Jack Whitehall Faces Backlash Over BRITs Hosting Style

has been criticised for 'punching down at Manchester' during this year's as he viewers hit out at his 'painful posh boy schtick'.

The comedian, 37, hosted the ceremony from Manchester's Co-op Live Arena - marking the awards' first year outside of London.

While Jack appeared to be on fire with his one-liners at the start of the show, viewers' praise soon turned to criticism.

He was accused of making digs aimed at the working class during the ceremony, with the funnyman making a joke at an audience member's suit he claimed was made of low-quality material.

Jack also addressed the BRITs moving to Manchester calling the city the 'G spot of the North' as well as Oasis reuniting as cameras focused on in the arena.

The comedian joked it had been a 'great year for Manchester's drug dealers' before Noel, 58, burst out in laughter.

In another apparent swipe, Jack said the city's idea of black tie was the fashion brand Stone Island, which is known for its casualwear.

Furious viewers flooded social media, with one writing: 'Jack Whitehall being hired to host the Brits because of his connection to Manchester, and then proceeding to sh** on Manchester all night. Right';

'Please make this the last year jack whitehall hosts the #BRITs'; 'Please get rid of the INSUFFERABLE Jack Whitehall next year';

'Can Jack Whitehall make a joke that isn’t classist god'; 'Jack Whitehall try and not make a joke at the expense of working-class Mancunians challenge (level impossible)';

'At what point in tonight’s @BRITAwards does @jackwhitehall become funny? Comedy shouldn’t be painful and Whitehall’s posh boy schtick is tediously dull and makes an already overlong evening even more interminable';

'Sick of Jack Whitehall coming out with all these poor Manchester tropes'; 'Get Jack Whitehall off my screen with his weird and bizarre classist Manchester jokes. Rich southern t***'.

Also during the show, ITV bosses were forced to censor Jack after he made a joke about former Labour grandee Peter Mandelson.

The disgraced former minister was arrested last week as part of an investigation into alleged misconduct in public office, following allegations he leaked sensitive information to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein during his time as business secretary.

During the ceremony at Manchester's Co-Op Arena, Jack appeared to make reference to Mandelson while speaking to Manchester's Mayor Andy Burnham. 

However, the joke didn't make it past ITV censors as viewers watching the ceremony at home heard bird noise over Jack's comments.

Jack joked how the BRITs is 'the only party Andy is allowed into these days', mocking the fact Sir Keir Starmer blocking Andy from running as an MP for the Labour party.

Jack referenced Mandelson's name in the so-called Epstein Files, by saying: 'I think I saw Peter Mandelson on the list, oh no sorry that's another list!'

At the start of the ceremony, Jack took a swipe at this year's Bafta's Film Awards as he told viewers the BRITs had the 'best in the business' on the bleep button for the show - joking it was the same person running the under-fire ceremony last Sunday. 

He said: 'We've got the best in the business here tonight [for bleeping swear words], we've got the guy from the BAFTAs.'

Jack was referencing tourette's campaigner John Davidson being heard shouting as black Sinners stars Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo presented the award for special visual effects during last week's ceremony.

Meanwhile, as Harry Styles left the stage, Jack had the audience in hysterics as he likened watching the Watermelon Sugar singer's performance to sitting on a washing machine for three minutes. 

Robbie Williams was also in the firing line as he took to the stage to present Song of the Year and Jack couldn't resist a swipe, telling the packed arena how the hitmaker has had 'more comebacks than his hairline'. 

Happy Monday stars Shaun Ryder and Bez presented this year's Group of the Year gong - but even the legends weren't safe from Jack's gags.

Whitehall told the arena how the pair were 'aging like service station flowers' and assumed they were part of the 'in memoriam' VT.

Before Blackpink superstar Rosé and Bruno Mars scooped International Song of the Year for their hit song APT, Jack couldn't help but say how the category had been 'blighted by the fact American's couldn't be ars*ed' to fly to the UK to collect the gong.

In a further dig at the Baftas, Jack said how they also invited Paddington Bear to their ceremony, with cameras then panning to a wider shot appearing to show the iconic bear under the table, intoxicated.

The Beckhams' very public feud was also brought up during the evening as Mark Ronson's set was introduced by host Jack.

He told the audience to 'prepare to throw shapes like you're Victoria Beckham during a first dance' - a nod to Brooklyn's scathing statement where he accused his mother of 'dancing inappropriately' during his wedding to Nicola Peltz.

Before Jack's 'classist' comments, viewers had praised him at the start of the show, with one posting: 'And The BRIT Award 2026 goes to......Jack Whitehall';

'Jack never misses when it comes to roasting award shows'; 'Jack Whitehall absolutely nailing the hosting with that perfectly timed dig at the BAFTA bleeping drama';

'Two seconds on the stage and Jack Whitehall has already been called Manchester the ''G-Spot of the North'' and declared Noel Gallagher the 'Manchester final boss'.