Jack Whitehall has been going 'back and forth' over Brit Awards script

21 February 2018

Jack Whitehall is desperate to push his Brit Awards gags "as far as you can go" - but he knows he risks upsetting ITV bosses.

Jack Whitehall

The 29-year-old comedian is set to host the annual awards bash at The O2 Arena in London this evening (21.02.18), and Jack has admitted that he and the broadcaster have been going "back and forth" in recent weeks over his eagerly-anticipated routine.

Jack explained: "By booking me, they know what I do and my brand of humour.

"They know I am not as safe a pair of hands as other presenters. They have accepted that I will be doing my version."

Last year's show - which was presented by Dermot O'Leary and Emma Willis - was considered to be a bit dull by some TV viewers.

But Jack admits that ITV have already banned him from incorporating some of his planned jokes.

He told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "I wanted to set fire to the sponsors table but they wouldn't let me do that. I wanted to go to the Mastercard table, introduce our lead sponsors and then the head of Mastercard. Then knock over a candle and set fire to it all.

"To be fair to them, and this is why they are great, they did entertain it. They did at least tell me they were going to go away and see if it was a possibility. Five minutes later they came back and said, 'That's never going to happen, Jack.'"

Although Jack doesn't consider his routine to be especially "risqué", he also admits that his threshold for offensive jokes is probably greater than most people.

He shared: "I don't think it's that risqué, but then I am reminded that my tolerance for being risqué is not the same as anyone else's.

"I am trying to be true to myself and my tone of comedy. But at the same time, you have to be slightly aware that the show is going out at 8pm on ITV.

"It's about finding the right balance. I think anyone who expects a full-on, firebrand dropping truth bombs left right and centre may be disappointed. It's about pushing it as far as you can go and stepping back and listening to them when they tell you you've gone too far."