 3, 2026 at 6:35 PM UTC

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Kit Buchan; Jonathan Bailey's SMA cover.
Credit: Kristina Bumphrey/Variety via Getty; Jason Hetherington -

Kit Buchan tells PEOPLE about how he reacted to his childhood best friend Jonathan Bailey's PEOPLE's Sexiest Man Alive cover

"It's funny to think of my friend at 14 becoming the Sexiest Man Alive,” the British writer says

Buchan and Jim Barne received Tony nominations for Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)

Kit Buchan and Jonathan Bailey go way back.

Long before fame, Buchan and Bailey were childhood best friends who bonded over musicals. More recently, the Wicked star showed his support for the Broadway writer at the opening night of his musical, Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York), at New York City's Longacre Theatre in November 2025.

Now, Buchan and his co-creator Jim Barne have received Tony Award nominations for their work writing the book and original score for the musical, which follows a romance that blossoms between an unexpected pair.

But for all his success, Buchan says Bailey still has one thing he'll never be able to top: being named PEOPLE's Sexiest Man Alive.

Jonathan Bailey's SMA cover.
Credit: Jason Hetherington

Buchan still laughs when he recalls learning his childhood friend had been chosen for the annual honor.

“I told him, ‘If you're the Sexiest Man Alive, I'd be the Sexist Man Deceased,' " Buchan recalls, while speaking with PEOPLE at the 2026 Tony Awards 'Meet the Nominees' event on Thursday, May 14.

“It was so funny because he and I knew each other when we were little kids," Buchan continues. "It's funny to think of my friend at 14 becoming the Sexiest Man Alive. But I've always thought he was the Sexiest Man Alive."

Jonathan Bailey and Kit Buchan at the opening night of ‘Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)’ at The Edison Ballroom on Nov. 20, 2025 in New York City.
Credit: Bruce Glikas/WireImage

Recalling the early days of their friendship, Buchan says he and Bailey “very much” bonded over musical theater.

“He has been in so many shows in London. He's a workhorse,” the writer says, adding that Bailey also has extensive musical theater knowledge. “If you ever want to ask somebody like, ‘Oh, who was in the original cast of this?’ He knows cast recordings back to front. He's incredible.”

Around the time of Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)'s Broadway opening, Bailey was joined by Buchan on Late Night with Seth Meyers and discussed their friendship.

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"I couldn't be prouder," the actor said at the time. "We grew up together, we spent our teenage years together. He took me to see Wicked for the first time and his brother illegally downloaded the original cast recording. So it's just the most unbelievable thing."

Sam Tutty and Christiani Pitts in 'Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)' on Broadway
Credit: Matthew Murphy

Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) made its way to the Main Stem after a 2024 run in London’s West End. The production earned a total of eight Tony nominations, including Best Musical and acting nods for its stars, Christiani Pitts and Sam Tutty.

Buchan and Barne never dreamed of the show's success.

“We didn't even know it would come to New York. We didn't know it would come to America. We didn't expect anything!” Buchan admits to PEOPLE.

The prospect of Tony recognition ultimately left Buchan and Barne thinking less about his own achievement and more about the company that brought the musical to life. “Once we knew that there was a chance of the show being nominated for the Tonys, we realized we wanted all of our friends and colleagues to be recognized," Buchan says. "I'm just dazzled by them. Without them, none of it would have happened.”

Kit Buchan and Jim Barne at the 79th Annual Tony Awards 'Meet the Nominees' event in New York City on May 14, 2026.
Credit: Jemal Countess/Getty

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He remembers feeling a “huge relief” when the nominations were finally announced.

“We were together, luckily. So we were able to sort of calm each other down a bit,” Barne adds of the special moment. “It was really moving. We love Sam and Christiani so much. We're so aware of what we're asking them to do every night. To see their work recognized in this way was incredibly moving."

Tickets for Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) are now on sale. The 2026 Tony Awards will take place at Radio City Music Hall on Sunday, June 7. The show will be broadcast live to both coasts on CBS beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, and will stream on Paramount+.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”