Jack Whitehall is known for his comedy but his life away from screens is also very colourful.
Set to take the stage again at the BRIT Awards 2025 as the host, Jack is renowned for his prowess in stand-up, acting, and presenting. Over the last decade, the UK has embraced him as a leading comic talent, having seen him appear in a plethora of comedy shows as well as several of his own Netflix specials and documentary series.
Notably, Jack's presence isn't new to the BRITs; he bagged the hosting gig from 2018 until 2021 and he's all set to make his comeback this year. But, how much do we really know about the 36-year-old's life away from fame?
Before becoming a household name, Jack dabbled in child acting and secured an early role as part of the presenting team for Big Brother's spin-off in 2008, Big Brother's Big Mouth. By the following year, he had claimed the helm of the show's celebrity edition.
Bursting onto television screens at the tender age of 21, Jack pivoted towards a successful career spanning stand-up and acting, bagging himself roles in acclaimed series like Fresh Meat and Bad Education. Nonetheless, Jack's journey hasn't been without setbacks. Despite failed auditions for blockbuster sagas such as Harry Potter and The Hobbit, where he notably auditioned for the lead role that ultimately went to Daniel Radcliffe, he's managed to carve an impressive path for himself.
Reflecting on his attempt to become the boy wizard, Jack joked: "I tried out for Harry Potter... but I didn't get past the first audition. I had read those books and I was a big fan."
Jack Whitehall always seemed destined for the limelight from his days at Tower House School in South West London, where he often missed out on leading roles in school plays to none other than heartthrob Robert Pattinson. In his stand-up, Jack explained: "When I was at school, I was a big fan of drama. I know, shock horror! But [I was] not the only fan of drama at my school, though."
He revealed that Pattinson was also a drama enthusiast, and shared: "The other guy that was really into drama at my school was a chap called Robert Pattinson. And every time there was a school play at my school, Robert Pattinson would get cast in the lead role and 'villager 17' would go to this guy [gesturing at himself]."
Jack's early brush with fame doesn't stop there – with the comedian revealing another juicy tidbit from his educational past, as he also attended Marlborough College, the same institution as Princess Catherine of Wales. On The Graham Norton Show, Jack spilled the beans: "I wasn't there at the same time, but I knew people who went out with her."
"I'm so envious. If I'd got with the Queen at school, I'd never shut up about that s*** for the rest of my life!" Before finding love with his now fiancé and baby mama Roxy Horner, Jack was linked to a series of famous women. In 2018 Jack was caught by paparazzi snogging Kate Beckinsale. Kate — who is 15 years Jack’s senior — was captured in a steamy embrace with the comedian before the pair retired at 3am to a £2,000-a-night luxury LA hotel.
The duo had first savoured a meal at Craig’s, a popular celeb restaurant in Hollywood, before landing up at the Blind Dragon karaoke lounge. The two were caught snogging in the karaoke bar before retiring to The London Hotel for the night. An onlooker told The Sun at the time: "No one would expect someone like Jack to bag one of Hollywood’s hottest actresses. You couldn't get a more unlikely romance. They were like a pair of loved-up teenagers and weren’t trying to hide their feelings.
“As the night progressed, he seemed to be growing in confidence and put his arm around her and gave her a hug. Then he decided to put his hand around the back of Kate’s neck and pulled her across him, where they started to passionately kiss. Kate then half-laid across him as they whispered to each other. Then they decided to make a quick exit.”
Jack was also briefly linked to English pop icon Dua Lipa after they co-presented the BRIT Awards in 2018. MailOnline reported a source as saying that Jack "spent the night whispering in her ear". The duo was also said to have enjoyed a flirtatious dance and reportedly locked lips at the awards afterparty.
Jack also dated English actress Gemma Chan for six years. The ex-flames met on the sets of Fresh Meat in 2011 and shared a long and emotional relationship, even moving in together in Notting Hill. However, the pair split in 2017 with Jack later admitting it was due to their disagreement on having children, with the comedian sharing that Gemma "wanted kids", while he "wanted to escape" and felt that he "wasn't good with kids".
All that seems to be history, with Jack having welcomed his baby girl, Elsie, with partner Roxy Horner in September 2023. Taking to Instagram to share the joyous news, Jack wrote: "Well this just happened! Utterly overwhelming and joyous in ways I couldn’t have even imagined. In awe of my partner @roxyhorner who has been amazing throughout this journey and is going to be the greatest mum ever.
"So excited to have started a family of my own. Having vowed I’d never be that guy I am now 100% going to be the parent that shows everyone endless pictures of their kid. I also wore Skechers to hospital, I think I must accept I am a full blown dad now. Name wise after this weekend I think ‘rice, rice, baby’ has a nice ring to it."
Jack and Roxy's first date in Australia was far from perfect when he unknowingly took the vegan model to a restaurant full of taxidermy ducks. On the Life's a Beach podcast, Jack recalled the awkward encounter as "something out of a sitcom".
Roxy, who hails from Essex and began her modelling career with British Vogue at 17, and the lovebirds officially became a couple in 2020, with Roxy moving in with Jack in his Notting Hill abode during the Covid pandemic. Their relationship has seen its share of challenges, particularly when Roxy was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2021.
Opening up to Marie Claire UK, she shared: "I had been speaking to the doctors about how unwell I had been feeling. I remember a specific phone call I made to my doctor before I ended up in hospital. I was in bed for days crying just feeling awful and not knowing why, I just felt like I was going to die."
During this difficult time, along with her family in Australia, Jack was her steadfast supporter.
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