Orlando singled out

TROY star Orlando Bloom is the hottest bachelor in the world, according to America’s People magazine. Irish bad boy movie star Colin Farrell also features on the magazine’s list of the world’s 50 most eligible men.

Bloom, the 27-year-old star of Troy and the Lord of the Rings movies is on the cover of the annual bachelor issue, which came out yesterday.

The actor, who grew up in Canterbury, southern England, has said he was "chubby" as a child and joked that he acts in films because it allows him to kiss beautiful women. His female co-stars describe him as "lovely and very friendly" and "a very good kisser". Bloom says he'd like to carve out a career for himself in the way Johnny Depp and Brad Pitt have.

"They created a heart-throb thing, then went against it," he says. "You kind of have to."

Farrell, 28, ranks alongside Ben Affleck and Tom Cruise in the magazine's fifth annual '50 Hottest Bachelors'.

Farrell had a humbling experience this week when he had to queue for a table at a Cape Town restaurant like other mere mortals, after staff failed to recognise him.

Farrell, who has been in Cape Town filming the movie Ask The Dust since April, could not get a table at the trendy Royale restaurant in Long Street on Saturday night.

Sporting his trademark beanie hat, scruffy jeans, jacket and trainers, it was no surprise that he blended in with the city crowd.

Farrell confidently strolled into the restaurant with friends at about 8.30pm, only to be stopped and told all the tables were taken.

A bemused Farrell was told to leave his mobile number on the blackboard so he could be contacted when a table was available.

The star did not write his cell number on the board and instead called over one of his aides to leave a number. Farrell seemed unfazed and left the restaurant to return an hour later.

He was later spotted happily munching his way through an ostrich burger and chips obviously enjoying traditional South African hospitality.

The other hot bachelors, in no particular order, included sports stars such as tennis player Andy Roddick, US racing drivers, 41-year-old astronaut Benjamin Alvin Drew, actor, Jake Gyllenhaal, the male cast members of the Fox drama The O.C.; reality TV stars including Colby Donaldson (Survivor) and Bill Rancic (The Apprentice); and athletes including Luke Walton of the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team.

Among the 50 Hottest Bachelors are:

Ben Affleck, 31.

Orlando Bloom, 27.

John Cho, 32 (American Beauty).

Tom Cruise, 41.

Colin Farrell, 28.

James Franco, 26 (Spider-Man 1 and 2)

Ryan Gosling, 23 (The Notebook)

Jake Gyllenhaal, 23 (The Day After Tomorrow).

Diego Luna, 24 (The Terminal).