George Clooney’s endorsement resurfaces as co-star is named Sexiest Man Alive ‘When I grow up, I want to be Noah Wyle’

George Clooney’s gushing comments about his former ER co-star Noah Wyle have resurfaced after The Pitt star is crowned Sexiest Man Alive.

The 55-year-old actor shot to fame in the mid 1990s after appearing as medical student John Carter - who later became Dr John Carter - on the long-running medical show ER alongside Clooney, who played Dr Doug Ross.

The show made huge stars of its cast, and also helped to earn Clooney the first of his two PEOPLE’s Sexiest Man Alive award in 1997, while he was still appearing in ER.

Clooney won it again in 2006, and has joked that he’d be happy to go for a third.

Fast forward a couple of decades and Wyle has now been given the same title, taking over from Brit heartthrob Jonathan Bailey.

The humble actor told PEOPLE that he initially thought the whole thing was a joke.

“I thought that sounded like a prank — just not in a million years did I think that this would be an honor bestowed on me,” he said.

George Clooney and Noah Wyle during their time on ER ( Vince Bucci/AFP via Getty Images)

But it seems that his long-time pal and former co-star was never in doubt.

The pair were reunited at the AARP Movies for Grownups Award earlier this year, where Wyle won an award for best TV actor for his role in The Pitt and Clooney made some pretty adorable comments about his mate.

The Hollywood star joked that AARP should do a Sexiest Man Still Alive award, adding: “I would nominate Noah Wyle as the first guy.”

Heaping even more praise on his friend, he continued: “I met Noah in 1993. He hadn’t worked a lot yet and we did this show called ER and it was this crazy hit. At one time we had 40 million people watching and I remember Noah going, ‘Is that good?’ I was like, ‘That’s good, that’ll never happen again.’

“He was wise beyond his years from the very beginning, from the very start. He was the kindest person I ever met. We became very dear friends very quickly, and remained that way.”

And the praise didn't stop there, with Clooney telling the crowd at the award's do: “I’m very proud to call him a friend, I’m also proud to call him a colleague. When I grow up, I want to be Noah Wyle.”

After being awarded PEOPLE’s Sexiest Man Alive award this year, Wyle was asked what his old co-star may think and replied: “I think he’ll be amused and feel, hopefully, like a proud papa, that I’ve come of gray-haired age.”

Clooney had plenty of praise for his former co-star earlier this year (Michael Kovac/Getty Images for AARP)

He also recalled that back in 1996, he and Clooney both graced the cover for PEOPLE’s Sexy Men of ER addition alongside their co-stars Eriq La Salle and Anthony Edwards.

“I remember that cover,” Wyle shared.

“I also believe I was one of [PEOPLE’s] 50 Most Beautiful People, and then, it all dried up. I was in this sort of, like, sexy wilderness. And then, somehow, I’ve come back full force.”

Wyle also shared that it was actually his wife Sara who encouraged him to accept the title.

“She thinks I’m a good guy and that the kind of person that I am and the kind of father I am, the kind of husband I am, is worth promoting,” he told PEOPLE. “I thought, ‘Okay, if you say so.’”

He also noted that she was pleased as it ‘reflects well on her taste’ - and it also appears to reflect just as well on Clooney’s opinion, eh?