Jack Whitehall
Encyclopedia
Jack Peter Benedict Whitehall (born 7 July 1988) is an English comedian, television presenter and actor, best known for hosting the E4 show Big Brother's Big Mouth in 2008, Celebrity Big Brother
's Big Mouth in January 2009, and the Channel 4
topical entertainment show the TNT Show.
, London, to actress Hilary Amanda Jane (née
Isbister) and Michael John Whitehall. His father was an agent for Judi Dench
, Colin Firth
and Richard Griffiths
, and wrote the memoir, Shark-Infested Waters. Whitehall has a sister, Molly Louisa (born 1989) and a brother, Barnaby William (born 1992). His godfather is the actor Nigel Havers
. He attended the Harrodian School
in London
, where he was a fellow pupil with Twilight Saga star Robert Pattinson
. He has made jokes about this, often mentioning that he resented Pattinson for taking all the best acting roles in the school plays, and going so far as to claim that he "used to sit next to him", which is unlikely given their age difference. He went on to attend The Dragon School in Oxford
and then Marlborough College
, an independent school
in Wiltshire
. Whitehall took a gap year where he decided to pursue a career in stand-up comedy. He attended the University of Manchester
to study History of Art, but did not graduate. Whilst at the university he lived in the Owens Park
Tower.
He is a supporter of Arsenal F.C.
. He has stated that his comedy hero is Jack Dee
, having briefly met him as a teenager.
, returning in August to host the twelfth week. In September and November, Whitehall made his first and second of many appearances on Channel 4
's 8 Out of 10 Cats
. In January 2009, he hosted Celebrity Big Brother
's Big Mouth, during which he appeared on The Sunday Night Project
, followed on 5 June by his third appearance on 8 Out of 10 Cats. In June 2009 Whitehall co-hosted the satirical TNT Show with Holly Walsh
on Channel 4. In August, he appeared on Charlie Brooker
's Channel 4 panel show You Have Been Watching
, followed in September by his first appearance on Would I Lie to You?
. He made his first of many appearances on BBC Two
satirical panel show Mock the Week
, and in October, he guest-presented an episode of Never Mind the Buzzcocks
.
In January 2010, Whitehall made his fourth appearance in 8 Out of 10 Cats, followed in February by his second appearance on Mock the Week, and a first appearance Argumental
on Dave. In April, he featured on Channel 4's Comedy Gala
, a benefit show held in aid of Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital
, which had been filmed live at the O2 Arena
in London in March. In April, he appeared on James Corden
's sport show A League of Their Own
, and on 11 June made his fifth appearance on 8 Out of 10 Cats, followed in June by his third appearance on Mock the Week. In June and July 2010, Whitehall was a regular performer on the first series of Channel 4's Stand Up for the Week
alongside Andi Osho
, Kevin Bridges
, Rich Hall
and host Patrick Kielty
. In September he made his sixth appearance on 8 Out of 10 Cats, and in September and October, his fourth and fifth appearances on Mock the Week. In October, he appeared on a second episode of Argumental, and he honoured Big Brother
host Davina McCall
on the Channel 4 show A Comedy Roast. In October, he headlined the second episode of Dave's One Night Stand
, followed by his second appearance on A League of Their Own, and on 1 November he appeared on Ask Rhod Gilbert
. In December, he appeared on The Royal Variety Performance 2010, and in December he appeared on the sixth series of Live at the Apollo, which had been filmed on 27 September.
In February 2011, Whitehall was featured on Comedy Central Presents
Jack Whitehall in the United States. In March, he appeared on the BBC football programme Final Score
, reporting on Arsenal
's 0-0 draw with Sunderland
at the Emirates Stadium
. From March until May, Whitehall returned as a regular performer for the second series of Channel 4's Stand Up for the Week together with Andi Osho, Kevin Bridges and Rich Hall, joined for the new series by Jon Richardson
. In March, Whitehall and Bridges presented Jack and Kevin's Comic Relief Lock-In, which took the Comic Relief
show through to the early hours of the morning with a selection of the best comedy clips of the last couple of years. In May 2011, he made his début appearance on a U.S. chatshow, interviewed by Ellen DeGeneres
, on The Ellen DeGeneres Show
. In June, Whitehall featured on the second annual Channel 4's Comedy Gala
, which had been filmed in May. In June, he made a seventh appearance on 8 Out of 10 Cats.
In July 2011, Whitehall appeared alongside Lorraine Kelly
on the Channel 4 show King Of...
, presented by Claudia Winkleman
. In July 2011, he made a sixth appearance on Mock the Week, and he appeared on the British version of The Marriage Ref
with Jack Dee
and Katherine Kelly
. He was a guest on the Channel 4 show Chris Moyles' Quiz Night
, presented by BBC Radio 1
DJ Chris Moyles
, and in September made his second appearance on Would I Lie to You?. Whitehall made his acting début on the first episode of Channel 4 comedy drama Fresh Meat, from the creators of Peep Show
. The series, in which he co-stars alongside Joe Thomas
, is set to run until November 2011. In September, he and his father Michael appeared on The Million Pound Drop Live, hosted by Davina McCall.
competition, a finalist in So You Think You're Funny?, and winner of the Charlie Harthill Special Reserve in the same year. He was also nominated for 'Best Newcomer' in the 2008 Chortle Awards
, and was a finalist in the Hackney Empire New Act of the Year
.
In August 2009, Whitehall performed his first solo stand-up show, Nearly Rebellious, at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The same year, he was nominated for 'Best Newcomer' at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards.
On 30 March 2010, Whitehall took part in Channel 4's Comedy Gala
, a benefit show
held in aid of Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital
, filmed live at the O2 Arena
in London and broadcast on 5 April. Whitehall then appeared at the Montreal Just for Laughs
comedy festival in July, and returned to the Edinburgh Fringe in August with his second solo show, entitled Learning Difficulties. On 27 September, Whitehall appeared at the HMV Hammersmith Apollo in front of a full audience for a recording of the sixth series of Live at the Apollo, which aired on 17 December. Also in 2010, he was picked out by Variety Magazine as one of their prestigious ten stars of the future.
In January 2011, Whitehall was nominated by the British Comedy Awards
for 'Best Comedy Breakthrough Artist'. On March 12, he set a new Guinness World Records
title together with Dara Ó Briain
and Jon Richardson
, for hosting the 'Highest stand up comedy gig in the world', on a British Airways
flight in support of Comic Relief
. On 24 May, Whitehall took part in the second annual Channel 4's Comedy Gala
, which aired on 10 June.
In August 2011, Whitehall performed two shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. His third solo stand-up show in succession, Let's Not Speak of This Again, was completely sold out. He also performed a series of four stand-up shows with his father Michael Whitehall, called "Back Chat", that was also completely sold out. Both received very favourable reviews.
In November 2011, Whitehall performed two sell out solo shows at the Hammersmith Apollo. These shows completed his debut national tour 'Let's Not Speak of This Again. Both shows again received highly favourable reviews.
's stand-up routines for his critically acclaimed Nearly Rebellious show. Lee had performed the joke, which deals with the subject of life after walking in space, at the Montreal
Just for Laughs
comedy festival in the 1990s, and was filmed for TV by The Comedy Network
. When Whitehall recited his version of the routine at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2009, he was described by an otherwise favourable review for Metro
as "repeating" Lee's sketch "almost verbatim". When Lee became aware of the situation, he asked his webmaster
to post YouTube
clips of the two performances in the "Plagiarist's Corner" section of his official website without commentary, letting the audience draw their own conclusions. Shortly after, all available clips of Whitehall's performance were swiftly removed from YouTube by Whitehall's legal representatives at Chambers Management. Lee later revealed that he never saw the clip of Whitehall before it was removed.
On 20 October 2009, Robbie Williams
was accused of stealing one of Whitehall's jokes in his much-publicised 'comeback' performance as part of the BBC
's electric proms at the Camden Roundhouse. When Whitehall originally performed the one-liner, which plays on the phrase "to look down on someone", it was voted the fifth best joke of the year's Edinburgh Fringe in a poll conducted by TV channel Dave.
On 20 June 2010, a photograph of Whitehall appeared in the News of the World
, purportedly showing him in possession of cocaine
in Manchester
. He quickly issued an apology for his behaviour, but did not confirm or deny the allegations. Later that same week, Whitehall appeared on the debut episode of Stand Up for the Week
alongside fellow comedian Patrick Kielty
, who took the opportunity to mockingly refer to the article.
Celebrity Big Brother 2009 (UK)
Celebrity Big Brother 2009 was the sixth series of Celebrity Big Brother. It began on 2 January 2009 and ran for 22 days until 23 January 2009. It was broadcast on Channel 4. The launch show was watched by approximately 6.4 million people...
's Big Mouth in January 2009, and the Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
topical entertainment show the TNT Show.
Early life
Whitehall was born in WestminsterCity of Westminster
The City of Westminster is a London borough occupying much of the central area of London, England, including most of the West End. It is located to the west of and adjoining the ancient City of London, directly to the east of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and its southern boundary...
, London, to actress Hilary Amanda Jane (née
Married and maiden names
A married name is the family name adopted by a person upon marriage. When a person assumes the family name of her spouse, the new name replaces the maiden name....
Isbister) and Michael John Whitehall. His father was an agent for Judi Dench
Judi Dench
Dame Judith Olivia "Judi" Dench, CH, DBE, FRSA is an English film, stage and television actress.Dench made her professional debut in 1957 with the Old Vic Company. Over the following few years she played in several of William Shakespeare's plays in such roles as Ophelia in Hamlet, Juliet in Romeo...
, Colin Firth
Colin Firth
SirColin Andrew Firth, CBE is a British film, television, and theatre actor. Firth gained wide public attention in the 1990s for his portrayal of Mr. Darcy in the 1995 television adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice...
and Richard Griffiths
Richard Griffiths
Richard Griffiths, OBE is an English actor of stage, film and television. He has received the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor, the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play, the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Featured Actor and a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor...
, and wrote the memoir, Shark-Infested Waters. Whitehall has a sister, Molly Louisa (born 1989) and a brother, Barnaby William (born 1992). His godfather is the actor Nigel Havers
Nigel Havers
Nigel Allan Havers is an English actor. He is probably best known for his BAFTA-nominated role as Lord Andrew Lindsay in the 1981 British film Chariots of Fire, and for his role as Dr. Tom Latimer in the British TV comedy series Don't Wait Up...
. He attended the Harrodian School
The Harrodian School
The Harrodian School is an independent day school in Barnes, Southwest London. Formerly the site of Harrods Sports Club, the original premises has been extended and converted for educational purposes...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, where he was a fellow pupil with Twilight Saga star Robert Pattinson
Robert Pattinson
Robert Douglas Thomas Pattinson is an English actor, model, musician, and producer. Born and raised in London, Pattinson started out his career by playing the role of Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire...
. He has made jokes about this, often mentioning that he resented Pattinson for taking all the best acting roles in the school plays, and going so far as to claim that he "used to sit next to him", which is unlikely given their age difference. He went on to attend The Dragon School in Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
and then Marlborough College
Marlborough College
Marlborough College is a British co-educational independent school for day and boarding pupils, located in Marlborough, Wiltshire.Founded in 1843 for the education of the sons of Church of England clergy, the school now accepts both boys and girls of all beliefs. Currently there are just over 800...
, an independent school
Independent school (UK)
An independent school is a school that is not financed through the taxation system by local or national government and is instead funded by private sources, predominantly in the form of tuition charges, gifts and long-term charitable endowments, and so is not subject to the conditions imposed by...
in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
. Whitehall took a gap year where he decided to pursue a career in stand-up comedy. He attended the University of Manchester
University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
to study History of Art, but did not graduate. Whilst at the university he lived in the Owens Park
Owens Park
Owens Park is a large hall of residence which is located in the Fallowfield district of the city of Manchester, England. The hall is owned by the University of Manchester and houses 1,056 students....
Tower.
He is a supporter of Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
. He has stated that his comedy hero is Jack Dee
Jack Dee
James Andrew Innes "Jack" Dee is an English stand-up comedian, actor and writer known for his sardonic, curmudgeonly, and deadpan style.-Early life:...
, having briefly met him as a teenager.
Television career
In June 2008, Whitehall presented the first week of Big Brother's Big Mouth on E4E4
E4, E.IV or E-4 may refer to:In entertainment:* E4 , a digital television channel in the United Kingdom and Ireland* Every Extend Extra Extreme a video game from Q Entertainment* Entertainment for All video game expo...
, returning in August to host the twelfth week. In September and November, Whitehall made his first and second of many appearances on Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
's 8 Out of 10 Cats
8 Out of 10 Cats
8 out of 10 Cats is a television comedy panel game made by Zeppotron for Channel 4. It was first broadcast on 3 June 2005. The show is based on statistics and opinion polls, and draws on polls produced by a variety of organizations and new polls commissioned for the programme, carried out by...
. In January 2009, he hosted Celebrity Big Brother
Celebrity Big Brother 2009 (UK)
Celebrity Big Brother 2009 was the sixth series of Celebrity Big Brother. It began on 2 January 2009 and ran for 22 days until 23 January 2009. It was broadcast on Channel 4. The launch show was watched by approximately 6.4 million people...
's Big Mouth, during which he appeared on The Sunday Night Project
The Sunday Night Project
The Sunday Night Project was a British comedy-variety show by Princess Productions that first aired on Channel 4 in February 2005 under the title The Friday Night Project...
, followed on 5 June by his third appearance on 8 Out of 10 Cats. In June 2009 Whitehall co-hosted the satirical TNT Show with Holly Walsh
Holly Walsh
Holly Walsh is an English comedian and comedy writer from Guildford in Surrey, known mainly for her work on TV and radio in the UK.- Early life :...
on Channel 4. In August, he appeared on Charlie Brooker
Charlie Brooker
Charlton "Charlie" Brooker is a British journalist, comic writer and broadcaster. His style of humour is savage and profane, with surreal elements and a consistent satirical pessimism...
's Channel 4 panel show You Have Been Watching
You Have Been Watching
You Have Been Watching is a British comedy panel game presented by Charlie Brooker, produced by Zeppotron for Channel 4 and filmed at BBC Television Centre and Riverside Studios in London. It first aired on Tuesday 7 July 2009, for a weekly eight-episode run...
, followed in September by his first appearance on Would I Lie to You?
Would I Lie To You? (TV series)
Would I Lie to You? is a comedy panel game made by Zeppotron for BBC One. It was first broadcast on 16 June 2007.-Format:The show was presented by Angus Deayton in 2007 and 2008, and by Rob Brydon from 2009 onwards...
. He made his first of many appearances on BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
satirical panel show Mock the Week
Mock the Week
Mock the Week is a British topical celebrity panel game hosted by Dara Ó Briain that launched in 2005. The game is influenced by improvised topical stand-up comedy, with several rounds requiring players to deliver answers on unexpected subjects on the spur of the moment.It is made by independent...
, and in October, he guest-presented an episode of Never Mind the Buzzcocks
Never Mind the Buzzcocks
Never Mind the Buzzcocks is a comedy panel game television show with a pop music theme, currently without a permanent presenter. It stars Phill Jupitus and Noel Fielding as team captains. The show is produced by Talkback Thames for the BBC, and is usually aired on BBC Two...
.
In January 2010, Whitehall made his fourth appearance in 8 Out of 10 Cats, followed in February by his second appearance on Mock the Week, and a first appearance Argumental
Argumental
Argumental is a British improvised comedy panel game in which two teams captained by Robert Webb and Seann Walsh debate and argue on various topics. Sean Lock hosts the game. It is made by independent production company Tiger Aspect Productions for Dave and made its debut on 27 October 2008...
on Dave. In April, he featured on Channel 4's Comedy Gala
Channel 4's Comedy Gala (2010)
Channel 4's Comedy Gala of 2010 was a British stand-up comedy benefit show organised by Channel 4. It was the inaugural Channel 4 Comedy Gala, an annual charity event held O2 Arena in London in aid of Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital. Filmed live on 30 March 2010, a two and a half hour...
, a benefit show held in aid of Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital
Great Ormond Street Hospital
Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children is a children's hospital located in London, United Kingdom...
, which had been filmed live at the O2 Arena
The O2 arena (London)
The O2 Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in the centre of The O2, a large entertainment complex on the Greenwich peninsula in London, England.With a capacity of up to 20,000 depending on the event, it is second largest...
in London in March. In April, he appeared on James Corden
James Corden
James Kimberley Corden is an English actor, television writer, producer and presenter. He is co-creator and star of BBC comedy shows Gavin & Stacey and Horne & Corden, and acted in the 2009 film Lesbian Vampire Killers....
's sport show A League of Their Own
A League of Their Own (game show)
A League of Their Own is a comedy panel game that was first broadcast on Sky1 on 11 March 2010. It is hosted by Gavin and Stacey star James Corden and features Andrew Flintoff and Jamie Redknapp as team captains and Georgie Thompson and John Bishop as regular panellists, alongside two weekly...
, and on 11 June made his fifth appearance on 8 Out of 10 Cats, followed in June by his third appearance on Mock the Week. In June and July 2010, Whitehall was a regular performer on the first series of Channel 4's Stand Up for the Week
Stand Up for the Week
Stand Up for the Week is a British television comedy series shown on Channel 4, featuring stand-up comedy performances reflecting topical events. The show began in June 2010 with a six-episode series aired on Friday nights, moving to Saturday nights for the second series which began in March 2011...
alongside Andi Osho
Andi Osho
Andi Osho is a British comedian and actress.In an interview for BBC Radio 4 Extra's 'MacAuley & Co' in 2011 at the Edinburgh Festival, Broadcast on August 16th 2011; Osho confirmed her age to be 38 on several occasions....
, Kevin Bridges
Kevin Bridges
Kevin Bridges is a Scottish stand-up comedian.-Stand-up:Bridges began performing on the small stage when he left school shortly after his 17th birthday, doing stand-up comedy gigs at The Stand Comedy Club in Glasgow and then throughout the UK. At 18 he reached the final of Channel 5's So you think...
, Rich Hall
Rich Hall
Richard "Rich" Hall is an American comedian, writer and musician.-Early life and career:Hall was born in Alexandria, Virginia and grew up in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. He is part Cherokee Indian...
and host Patrick Kielty
Patrick Kielty
Patrick Kielty is an Irish comedian and television personality from Dundrum, Northern Ireland.-Background:He was affected by The Troubles in Northern Ireland. On 25 January 1988 his father, businessman Jack Kielty, was shot dead by the Ulster Defence Association /"Ulster Freedom Fighters" , a...
. In September he made his sixth appearance on 8 Out of 10 Cats, and in September and October, his fourth and fifth appearances on Mock the Week. In October, he appeared on a second episode of Argumental, and he honoured Big Brother
Big Brother (UK)
Big Brother UK is the British version of the Dutch Big Brother television format, which takes its name from the character in George Orwell's 1948 novel Nineteen Eighty-Four...
host Davina McCall
Davina McCall
Davina McCall is an English television presenter and actress, most notable as the presenter of the UK version of Big Brother up until its move to Channel 5.- Early life :...
on the Channel 4 show A Comedy Roast. In October, he headlined the second episode of Dave's One Night Stand
Dave's One Night Stand
-External links:* at Dave's official website...
, followed by his second appearance on A League of Their Own, and on 1 November he appeared on Ask Rhod Gilbert
Ask Rhod Gilbert
-External links:*List of at TV.com*List of...
. In December, he appeared on The Royal Variety Performance 2010, and in December he appeared on the sixth series of Live at the Apollo, which had been filmed on 27 September.
In February 2011, Whitehall was featured on Comedy Central Presents
Comedy Central Presents
Comedy Central Presents is a half-hour long stand-up show that features various stand-up comedians in each episode.-DVDs:Starting in 2008, Comedy Central started releasing "Best of" compilation DVDs, with uncensored audio...
Jack Whitehall in the United States. In March, he appeared on the BBC football programme Final Score
Final Score
Final Score is a BBC TV programme produced by BBC Sport. The programme is broadcast on late Saturday afternoons in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, usually on BBC ONE. BBC Northern Ireland opts away during the last ten minutes to cover local results, BBC Scotland runs a different programme...
, reporting on Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
's 0-0 draw with Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
at the Emirates Stadium
Emirates Stadium
Ashburton Grove, currently known as the Emirates Stadium, is a UEFA elite football stadium which is home to Arsenal FC, where they moved from Highbury in 2006. It has an current capacity of 60,361, and there have been rumours of an expansion...
. From March until May, Whitehall returned as a regular performer for the second series of Channel 4's Stand Up for the Week together with Andi Osho, Kevin Bridges and Rich Hall, joined for the new series by Jon Richardson
Jon Richardson
Jon Richardson is a professional footballer, who is currently playing for Worcester City. A central defender, he was originally a trainee at Exeter City, making his debut in 1994...
. In March, Whitehall and Bridges presented Jack and Kevin's Comic Relief Lock-In, which took the Comic Relief
Comic Relief
Comic Relief is an operating British charity, founded in 1985 by the comedy scriptwriter Richard Curtis and comedian Lenny Henry in response to famine in Ethiopia. The highlight of Comic Relief's appeal is Red Nose Day, a biennial telethon held in March, alternating with sister project Sport Relief...
show through to the early hours of the morning with a selection of the best comedy clips of the last couple of years. In May 2011, he made his début appearance on a U.S. chatshow, interviewed by Ellen DeGeneres
Ellen DeGeneres
Ellen Lee DeGeneres is an American stand-up comedienne, television host and actress. She hosts the syndicated talk show The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and was also a judge on American Idol for one year, having joined the show in its ninth season....
, on The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Ellen DeGeneres Show, often shortened to Ellen, is an American television talk show hosted by comedian/actress Ellen DeGeneres. Debuting on September 8, 2003, it is produced by Telepictures and airs in syndication, including stations owned by NBC Universal. For its first five seasons, the show...
. In June, Whitehall featured on the second annual Channel 4's Comedy Gala
Channel 4's Comedy Gala (2011)
-External links:* * * *...
, which had been filmed in May. In June, he made a seventh appearance on 8 Out of 10 Cats.
In July 2011, Whitehall appeared alongside Lorraine Kelly
Lorraine Kelly
Lorraine Kelly is a Scottish television presenter, journalist and actress, best known as a presenter for TV-am, and later GMTV and ITV Breakfast, on Lorraine.-Early life:...
on the Channel 4 show King Of...
King Of...
King Of... is a television comedy talk show made by Big Talk Productions for Channel 4. It was first broadcast on 17 June 2011 and is hosted by Claudia Winkleman. The show also has two celebrity guests and a studio audience...
, presented by Claudia Winkleman
Claudia Winkleman
Claudia Anne I. Winkleman is an English television presenter, film critic, radio personality and journalist.- Early life and family :...
. In July 2011, he made a sixth appearance on Mock the Week, and he appeared on the British version of The Marriage Ref
The Marriage Ref
The Marriage Ref is a TV reality show and panel game hosted by comedian Tom Papa and produced by Jerry Seinfeld, in which a rotating group of celebrities decides the winners of real-life marital disputes. The show premiered on NBC on Sunday, February 28, 2010 on the final night of the Olympics...
with Jack Dee
Jack Dee
James Andrew Innes "Jack" Dee is an English stand-up comedian, actor and writer known for his sardonic, curmudgeonly, and deadpan style.-Early life:...
and Katherine Kelly
Katherine Kelly (actress)
Katherine Kelly, is a British actress and recording artist who is most well known for playing Becky McDonald in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street. She has also starred in the film Mischief Night.-Early life and career:...
. He was a guest on the Channel 4 show Chris Moyles' Quiz Night
Chris Moyles' Quiz Night
Chris Moyles' Quiz Night is a British television comedy game show, presented by Chris Moyles. It was first broadcast on 22 March 2009 and is in its fifth series....
, presented by BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
DJ Chris Moyles
Chris Moyles
Christopher David Moyles is an English radio and television presenter and author, who currently presents The Chris Moyles Show on BBC Radio 1 and Chris Moyles' Quiz Night on Channel 4....
, and in September made his second appearance on Would I Lie to You?. Whitehall made his acting début on the first episode of Channel 4 comedy drama Fresh Meat, from the creators of Peep Show
Peep Show (TV series)
Peep Show is a British sitcom starring David Mitchell and Robert Webb. The television programme is written by Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain, with additional material by Mitchell and Webb themselves, amongst others. It has been broadcast on Channel 4 since 2003. The show's seventh series makes it...
. The series, in which he co-stars alongside Joe Thomas
Joe Thomas (actor)
Joseph "Joe" Thomas is an English actor perhaps best known for his role as Simon Cooper in the E4's comedy The Inbetweeners...
, is set to run until November 2011. In September, he and his father Michael appeared on The Million Pound Drop Live, hosted by Davina McCall.
Stand-up comedy
Whitehall started stand up comedy performing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe at the Pleasance Theatre's Comedy Reserve showcase. He had previously taken a sketch show to the Fringe called Comic Abuse. Whitehall won the Amused Moose Laugh Off 2007, and was runner-up in the Laughing Horse New Act of The YearLaughing Horse New Act of The Year
The Laughing Horse New Act of The Year is an annual competition, running since 2001, to find the best new stand-up comedy act in the UK.The current holder is Adam Belbin, who won the allocade on the 29 May 2011.-2011:* Adam Belbin - winner...
competition, a finalist in So You Think You're Funny?, and winner of the Charlie Harthill Special Reserve in the same year. He was also nominated for 'Best Newcomer' in the 2008 Chortle Awards
Chortle Awards
The Chortle awards were set up in 2002 by the comedy website Chortle to honour the best of established stand-up comics currently working in the UK....
, and was a finalist in the Hackney Empire New Act of the Year
Hackney Empire New Act of the Year
The Hackney Empire New Act of the Year was a long-running annual competition that ran at the Hackney Empire theatre in London in order to encourage, discover and promote new stand-up comedy and New Variety talent...
.
In August 2009, Whitehall performed his first solo stand-up show, Nearly Rebellious, at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The same year, he was nominated for 'Best Newcomer' at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards.
On 30 March 2010, Whitehall took part in Channel 4's Comedy Gala
Channel 4's Comedy Gala (2010)
Channel 4's Comedy Gala of 2010 was a British stand-up comedy benefit show organised by Channel 4. It was the inaugural Channel 4 Comedy Gala, an annual charity event held O2 Arena in London in aid of Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital. Filmed live on 30 March 2010, a two and a half hour...
, a benefit show
Benefit concert
A benefit concert or charity concert is a concert, show or gala featuring musicians, comedians, or other performers that is held for a charitable purpose, often directed at a specific and immediate humanitarian crisis. Such events raise both funds and public awareness to address the cause at...
held in aid of Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital
Great Ormond Street Hospital
Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children is a children's hospital located in London, United Kingdom...
, filmed live at the O2 Arena
The O2 arena (London)
The O2 Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in the centre of The O2, a large entertainment complex on the Greenwich peninsula in London, England.With a capacity of up to 20,000 depending on the event, it is second largest...
in London and broadcast on 5 April. Whitehall then appeared at the Montreal Just for Laughs
Just for Laughs
Just for Laughs is a comedy festival held each July in Montreal, Quebec, founded in 1983. It is the largest international comedy festival in the world.- Information :...
comedy festival in July, and returned to the Edinburgh Fringe in August with his second solo show, entitled Learning Difficulties. On 27 September, Whitehall appeared at the HMV Hammersmith Apollo in front of a full audience for a recording of the sixth series of Live at the Apollo, which aired on 17 December. Also in 2010, he was picked out by Variety Magazine as one of their prestigious ten stars of the future.
In January 2011, Whitehall was nominated by the British Comedy Awards
British Comedy Awards
The British Comedy Awards is an annual awards ceremony in the United Kingdom celebrating notable comedians and entertainment performances of the previous year.-History:...
for 'Best Comedy Breakthrough Artist'. On March 12, he set a new Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
title together with Dara Ó Briain
Dara Ó Briain
Dara Ó Briain is an Irish stand-up comedian and television presenter, noted for hosting topical panel shows such as The Panel and Mock the Week....
and Jon Richardson
Jon Richardson
Jon Richardson is a professional footballer, who is currently playing for Worcester City. A central defender, he was originally a trainee at Exeter City, making his debut in 1994...
, for hosting the 'Highest stand up comedy gig in the world', on a British Airways
British Airways
British Airways is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, based in Waterside, near its main hub at London Heathrow Airport. British Airways is the largest airline in the UK based on fleet size, international flights and international destinations...
flight in support of Comic Relief
Comic Relief
Comic Relief is an operating British charity, founded in 1985 by the comedy scriptwriter Richard Curtis and comedian Lenny Henry in response to famine in Ethiopia. The highlight of Comic Relief's appeal is Red Nose Day, a biennial telethon held in March, alternating with sister project Sport Relief...
. On 24 May, Whitehall took part in the second annual Channel 4's Comedy Gala
Channel 4's Comedy Gala (2011)
-External links:* * * *...
, which aired on 10 June.
In August 2011, Whitehall performed two shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. His third solo stand-up show in succession, Let's Not Speak of This Again, was completely sold out. He also performed a series of four stand-up shows with his father Michael Whitehall, called "Back Chat", that was also completely sold out. Both received very favourable reviews.
In November 2011, Whitehall performed two sell out solo shows at the Hammersmith Apollo. These shows completed his debut national tour 'Let's Not Speak of This Again. Both shows again received highly favourable reviews.
Controversy
In September 2009, Whitehall was accused of stealing one of Stewart LeeStewart Lee
Stewart Lee is an English stand-up comedian, writer and director known for being one half of the 1990s comedy duo Lee and Herring, and for co-writing and directing the critically acclaimed and controversial stage show Jerry Springer - The Opera...
's stand-up routines for his critically acclaimed Nearly Rebellious show. Lee had performed the joke, which deals with the subject of life after walking in space, at the Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
Just for Laughs
Just for Laughs
Just for Laughs is a comedy festival held each July in Montreal, Quebec, founded in 1983. It is the largest international comedy festival in the world.- Information :...
comedy festival in the 1990s, and was filmed for TV by The Comedy Network
The Comedy Network
The Comedy Network a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media specializing in comedy programming.The channel operates two time shifted feeds, East and West ....
. When Whitehall recited his version of the routine at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2009, he was described by an otherwise favourable review for Metro
Metro (Associated Metro Limited)
Metro is a free daily newspaper in the United Kingdom published by Associated Newspapers Ltd . It is available from Monday to Friday each week on many public transport services across the United Kingdom.-History:The paper was launched in London in 1999, and can now be found in 14 UK urban centres...
as "repeating" Lee's sketch "almost verbatim". When Lee became aware of the situation, he asked his webmaster
Webmaster
A webmaster , also called a web architect, web developer, site author, or website administrator is a person responsible for maintaining one or many websites...
to post YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
clips of the two performances in the "Plagiarist's Corner" section of his official website without commentary, letting the audience draw their own conclusions. Shortly after, all available clips of Whitehall's performance were swiftly removed from YouTube by Whitehall's legal representatives at Chambers Management. Lee later revealed that he never saw the clip of Whitehall before it was removed.
On 20 October 2009, Robbie Williams
Robbie Williams
Robert Peter "Robbie" Williams is an English singer-songwriter, vocal coach and occasional actor. He is a member of the pop group Take That. Williams rose to fame in the band's first run in the early- to mid-1990s. After many disagreements with the management and certain group members, Williams...
was accused of stealing one of Whitehall's jokes in his much-publicised 'comeback' performance as part of the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's electric proms at the Camden Roundhouse. When Whitehall originally performed the one-liner, which plays on the phrase "to look down on someone", it was voted the fifth best joke of the year's Edinburgh Fringe in a poll conducted by TV channel Dave.
On 20 June 2010, a photograph of Whitehall appeared in the News of the World
News of the World
The News of the World was a national red top newspaper published in the United Kingdom from 1843 to 2011. It was at one time the biggest selling English language newspaper in the world, and at closure still had one of the highest English language circulations...
, purportedly showing him in possession of cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. He quickly issued an apology for his behaviour, but did not confirm or deny the allegations. Later that same week, Whitehall appeared on the debut episode of Stand Up for the Week
Stand Up for the Week
Stand Up for the Week is a British television comedy series shown on Channel 4, featuring stand-up comedy performances reflecting topical events. The show began in June 2010 with a six-episode series aired on Friday nights, moving to Saturday nights for the second series which began in March 2011...
alongside fellow comedian Patrick Kielty
Patrick Kielty
Patrick Kielty is an Irish comedian and television personality from Dundrum, Northern Ireland.-Background:He was affected by The Troubles in Northern Ireland. On 25 January 1988 his father, businessman Jack Kielty, was shot dead by the Ulster Defence Association /"Ulster Freedom Fighters" , a...
, who took the opportunity to mockingly refer to the article.
Awards
- Nominee: Best Male Comedy Breakthrough Artist 2011, British Comedy Awards 2011
- Nominee: Best Newcomer, Edinburgh Comedy Awards 2009
- Nominee: Chortle Best Newcomer 2008
- Finalist: Hackney Empire New Act 2008
- Winner: Amused Moose 2007
- Winner: Charlie Harthill Special Reserve 2007
- Finalist: So You Think You’re Funny? 2007
- Runner-up: Laughing Horse Final 2007