Jack Whitehall's return to Soccer Aid after a decade-long absence looks set to be a sleep-deprived one, as he confessed he flew back to London from Budapest that morning after watching Arsenal's Champions League heartbreak. The comic, 37, admitted he'd stayed up until 3am 'crying and drinking' while rewatching the Gunners lose on penalties to Paris Saint-Germain.
Jack joined a string of celebrities and football legends in the tunnel ahead of the Soccer Aid match at the London Stadium, with host Dermot O'Leary telling viewers he was running on 'no sleep.' He told the presenter: 'Not great, I've just flown back from Budapest, I was up until 3am, on my own in the hotel room rewatching the penalty shoot, crying, drinking. But it's fine I'm here surrounded by United fans, Tottenham fans, I feel great!' Jack then pretended a weep at his beloved Gunners' loss, with Dermot briefly consoling him.
After making a whistlestop trip to Hungary for the match, Jack had shared snaps on Instagram, which included himself and his brothers drowning their sorrows after Arsenal's loss. After winning the Premier League last weekend and partying to celebrate securing their first title in 22 years, Arsenal faced off against the French team for the title. But it wasn't meant to be on the night as the title was won by PSG, who retained the trophy after a tense 1–1 draw. After neither side could find a winner in extra time, PSG prevailed in the shootout to secure back-to-back European titles.
This is the twentieth anniversary of the game, which has raised more than £121 million for UNICEF since the first match in 2006. Danny Dyer, Sam Thompson, Tom Hiddleston, Damson Idris, Usain Bolt, Jordan North, Joe Marler, Olly Murs, Big Zuu, Richard Gadd, Maisie Adam and Gladiator's Nitro will also show off their skills on the pitch.
Jack recently faced a roasting from singer Becky Hill, as she branded him a 'privately educated nepo baby' after she called him a 'Wetherspoons Whitney' at the BRIT Awards. Nepo baby Jack, who has hosted the BRITs six times, is the son of talent agent Michael Whitehall, 86, who has represented the likes of Dame Judi Dench, Daniel Day-Lewis and Colin Firth. After being educated at £60K-a-year Marlborough College alongside Robert Pattinson and future Princess of Wales Kate Middleton, Jack is said to have then gone on to work for his dad's former boss before launching his own showbiz career.
Debuting the track at an intimate gig earlier this week, she told the audience: 'I’ve had enough of all this s*** so I wrote about it. This song, I’m affectionately calling Wetherspoons Whitney, but you lot will know it as Daddy’s Range Rover. This one’s for you, Jack'. The lyrics read: 'Just ’cause your daddy worked in showbiz, got you a job with his old boss. I bet you didn’t even notice. The opportunities you got.' 'You judge me on my accent before I even start, but you know nothing about me. What can I do? I’ll never be like you' as reported by The Sun. Daily Mail contacted Jack Whitehall's representatives for comment.
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