Jack Whitehall made a whirlwind return to Soccer Aid on Sunday but his comeback came with little sleep, plenty of emotion, and a bruising night for his beloved Arsenal still fresh in his mind.
The 37-year-old comedian admitted he had flown back to London from Budapest just hours before the charity match at the London Stadium.
After staying up into the early hours reliving Arsenal’s Champions League penalty shootout defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.
Speaking pitch-side ahead of kick-off, Whitehall told presenter Dermot O’Leary he had been “up until 3am crying and drinking” while rewatching the match alone in his hotel room.
“Not great, I’ve just flown back from Budapest,” he said.
“I was up until 3am on my own in the hotel room rewatching the penalty shootout, crying, drinking but it’s fine, I’m here surrounded by United fans and Tottenham fans, I feel great!”
The comic, who last featured in Soccer Aid a decade ago, joked through the heartbreak as he pretended to sob over Arsenal’s defeat.
Despite the lack of sleep, he still made it into the tunnel alongside a host of celebrities and football legends ahead of the annual charity clash, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year.
The match, held in support of UNICEF, has now raised more than £121 million since its inception in 2006, with this year’s star-studded line-up including Danny Dyer, Olly Murs, Sam Thompson, Tom Hiddleston, and sprint legend Usain Bolt.
2026-06-01 00:44:00
