Jack Whitehall's Emotional Confession About His Dad, His Biggest Fear & His New Life!

he's the most loving person ever I want. him to have a relationship with my kid. I mean that's why. I wasn't going to do this on this and. I'm where I'm now getting emotional. um. writer an award-winning comedian you are. in for a treat. oh God that's tequila what is the reason. why you're a comedian I use humor to. connect with people and have always done.

so growing up wanting my dad's approval. and definitely not receiving it it. dented my confidence but it also made me. like I would one day make him proud. If people really knew you what would. they be most surprised about I do feel. the pressure and I do feel the anxiety. but worrying about stuff that is not. worth worrying about a bad review. rejection online trolls so many times. I'm just like why don't I just delete. all social media from my phone I would. be such a good thing for my mental. well-being I have a little bit more.

sensitive vulnerable than I tell people. do you doubt yourself yes what impact. does that have on you overworking not. prioritizing family and I'm not present. when I should be present Roxy's pregnant. now how are you honestly feeling about. it. now I'm regretting putting this on. camera. what you're doing is incredibly high. stakes art where are you smoking I can. see that I've got a punchline about of a. [ __ ] behind a wheelie bin I mean that's. not.

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I've sat here with so many. incredible Comedians and it's funny. because there's there's an ongoing. stereotype with comedians that they get. into comedy for a variety of different. reasons a lot of comedians have said to. me you know comedians themselves are. depressed in some way then I had Jimmy. Carter says but say to me when you meet. a comedian you should ask him which of. their parents are depressed. um and then I sat here with um. one particular comedian who.

really didn't fit into any of those. um stereotypes at all what is the reason. why you're a comedian in your own words. I think in the most reductive way it's. because I use humor to connect with. people and have always done so and so I. think I've always enjoyed uh making. people laugh and that's felt to me like. a great way to connect with people.

whether that be in real life or my. audience when I'm up on stage. and I think there are you know lots of. different reasons that people become. Comedians and there is this kind of the. sad clown Trope and that's definitely. one that does exist and I think there. are people that use comedy for other. reasons but for me uh I don't think I. fall into that category necessarily I I. think I. I have always loved comedy and stand up. as an art form because I just really. enjoy.

making people happy and making people. laugh and using comedy as escapism. as escapism yeah. from well from you know. it can be from whatever like if you've. had a bad day at work and you come and. see a stand up on stage and they make. you laugh. um bring you out of a dark place or. um if you're you know on your phone and. watching the news and depressed about. the world and then you can go and forget.

about all of that and you know it's a. great way of I think you know just going. and. completely relaxing and listening to. someone else Entertain You and uh I. think that for me like that's what I see. my kind of Duty as a comedian as your. parents are comedians yes I spend a lot. of time watching. the wittering white holes yeah on. YouTube your father in particular is. absolutely [ __ ] hilarious yeah it.

just do you think your sort of comedic. Edge came from there or because you have. siblings right yeah who aren't comedians. they're not comedians I mean they're. both. pretty funny people and there was a lot. of laughter in our household when we. were growing up. and I definitely think my dad in. particular was my kind of most you know. dominant early comic influence because. again I would watch how uh he used humor. and how. making people laugh. was this way that he had to kind of.

unlock people and he was an amazing. wreck on to her and told these. incredible stories and I watched how. people would hang on his every word and. I remember being really in awe of that. and thinking oh I'd love to not only. amuse him uh when I'm able to do so but. also you know emulate him and and try to. be. um you know. uh someone that people enjoy the company. of and the presence of because of my. kind of like wit I guess and so yeah he.

was definitely like for me the person. that influenced me the most when I was. thinking oh yeah that's definitely. something that I would be interested in. pursuing when was that point where you. thought I could pursue comedy. professionally as a real job. um. I don't know I do I think it probably. wasn't until the Edinburgh Festival when. I went to the Edinburgh Festival in my. teens and saw stand-up comics I mean. prior to that like most of my knowledge. of Comedy have been stuff that I'd seen.

on TV and movies and Laurel and Hardy. and Norman Wisdom and that felt like you. know hilarious but kind of very alien in. a way and then going up to Edinburgh and. seeing like stand-ups performing and. people that were maybe slightly closer. to me in age and were talking about. um things that I could relate to and all. of a sudden I was like wow this is like. genuinely a viable career path had I. know that they were probably all up. there performing for a month at. Edinburgh and hemorrhaging money and not.

filling out the venues every night it's. like a really really difficult career. path uh for the vast majority of. comedians but like I was kind of young. and dirty eyed and just saw you know the. the the incredible aspect of it which is. um you know the other thing that appeals. to me about comedy which is that it's a. way of doing something that isn't a real. job and isn't sat in an office doing. something that to me would be kind of. mind crushingly boring it's a creative.

Pursuit which I think I would always. have been gravitating towards was there. not a lot of influences in your life. telling you that comedy is not a real. job like I remember yeah a lot who those. influences and what were they saying and. why didn't you listen. um well so at school I was always. talking about trying to do stuff off my. own bat and do sketches and. um taking a show to Edinburgh was my. idea and the school were very anti that. at the time and the Drama teacher.

thought it was a waste of time. my parents were very very keen that I. didn't necessarily pursue. um a career in the like Arts I think. because my dad was an agent and he'd. looked after loads of really successful. actors but he'd also looked after a load. of actors that had been out of work and. had really struggled and my mum had had. a career as an actor that hadn't. necessarily given her the Fulfillment. that I think she'd wanted it too and you. know she'd had some sort of bit Parts on.

television and then had to give it up. and so they were very aware that you. know that it was a very very competitive. industry and so they were very keen that. I made sure that I focus on my studies. and have something to fall back on if I. were to not make it in uh you know the. Arts I mean it was a little ill thought. through because. the other passions that I had were. things like art and so I ended up going. to University to study history of art. which I didn't necessarily think is you.

know of of Industries to fall back on. like art history is not the most. transferable skill and then also by. pushing me away from you know going to. drama school or becoming an actor which. would have been the other thing that I. would have wanted to do at that age I I. was so frustrated that I wasn't able to. do that that I went and I did the degree. and then I was like well I need to. perform in some way oh my God I could do. stand-up and they'll have no control. over that so then I started doing. stand-up as my side hustle uh and you.

know they pushed me into comedy which. again is like a really really. competitive industry and. um you know. if they'd wanted me to become a lawyer. or a banker which they always claim that. they did they went about it completely. the wrong way. in hindsight hindsight's such a. wonderful thing what do you think. if if you could reverse the clocks now. and you could be Jack's parents and you. could make the decision for Jack at that. age that really pivotal age what he did.

next. in the with the intention of. accelerating his career his happiness. his his talent what what should and what. would you do as Jack's parents in. hindsight oh I don't know I'd push him. towards drama school no no I I think. they probably they did probably play it. right it was the weird thing in a. roundabout way it all sort of worked out. okay. um and I don't like don't begrudge them. for any of those decisions.

um and they were which people are always. surprised to hear it's like well they're. not surprised to hear it now because. people have seen my relationship with my. family and you know we have a I I call. it I call it a travel log but some. people have pointed out it is also. almost like a reality television show. where like the Posh Kardashians and so. people have been exposed to my family. and can see that you know we have an. unusual relationship but we are very. close but people are always surprised to. hear that it was always the case even. when I was you know away at boarding.

school we still have had like a really. good connection I in fact always say. that going to boarding school was. probably quite helpful to my. relationship with my parents if anyone. has seen my father he's he's quite he's. better in small doses and I think having. that distance from him was probably very. healthy and is why we had such a good. relationship. um so yeah there's a lot of things where. at the time I was like oh God why are. you doing this and I I mean when they. sent me to boarding school I was I was. so upset I was like I do not want to go.

I'm happy with my friends I want to stay. in in London with them at this school. and I was really struggling at that. school and I wasn't coming out of my. shell and I hadn't found you know any of. my kind of passions or interests and. there was no one cultivating any of them. and so they looked at that and thought. we need to. do something and make change and they. found this school. in Oxford which I went around and they. met lots of teachers and it had a far.

more kind of like. um. it I don't know it had like an eccentric. feel it felt like a better fit for me. but it was a boarding school and so they. took me out of the school that I was. struggling in and sent me to that. boarding school and I remember being oh. my God I was so upset I was like no. please like honestly Daddy I don't want. to go and he said to me at the time he. was like look it's fine if you go then. you don't like it you can come back. after a term and I promise you if you. turn around and you tell me that then. you can come out and go back to the. school that you're in London I was like. okay well that's you know something that.

I can hold on to and I remember that. really helped get through the first. um home away and then I asked him. subsequently many years later I was like. you know when he said that it really. helped he's like I had no intention of. doing that even if you had been very. upset you were there for the year I'd. got you in it had been very hard to get. you in there and you were staying. whether you liked them or not and I. didn't know whether that's him sort of. slightly being a. nuisance but there may have been some. truth to it didn't you around like 11 or.

something auditioned to be Harry Potter. yeah that's crazy yeah I did a bit of. child acting again just because I was. sort of adjacent to that world and I saw. you know my dad in that industry and my. mom and my mum was still acting back. then I was so enamored of it so as a kid. I did want to do it and you know. I had a few uh sort of. quite a low level. um acting jobs as a child with like.

single lines in TV shows I got dubbed in. one. because I couldn't deliver the line. properly I had one line which was uh. it's not a monster it's a rabbit and and. I and the day just developed a speech. impediments on another Monsters the. rabbit and when it actually went out. they'd redubbed me so it was another. child's voice coming out of my mouth so. I'd had that job and then I'd had one. other job where I had no lines I had. another job that I got and and I swear. this is true but I I'd have to I can't. remember exactly how it happened but I I.

got like demoted I got cast in a part. which was like quite a good speaking. role and then like on the day all of a. sudden I was it was Goodbye Mr Chips. with Martin clunes and all of a sudden I. was like at the back of the class and. had no lines and I can't. for the life of me understand how that. happened I mean I was very young at the. time maybe I was just so terrible they. saw me in the rehearsal and thought nah. you're now. um out of shot right at the back. um and then Harry Potter yeah so that. was around the time that obviously.

I was doing these little acting roles. and then there was this audition of. Harry Potter and they did an open. casting at my school they came with a. casting director to to kind of audition. loads of kids and they were doing it. around the country and there was a lot. of like uh excitement about this because. obviously the book was so popular. um and I remember calling my dad and. saying they're doing this open casting. and I'm gonna enter myself into it and. he was like oh no that's a complete. waste of time I was like what do you. mean it's like well they never cast.

anyone of these open castings it'll be. some casting director's assistant. assistant uh you know it's it's a. complete waste of time if you genuinely. want to audition for Harry Potter I will. get you in front of the casting director. so he drove down to Oxford took me out. of school for the day got me down to. London through some connections of his. managed to get me an audition with the. casting director of Harry Potter uh I. went in to the. um. casting room and completely tank the. audition because I was not a very good.

actor as a child as is proven by the. track record up until that point I also. hadn't read the book. um because I've just never been a great. reader and uh I'd read like the first. couple of chapters and then got bored. and I didn't have any knowledge of the. the plot of Harry Potter and that was. exposed in the audition as well and so. it was about as bad as an audition could. go and I came out and I looked and it. was like yeah I don't think you need to. worry about it.

about that one and then the I think the. nice heartwarming end to this story my. dad having been you know. outrageous in his behavior and the the. nepotism being out of control in the. open casting uh they cast Emma Watson as. Hermione and she did get cast from just. uh entering through the correct channels. and not calling up her dad and asking. him to get her in front of the casting. director and she had that wonderful. life-changing opportunity which she.

earned and that's the way that it should. be. look at all of that and I go that that. phase of your life it doesn't seem like. there was a ton of. self-belief. because you've got your dad sort of. chiming in at parts. saying subtly saying the odds aren't. good son. indirectly and then you know the the. being sent to the back of the classroom. in the acting thing you do subtle knocks. yeah does that stay with you as you go. into comedy and is that an accurate.

assessment of how you were feeling at. that point yeah I definitely was not. very. um confident at that age. um and I was quite I was quite odd and. eccentric and in the right company and. in a safe environment and around my kind. of family I think I was a little bit. more confident but at school I certainly. wasn't I was very awkward like very like. unfortunate looking child as well I had. huge buck teeth. um and glasses and like a cowlick and.

you see photographs of me from then and. you look like a kid that would not have. a lot of confidence and then had the. like you know. massive braces in my face for for a long. period of my childhood and that may you. know that there was definitely a lack of. confidence because of that and you know. the various knockbacks and. and then realizing oh I quite like. acting and Performing and you know for. for years I would audition for all of. these school plays.

and I would never get cast in anything. and. so that didn't help. and and also you know I guess. wanting my my dad's approval which I. always did you know right from the. get-go and and definitely not receiving. it like that. it did it dented my confidence but it. also made me like I don't know I think. it gave me a kind of resolve that I. would I would one day. achieve it and I would make him proud. and uh you know because he'd been sort.

of dismissive or you don't want to. become an actor and you're never going. to become an actor that made me want to. do it even more and be like oh no I I. really think I can do this. um. and then with the comedy thing the other. aspect is that he was and Remains the. hardest person to crack ever like he. doesn't love anything and you know I I I. I do have that like overriding memory. that. as a kid like I always was desperate to. try and make him laugh and to to like. crack him and to just if I could get him.

to laugh like that felt like such an. achievement and even to this day you. know like when it comes to do shows or. if I'm doing things with him like he's a. really hard like tough crowd he's got as. you've seen like a real. I mean resting [ __ ] faces the kids are. calling it and uh yeah if I can even get. like a smile from him it transports me. back to being you know 12 or 13 years. old and having that same thing of I.

really want to make him laugh this has. he had any sort of acting qualifications. or anything because when I saw him on. Chatty Man yeah with you. um I was thinking God he's an. unbelievable actor. he's an unbelievable actor like he's. you're right just a steel face yeah yeah. no he's had no training at all but I. guess just because he does so so little. and and gives away so little that I. don't know that almost feels like it's. performative and maybe it is. to an extent but no he's yeah he's had. absolutely no training whatsoever.

for you go off and you do the you go up. to Edinburgh you see that that's a big. inspiration for you. what happens next. how did you go from there to. doing shows and climbing up the comedic. ladder very very quickly. so then I yeah I went to Edinburgh with. a Sketcher with two of my friends from. school and we did it um at the Pleasants. and we did a month in this tiny room. that's now a disabled toilet that's how.

small it was. um and. there was like you know 10 seats and US. performing this sketch show we had no. idea what we were doing it was all kind. of cobbled together sketches that we'd. copied from not the nine o'clock news. and League of gentlemen and. got terrible reviews. but. um. in the middle of it I came out and did. stand up and I'd never done stand up. before and I thought that stand up was. just something that you could do I'd.

never done a gig I literally just walked. out in the middle of this sketch show. and did 10 minutes of stand up. um. it was described by One reviewer as Jack. Whitehall appears on stage in the middle. of the show and does an impression of. what he thinks the stand-up is. and that is a pretty fair assessment of. what it was but. um a guy called Ben cavey who uh was a. producer at the time came to that show. and saw me and saw that there was. I had some promise or it was something.

that he recognized in me that he thought. you know I had some potential and so. I then uh went and met with him when I. was down in London he worked for Tiger. aspect to a great production company. made Mr Bean Catherine Tate Benidorm all. of these shows and. with him I started developing. um he asked me to uh do tour support for. uh horn and Corden uh when James Corden.

and Matt horn were doing their double. act around the time of Gavin and Stacy. because he was working on a show with. them and he said oh there's this guy who. I saw. at Edinburgh he's really funny he's very. new very young uh you're doing these. warm-up shows of your sketch show you. should get him to come out and uh he. could do some stand-up before you go on. and so I did support for them and that's. how I met James and how I met Matt who. would end up being in my sitcom and. James and Matt were kind of quite.

instrumental in me getting my first. television gig as well. so uh they um. they did a big brother's big mouth and. they were like the guest hosts on that. and they were meant to do a whole series. and they had to pull out and because. they'd seen me do stand up for them as. their warm-up hacked James like was very. good at kind of you know speaking to. whatever the person was at Channel 4 and. saying oh you know you should get to. host this show is Jack. um and so yeah I ended up doing like.

live TV hosting Big Brother's Big Mouth. which was the show that kind of had. created Russell Brand and I was. I was 18 or 19 19. I was I was young and. very very very inexperienced like my. comic Persona was. you know all over the shop because I. hadn't like found my voice yet and I was. already on TV I got definitely got. catapulted onto television far too. quickly like I always say this like you.

look at like Mickey Flanagan or John. bishop or any of the kind of like really. established comedians when they break. and they become TV stars they've been. doing it for 10 years and they've honed. their act and they know exactly who they. are and you get like the finished. article when I was put on TV I was like. still basically an open mic comedian. almost I mean I'd done paid gigs but I. was still like going on and talking in a. mockney accent because I hadn't worked. out what like like that I could be.

myself on stage I was so terrified to to. go up onto a stand-up comedy stage and. talk in my voice because I was like. they're all Gonna Hate Me No One's Gonna. want so like listen to some public. school by waffling on so I'm gonna have. to disguise that and I'm going to go on. and I'm going to talk like Danny Dyer. and so for the first couple of years of. my like stand up where I do that and all. these other comedians afterwards they. would be like oh yeah well you've got. some great stage presents but. you just you haven't found your voice. yet and I was like oh well could you.

could you tell me what my voice is and. they're like that's not really how it. works you need to find your voice and. you'll go on a journey I was like just. cut the Yoda crap like just what is my. voice and I found it so frustrating but. that is a process that you have to go. through as a comedian you need to find. your voice and my problem was when I was. trying to find my voice. I I didn't even know who I was as a. person back then I was 18 19 years old. like I'm like at that age like I didn't. think you've like formulated who you are. and so I was in this kind of weird like.

period of flux where I was trying all. these different comic personas I settled. on this one that was like basically a. kind of. like a homage to Russell Brand. it was so inauthentic it wasn't who I. was but you know it gave me a kind of a. little bit of a. I guess a little bit of an armor that I. was hiding behind a kind of character. almost. and it gave me some confidence and so I. was I was I was in that kind of like.

period of my. um like development when all of a sudden. I was doing like live television for the. first time and I watch some of the. footage back of me from those early days. and I want to hide behind the sofa it's. so cringe I've got this big shock of. like electric hair I'm wearing the. skinny jeans I look like I've just. fallen out of the Holy arms and I'm. talking in a way that just Bears no. correlation to like who I am it was it. was it's very strange.

do you know do not have imposter. syndrome around at all. because you know you come in at 19 20. years old to an industry full of you. know veterans and people that look like. they know what they're doing yeah. because they're playing a good job of. like no knowing what they're doing do. you feel that at that young age. yeah I think I did feel a little bit of. that. um. but. yeah I think I I was just probably. I don't know it's so ambitious that. uh I went into those dressing rooms and.

even though I was kind of in awe of a. lot of these people again I was just. like well I really want to kind of prove. myself and every time I had a bad gig. you know it always my takeaway would be. well I need to just like get better then. and I will get better and I know I can. get better. um. and I and I yeah I think I had quite a. lot of resilience. uh. I was naive but then I obviously. probably helped get through some gigs. that if I'd been a little bit older I.

would have been like why the hell am I. doing this and also you know obviously. it I mean it helped very much that I. come from a background of privilege and. that I was. you know wasn't having to support a. family or pay a mortgage and I could. kind of. pursue this Fool's Erin for a bit. what's a what's a bad gig you know for. for someone like you what does that feel. like what does it look like. um I think. and I've had so many bad gigs.

back in the day it was going and doing. 10 minutes in a pub. and Performing to. 20 people you're set up to fail really. because it's never going to be a Stormer. because the environment is not conducive. to Comedy because you're in a noisy Pub. fighting against a. you know fruit machine and. some of the people are on their phones. some of the people are sort of half. listening to you.

has like a tinny microphone terrible. sound system. uh and you're going on like 10th on the. bill and everyone's a bit drunk and. you're never gonna kill that gig and. then you will go out and you do 10. minutes of your material. and. it like barely raises the titter and. then you've got to get on a train and. go back to London and. be in your own thoughts for two hours. like that's. pretty soul-crushing.

but I don't know why I don't know why I. like and there were a lot of those at. the beginning I think probably because I. was like still at that point I was. living in Manchester with all of my. mates in a student house and having like. a great time didn't have many worries in. the world. because it was 18 19 and I was going off. and doing these gigs and sometimes they. go well and sometimes. I would crash and burn but. I don't know it just didn't like I. didn't I didn't feel the pressure that.

that's what was so. amazing about that period of my life is. that I just don't remember feeling any. pressure and now if I tank a gig or I go. out and you know mess up the Brit Awards. I do feel the pressure and I do feel the. anxiety of it all and I and I didn't. have as much professional anxiety back. then. because I was sort of on a relatively. upward trajectory. um and. you know. it all felt so. full of possibility I just think I was.

sort of unburdened by all of the kind of. anxieties that I would have now as a. comedian and a performer. reminds me of my conversation with Louis. Capaldi he told me about singing in pubs. in Scotland and like no one was really. listening yeah he almost talks about it. as if he would prefer to go back and do. that now because it because there's no. Arenas there's no expectations there's. no pressure and I actually think he said. on the podcast I think he said like I. just want to sing in a pub in Scotland. yeah. um.

your success and his success have meant. that that's. you know that's I would say not it's. certainly possible yeah but even if you. were announced it as being in a pub. expectation would show up yeah yeah and. I and I do and I and I and I connected. with his documentary in in that aspect. when I watched it and saw like him. articulate some of those elements. because that is it is so true and. you know. you yeah you do a show now and you're. putting it on in an arena and like the. level of expectation is so much higher.

and you've got to shift you know a huge. amount of tickets there's going to be. reviewers there you've got to entertain. like a vast crowd if it goes wrong like. that's a news event. and back then. there was none of that like I'd die in a. pub. you know. if Jack Whitehall crashes and burns in. the middle of an empty forest does he. make a sound. and my forest was a pub in Preston does.

that make does that make it less fun. is there like a I enjoyed it in a really. in a way in a way and I still do to an. extent when I'm like maybe more so now. like when I'm working it through there. is like a. say the masochistic thing that quite. enjoys like the the tricky gigs and. like working out why why it hasn't. worked and what I need to do to to get. it to work like I do but I mean the. pressure now does that make it less fun. oh the pressure sorry yes um because.

you've used the word professional. anxieties a few times yeah yeah I mean. that element of it does for sure and I. don't remember feeling that when I was. in my kind of early 20s but all of a. sudden. they sort of creep up on you and you're. you're in your own thoughts a lot more. um and. constantly like. like I don't know. just thinking about. uh.

about like I just for me it's like worry. that it will all go away and like that's. that's always like the the kind of the. great the greatest fear is that it's. just going to stop and and I and I've. loved doing it but yeah there are there. are lots of other added pressures that. weren't existent when I started doing it. and I I look back on it and uh yeah do. kind of like miss that headspace. a lot of people can relate to that I. that fear of. um worrying that it'll all go away even.

you know people that have climbed the. corporate ladder they've gotten to a. certain position and I've seen it a lot. of times with some of my friends and. even in some of my companies where. people will say to me that they're just. trying to kind of hang on to where they. are yeah and when you have that mindset. it can it can it seems like it can be. quite. unenjoyable because there's that. constant sort of as you describe anxiety. [Music]. um. but also I I'm not sure if everyone does. their best work when they're kind of. hanging on because there's there's not. this sort of mental freedom to fully.

Express or to relax or take time off so. I'm not sure if we do our best work. it is that is that what you're saying. you feel like you're you have a constant. worry that everything you've built might. someday change and I guess the more. important question is where do you know. where that's come from in you. the idea that it could just. no I mean I don't know I don't know. where it comes from but and and if I. don't know. and I do and it's not like a cancer.

culture thing of me going oh look I'm. worried I'm going to say something and. then all of a sudden like I'm gonna get. canceled and then I'm never going to be. able to do shows again it doesn't it's. not even like. linked to that although obviously there. is like a small chance that that could. happen I don't I didn't necessarily feel. like uh. I push the boundaries in such a way that. that feels likely but. yeah I don't know how I've I've allowed. that to sort of creep up on me. um. and I think I think the the the key to.

not uh allowing that to consume you is. to sort of. just try to refocus your mind on like. what's important and you know. ultimately some of the things that are. you know the concerns that like build up. as professional anxieties ultimately. aren't as important as long as you do it. like ultimately as long as I'm still. doing stand-up and still doing what I.

love and still getting to you know act. and perform it doesn't necessarily. matter. you know how how I'm doing that I'm. doing what I love and and that should be. enough and and then also just like. refocusing my energies on like my work. life balance and focusing on what's. important my relationship. family those are the things that make me. happy and as long as those are working. then I think I will feel fulfilled. um and so. I think it's. yeah it's how like frame that in in my.

head even from doing this because I'm. not a journalist or in fact I didn't go. to a podcast school or whatever yeah I. still sit here and go how the [ __ ] is. this. still a thing like how are people still. listening to this we admitted I mean. Jack did Productions beforehand but you. jack you've never done anything like. this before have you I've never done. anything like this before so it's all a. little bit what the [ __ ] is going on. here just kidding yeah and hopefully. nobody notices us.

that's like almost the feeling because. you almost assume that all of your. competitors or other people that are. doing it in your space they have some. certificate yeah it's like giving them. the right yeah yeah and a rule book that. we're that we're not privy to yeah um. can you relate to any of that that. feeling that like yeah you know I mean. there is yeah and there is no kind of. like playbook for it is is there like. with a career and with. you know. with all of it so I I like. the worst thing you can do is start like.

comparing yourself to other people and. like thinking about that too much as. well and. I mean so so many times I'm just like. why don't I just delete all social media. from my phone I think I would be such a. good thing for my like mental well-being. I just haven't quite brought myself to. do it yet but maybe that's something. that I should try that it's just like. the worrying about stuff that is not. worth worrying about it's like I wish I. want to get better at that I really want.

to like work at that what impact does. that have on you. that I'm not present when I should be. present I think that's that's where I. feel it it is most frustrating in my. life is when I'm worrying about. [ __ ] nonsense that doesn't need to be. consuming me and I'm not present with. friends and family and uh people that I. need to like give more of myself to. what's an example of something that. might consume you like a little troll. online or like a review or I mean yeah I.

mean that can it can take me out for a. couple of days uh like rejection uh. professional rejection not getting a. part in something uh a bad review things. like that and then for a couple of days. I'll sort of be spinning out and then. you know I'll catch myself doing it and. be like what am I doing I don't need to. do that I have more Sensitivity I think. than I. sort of let on I've always sort of build. myself as being quite resilient and. thick-skinned which I am to a degree but.

I think there are things in elements. where I am a little bit more sensitive. and vulnerable than. than I uh than I tell people you and me. both. yeah you and me both and I think. obviously in different jobs that I've. had I've had to be I've been the CEO of. the companies so you kind of learn to. put up a. everything's fine yeah but some you can. be behind the scenes like spinning out a. little bit for a couple of days based on. something when you say spinning out what. does that if I'm Roxy yeah your.

wonderful partner yeah what would Roxy. observe when Jack is spinning out that. I'm in a sort of weird Fugue State. because I'm also one of those people. that's just like I'm a barrier I don't. articulate a lot of uh of these emotions. and I and I do and I definitely I don't. know whether it's because of my. background or my upbringing but I'm. someone that doesn't really want to. burden people with them I feel like as. well as a comedian as a funny person. again I like I feel like I'm letting.

people down if I'm like a Debbie Downer. and talking about stuff that uh is gonna. you know. kill the mood I just I don't like. conflict I I don't like uh. to depress people so I think I sort of I. like yeah. bury it all. put on a brave face and then. um yeah just maybe not quite myself so. you probably wouldn't even realize it.

was going on but I think for rocks it's. it's hard because yeah sometimes I'm. just like a little bit away with the. fairies but that's because I'm having. this like. internal dialogue is everything gonna be. okay oh my God they hate me no no you're. gonna be fine and that's all going on. and I'm like yeah yeah fine yeah someone. said to me once they said the people. that care most about the Applause which. tends to be like performers and. Comedians and stuff also care the most. about the booze yeah do you think that's. accurate yeah like it's not possible. just to care about one side of that.

Spectrum you can't just care about the. Applause and then say oh please don't. matter I don't care I'm invincible. yeah yeah no definitely it's definitely. yeah it's definitely feedback and. you know like. audiences that upset me or online trolls. I mean I do consume quite a lot of that. if I if I'm brutally honest with myself. I'll probably consume more of it than I. should. um and read it and and again I'm like I. think it's fine I think it sort of. bounces off me but maybe it does. everything that's not me as much and I'm.

like it's all stored away somewhere. um. you know. it's good but I don't know I also like. part of me and I I'm not encouraging. people to troll me online I'm like there. is a good it's good to like keep your. ego in check as well I do like like. constructive criticism as well I think. is very useful and like some feedback. because if you didn't have any of that. and you were just like you you just went. on the reaction to the audiences of paid.

punches that have come to see you. and clearly I like onside and it's like. a home geek because they're you know. fans of userable ticket to you and that. was your only like. interaction and that was where you kind. of garnered what like. your relationship with the public was. you would think you were just like the. Messiah so it's quite good to be. reminded yeah there are some people that. find you a bit much and but has their. feedback those people those trials has.

it made you a better comedian. um I mean every now and again I get. quite good like. you know joke from something that. someone said oh okay no I don't think. it's maybe a better comedian woman but. someone calls it says on Twitter that my. new hairstyle looks like a Tesco's value. Richard Hammond I'm like. [Laughter]. those are quite rare normally it's like. why is this Posh [ __ ] on television. every time I turn it on. no I can't one.

when you when you bury stuff though like. a seed it kind of grows I always always. think this and I think it certainly. changes us over time all the things we. have buried like even if we don't ever. express it or whatever I feel like it. kind of just infects our character a. little bit yeah that's certainly what's. happened to me for sure for sure yeah. just over time I think slowly the things. that I've like buried or ignored they. kind of just. weigh me down a little bit and you might. become a little bit snappier or a little. bit you know more impatient or negative. about the world or whatever.

is that the case with you yeah I think. for me the main way it it affects me is. is like it's like a photo it is. ultimately just like a focused thing. it's like focusing on it it makes me. focus on the wrong things and that's the. thing that I struggle with most of my. life is my like. is work-life balance I think I'm. terrible at work life balance and I. always have been because I started when. I was 17 and I just didn't stop and so I. used to hate going on holidays I was. like on a holiday it's a complete waste.

of time and I would I remember like. calling my agent and my dad from. a beach somewhere going I can't wait to. get home and I've always had that like. weird attitude. um to like work and wanting to work work. work work work work and and I'm I'm. about to have quite a big life event and. I think that will what life event Jack. I'm about to have a baby which I'm like. I'm so excited about and also I'm just. like the thing that I pray that it does. is just completely like shifts my focus.

and and I'm so excited to have. this little being in the world that is. more important than anything else I. think that's going to be such a healthy. thing and I know that's not necessarily. the reason to have a child I probably. should have worked through some of these. things before the baby arrived but like. that's an element of it that for some. people might be quite daunting but I. think that's going to be amazing and I'm. really really excited and I can't wait. to be a dad and I'm like it just it's. just really really cannot wait to like. sort of step up to the plate and and and.

try to be the best dad that I can be and. have that as my focus and and when I'm. focused on that and or thinking about. all the other stuff I think it's gonna. just be great maybe that's quite a glass. half full. well yeah it sounds like a conversation. that I've been having with myself but. also with my partner where I've said to. her because she's scared that I'm I. might just keep working yeah I think she. asks me once every month she goes are. you gonna be like this when we have kids. together yeah I'll go no no I'll change. yeah when. the baby comes I will be different yeah.

I'll I'll just cancel stuff I'll say no. to everything yeah I know I'm having all. of these conversations. um yeah but I've always said you don't. know yeah you don't know what will. happen none of us have ever experienced. that feeling that some of our friends. I'm sure have explained to where your. priorities shift upon the arrival of. this. Arsenal maybe well you know baby Arsenal. work do you think I've asked a few.

people this because when I meet someone. that describes themselves as being a bit. of a workaholic. I wonder where they drew whether they. are driven or whether they are being. dragged which which resonates more with. you do you think you're driven or do you. think you're being dragged I think I'm. driven. I think I'm if yeah I'm driven I think. it would be quite helpful to be dragged. back a bit sometimes I definitely think. it would be good. because I have this weird career where I.

I act and I write and I do stand up. as well it's very easy to fill. my entire diary all the time. um. and if I look at it like in a couple of. months I'm like I'm not doing anything. there you know I was meant to be filming. a movie then and it's been delayed now. and I've got two months I was like well. I need to do stand up and I'm going to. write a script and uh I'm gonna produce. as well and I have a production company. so I'm constantly developing things and. I just like and that all comes from me.

that's not people going oh Jack can we. we've got this Gap can we do this now. it's me going we can do this now and we. can feel this now and we can develop. that and I can write this and and I cram. so much stuff into you know my schedule. uh and I think again like you know. professionally it might be better to to. take a beat sometimes and prioritize. like taking some time off as well and. having a little bit of headspace I mean. the pandemic is weirdly a time when we.

were forced to do that and I found found. it very helpful creatively to to not be. working all the time and and this. stand-up tour I've had longer to prepare. for it than I've ever had and I've had. way more. kind of headspace and space to like like. live my life a bit which is so important. when you're creating and you're writing. especially when you're trying to you. know write personal material you need to. live your life you can't be working all. the time because then all of your. experiences are going to be professional.

ones no one wants to go and watch. stand-up comedians had a load of jokes. about what it's like. being on set and like. anecdotes about like uh you know uh. script reads and whatever like that's. not interesting comedy material for. anyone and fame as well I don't think is. necessarily always the best uh kind of. you know source of. relatable stand-up so I think it's. really important as a comedian to have. that time to go and like live your life.

and build up some experiences and and. find inspiration as it naturally occurs. rather than trying to force it and on a. personal level. um that that conversation about. work-life balance and giving yourself. some time and not just cramming. everything into the calendar what are. the consequences of you. not being balanced as it relates to your. personal life. though I think yeah I I I seem to sort. of that's the perennial mistake that I. make is. overworking not prioritizing.

friends and family and. and then having to sort of make up for. it and I don't want to always be making. up for it. um. and I think I'm quite good at making up. for it and uh. you know. I then put a lot of pressure on myself. oh I've got to like see all of these. people and and make sure that I cram in. a load of. social situations and. sneaking a little holiday there and and. that and I wish I didn't have that.

approach because. then Everything feels rushed and I'd. prefer it not to feel as rushed I'd. prefer to. yeah just uh. bit like it's all gonna be fun when the. baby comes it's all gonna jump. how are you feeling overnight how are. you honestly feeling about about you. know Roxy's sort of five months. um pregnant now how are you honestly. feeling about becoming a dad. I'm feeling.

excited it's hard it's a weird one. because like. sometimes it feels very real and then. sometimes it's just a sort of abstract. concept an idea and it feels very very. surreal. um. and it sort of flips between. both of those things on almost like a. daily basis uh and sometimes I've. feel quite overwhelmed with thinking. about it other times I'm like. like barely engaged to it at all because.

I'm so distracted with other things and. so it's a really weird emotional place. to be in right now like this sort of. run-up to having a kid and and I've. spoken to lots of friends that have been. in this period as well and a lot of them. have said that that's quite normal as. well but you know again there's sort of. no right way to be feeling at any one. time. um. and uh you know. you're thinking about her and and.

looking after her she's had some like. health issues as well and so we've had a. bit of a journey to get here and and so. there's it's it's quite it's quite a. scary period as well like that I know. I'm just really looking forward to the. moment when the baby was born and then. I mean I say that like then and then you. can relax no it's then. like 18 18 years and so it doesn't stop. then. um again like maybe I've just framed it.

in in quite a. a positive way uh but yeah. I'm I don't know I am I'm ex I'm excited. about being a dad because I never. thought that I would get to it this. early either I honestly because my dad. was you know. 50 nearly 50 when he had me he really he. was 50. I've made that my mouth is right. yeah he was nearly 50 and so I was like. well I'll be an old dad you know I'll. you know live my best life and then when. I get to 50 then I'll just pop out a.

couple of kids be great. um. and honest and always thought that that. was the case uh. and then ultimately. started looking at friends and seeing. how happy they were and my sister with. her niece and my niece not Honey's my. sister and my niece and thinking oh you. know what maybe I maybe I do want that. and. and then like began to really like yearn. for it and I was lucky that I met Roxy.

he was just the right person and my. person and we felt like we were both. ready and so yeah. um. it it's it's a I think people will be. surprised when they find out that I'm a. lot of people were with friends and. family when I told them I think because. they just didn't think that I was. necessarily ready for it which again. like in my weird mentality just makes me. go I wanted to prove you I'm gonna show. you how I'm gonna be the best start over. so is there a. fear because I think if I'm being.

completely honest with myself and I. don't think I've said this before when I. think about the prospect of having a. child which is again something that I. really want to do and I see myself as. having four kids and I also see myself. as hopefully being a really attentive. present father. there is a little bit of a thing in my. head that goes you don't have any time. as it is still yeah so something's gonna. have to give. and it's gonna be your career in some. respect like there's going to be some. element of reduction in your career and. maybe that's okay but.

if I think about it practically I'm. already using all 24 hours in a day yeah. so where's it going to come from yeah. that's definitely a thought across is my. mind and. being realistic about it as well and not. it's not something that you can like. just like. you're not going to want to like just. schedule it in or I can do a little bit. of family time here and then I'll go and. uh do some uh you know tour dates in. Australia or like I think yeah it's that.

that's gonna need to be like a. significant. moment of. like change because I'm not going to. want to work in the same way that I've. worked. that's why this like yeah this last year. has felt a little bit like. I don't know like in in my head I am. definitely like mentally prepared for. that I was like the baby is coming in. September I'm gonna have it's gonna be. really there I'm gonna do a tour and.

then I'm and then I'm gonna I don't. wanna be having a tour sort of like. hanging over me I wanted you to do it. now and um. weirdly a lot of the comedians that I'm. friends with I was like yes I'm doing a. tour and then having a baby in September. was like you're gonna regret putting. that tour in then you're gonna yeah. because then when the baby's like two. that's when you don't notice a lot of. comedians start getting out on tour. because they want to get out the house. if you look at all of them yeah they do.

I won't have that excuse the tool will. be done and then you'll be at home for. two years changing nappies you excited. about that yes I am and I actually yeah. I'm genuinely happy I'm very excited to. do that and to like. roll up my thieves and. get involved and. be a Hands-On dad. and now I'm regretting putting this on. camera because she's gonna have that. clipped up you remember when you said. this to Stephen. upstairs now there's a poonami that.

needs attending to yeah I was just. saying that. for the sake of the podcast. and you've got this tour coming up. called settle down yeah. you're doing a lot of dates in a lot of. places yeah. how many dates are you doing jack I'm. doing I would say. at the time of recording maybe 40 50. dates they keep getting added and so. it's hard to keep count and I actually.

in my head mentally it would be quite. good to just think of it as being 40. because that sounds quite manageable but. it may be a few more now how are you. honestly feeling about it give me all. the emotions uh weirdly I'm actually. kind of. excited for it to just start and to just. be doing it. um. the bit that's a bit of a slog is is the. sort of build up to it and the writing. of it and the getting it already in time. and booking all of the venues and doing. the promo and talking through the design. and you know it's a whole you know.

production and it's just and it all has. to come through me. um it's quite hard to delegate when. you're you're building something like. that and so I'm really really excited to. just be then on the road doing the shows. and that's all I have to worry about. um and and I remember that I remember. this feeling before in the run-up to the. show being like I'm just desperate for. the first one to to come about so I can. then just like actually be doing it and. then when I'm on the road I love it I. try to not do too long of it all.

um in terms of like. you know a lot of comics will go out for. like six months or a year and I find. I mean you know quite brewed away just. after a while I just begin to hate the. sound of my own voice and get bored of. the material and I don't know I I like. doing it in quite kind of condensed. burst and uh you know then like keeping. some kind of like momentum going and. doing a couple of shows having a day off. and a couple more shows.

and and I love it I I honestly it's like. I've had a long period away from it uh. you know four years is the biggest Gap. I've had between tours and I I'm just. I'm excited to be doing it again and. they're they're like. I was talking to the I can't remember. who it was but I was talking to an actor. a successful actor it's this is about. the appeal of stand up and how you never. really get that moment no matter how big. of a movie you you make like you might. go to a Premiere and it gets a great.

reaction and and that's amazing and you. have good reviews and it does great the. box office or whatever but like that. Thrill of the live experience I think. it's why so many actors want to be. musicians and end up in bands and. whatnot so they can have that like. experience and like that thing of like. going out in front of a. huge crowd and and. like having that live experience and. connection with them is like the best. thing in the world and it's so hard to. replicate that anywhere else.

what's what's influenced this this show. in terms of the jokes in terms of the. humor in terms of your style. what what are the key influences or the. differences from previous tours well if. it's I call it settle down because it is. sort of about this period of my life. where I am settling down becoming a. little bit more of an adult a lot of my. comedy before and my previous tours it's. all about being the sort of man child.

and that's kind of like. I guess you know on stage on this sort. of floppish man baby and. telling stories of. drunken hijinks and putting my foot in. it and generally just being a bit of a. sort of clown. and and this this show has a element of. that and an element of me being. self-aware enough to be like this is. definitely the like the last show where. I can be telling those stories and maybe. this is the last moment of my life where.

I can lean into that and you know that. was the sort of. feckless. misadventure that was my 20s and now. I've entered into my 30s I've got a. mortgage and a girlfriend and a dog and. a baby on the way and I am now. you know going to be forced to settle. down whether I like it or not and so. it's about this like like this. transitional moment of my life and you. know talking about the anxieties and the. fears of that and like oh my God if I.

got everything out of my system and. um you know I I don't know I so it's. it's it's a lot about that if I got. everything up but I just don't wanna and. I I'm not having a pop at him but like. maybe I haven't and then but I don't. know I was gonna say. I'll be lucky. I'd be like you know a great dad until. the kid's 18 and then I'll I'll be in. what my 50s. so I could just I'll go like if I.

haven't got it all out my sister maybe. that that's what happens the kid turns. 18 and I'll go from like Gary lineker to. Wayne lineker like that and I'll have. this other period when I'm in my 50s and. 60s and I'm getting out and clubbing in. Ibiza to us. oh no. as you'll know if you listen to the last. few episodes of this podcast we're now. sponsored by the incredible whoop and if. you're anything like me and juggling a. fair few things every day whoop could be.

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especially when I'm incredibly busy is a. must-have for me if you're looking for a. good protein powder I highly recommend. you try this recommended it's my friend. Simon she's now obsessed with it. and I think if you try it you'll find. out why. people see you on stage and I always. find this really interesting about. comedians because I watch these. comedians I've watched you for many many. years of my life Jimmy Carr Russell. Howard Etc. um and then when I meet these people. they surprise me. obviously because they're not yeah in. Jimmy Carr's case telling like filthy. one-liners when they got here although.

when Jimmy Carter arrived the team texts. me and said Jimmy Carter just walked in. and cracked a joke about riding. someone's mum downstairs I thought oh. God here we go but then when he came up. here a completely different person there. was a thoughtful person incredibly. thoughtful person. um. what do you think people would be if. people really knew you if people really. knew the jack that Roxy your partner. knows. what would they be most surprised about. about you versus their image of you from. TV. yeah this is something I I think about a. lot.

um that kind of disparity between the. the comedian that you see on stage and. the comedian. that is there in real life. um and I think I'm relatively close to. the the person that you see on. television or the person that you watch. on stage obviously that's like a. heightened version of myself and I think. the reality is the thing that people. will find most surprising is that. sometimes I'm quite. a quiet person I'm quite introspective. um. I can be a little bit shy in some social.

situations uh I think people would be. surprised at that. but then I'm also so conscious I was. like oh I don't want that to ever come. across as. me being rude or aloof and. and yeah I get a little bit of kind of. social anxiety as well I I think I. definitely drink is like a crutch. because I find it so much easier in. certain situations that are overwhelming. to have a drink and and I find I maybe. lean on that a little bit too much.

um so. I think all of those aspects aren't. necessarily things that you would look. at me and think oh he's gonna have all. of that going on but. I'm also I'm aware of it so I always. feel like I don't want to be a. disappointment in real life as well to. people especially you know fans or. whatever if I meet people and they have. an expectation of me I always feel the. need to kind of you know not not let.

them down I think that's why I've always. said it's like so much easier if you're. Jack D or even my dad it's like his. Persona is sort of grumpy deadpan that's. very easy to maintain in reality yeah. mine is this is like over enthusiastic. yeah clown and I'm like oh that is. that's quite a lot to to maintain all of. the time and especially if you're having. a bad day or you're tired or you know. you you to have that spark. um in your day-to-day life can be quite.

tiring when you when you look back on. what got you to where you are now you're. at the top table in your game. when you look back at the components. that got you here. what are those components if you're your. son or daughter was asking you for those. components. um I would say. important elements that I have. but I I do think. um I always say this to comedians I do. think you have to build a resilience.

um and. you know the ability to kind of learn. from your. mistakes and your missteps and take on. board. criticism and use it to get better uh. that's definitely an important aspect I. think recognizing. people that could be good collaborators. could be uh. helpful I've been very lucky that I've.

had a lot of really really great people. around me. um that guy mentioned Ben cavey of work. with him for nearly. 15 years my writing partner Freddie. I've had some really good agents. uh my dad who's been amazing and has. always kind of helped advise me and. and and finding those those kind of. people that you can sort of work with. and put around you and people as well.

that will challenge you and people that. will call you out if needs be. I think if you surround yourself with. the wrong people that's a very sure-fire. way of heading off in the wrong. direction and I feel very lucky that. I've got good people around me and have. always been able to find good people to. put around me and and build good. relationships with people that are. important ultimately that's having a. good judge of character as well I think. that's a really important. um aspect.

um. your work ethic is clearly one of them. yeah I think work ethic is good to have. for sure. um. although I feel yeah now maybe we can. just tone it down a little bit work. ethic is good for the kind of takeoff. but then maybe there's there's a. different speed that you can find once. you're able and yeah cruising yeah. what else though because we haven't. really talked about the creative. Brilliance in terms of what you're doing. is ultimately art at the end of the day.

and. there's got to be something that's. separating your art form from others is. it in the process is it in just a. natural thing is it a muscle you've. built over time when I think about the. your the content you've crafted to go on. tour with. I know technically it is but it's always. such a hard one with comedy because I'm. like I'm thinking of some of the. routines and I'm just like Stephen I've. got a punchline about.

wanking off a tram behind a wheelie bin. I mean that's not hot. but I. if we're in America right now I'd be. like yeah. We're British and I'm like oh no no but. there is no I insist there is a there's. it's a talent and it's an art it's one. that I couldn't come near when I look at. I look at with such awe because not only. are you. because it feels to me like there's such. a clear Successful Failure with every.

line you deliver yeah whereas in every. other game even this podcast yeah some. things might be interesting some things. might not be but there's no there's no. instant feedback on every line that I. deliver boom boom boom boom boom. so I think it's incredibly high stakes. art and something that I could never. ever I shouldn't say never ever do I. could do it but I wouldn't do it. anywhere near one percent of what you. could do it. so when you think about why you're so. good at it. have you been able to diagnose that. people hate these questions because they. have to say nice things about themselves.

no I'm yeah I mean. you're right that you can't. you can't uh. like Coast it with stand up because it. is it is it is pretty brutal that is for. sure and uh you do get immediate. feedback on every single joke that you. put out into the world uh. but I don't why why I'm any more. successful at it than anyone else. um.

I don't know I mean I I don't know. whether I'm like the if I look at my. faults I'm going straight back to my. faults but I don't think I'm like the. greatest writer I think I'm a good. writer and I can come up with like good. jokes and good routines I think I'm. I'm better like I'm better at um. performing it I I don't know I think. that's. something that I've learned like I can. really sell a joke uh which is maybe. sometimes to my detriment because.

you know I could. could write better routines. if it weren't but I don't need to I. don't know that makes it sound like I'm. lazy because I'm but I but I don't I I'm. really. like working the material as much as I. can to try and make it as good as it. possibly can be. um. I can I've got good really good delivery. basically I think I'm very good at. delivering uh objects do you doubt.

yourself yes. I read a quote I think that answer made. that above you. some of my material can occasionally be. a bit ropey but I can bloody well sell. it. I really quote Sky News I'm still sort. of dogged by a slight sense of imposter. syndrome and the feeling that at any. point someone's going to come and tap me. on the shoulder and tell me that I need. to go on a plane and go home yes that's. it. back to telling inappropriate jokes in a. in a pub to 30 people yeah.

constantly. I feel like that. especially yeah with the with the acting. and because again with the acting it. like even more so because like I didn't. go to drama school I didn't know what. I'm doing and I've been afforded the. amazing opportunity of being able to be. in some great shows and some big movies. now and again like I've tasted that in. the same way that when I had that. experience of startup I was like oh my. God this is amazing and I love this and. uh.

now it's going to be really hard if. I can't do that anymore and. but how do you be happy then if there's. that constant I don't know. I wish again why could could someone. tell me no that's not how it works it's. like the voice thing again I'm like. please just say what's the answer. um but that but I I always find I do. this as well by the way. in any kind of like. um Deep dive interview and you're a.

wonderful interviewer because you know. you are able to like get your uh. interviewees to open up more than they. normally would and I feel like I have. done that today but whenever I do that I. then and it normally happens in print. and it's why I stopped doing print. interviews I don't really do any print. interviews. because I'd read them back I was like oh. my God I sound so depressing it's just. like self-flagellation for three pages. and I just feel like I read it back and.

I'm like is that a reflection of who I. am as a person because I don't think I'm. as. depressing as I sometimes come across. when I'm. talking about myself I think I don't. know I don't know why but when I. you know. I don't know why that is the case yeah. in print interviews I mean the reason I. try and avoid print interviews as much. as I can as well is because you get a. really narrow perspective and it's and. what I love about podcasting you're a. podcaster as well is you get it all yes.

so you can see all of the yeah all of. the color and the whole picture so you. can see and that's what I love about. this especially the way we do it here. because we do we these podcasts last a. long time as you can tell yeah. um and there's really no editing at all. so it is what it is exactly and I think. actually if you. 've heard our interaction written down. verbatim in print you would probably. read it back and go. that's quite a sad man yeah but then if. you watched and listened to us then.

maybe you would ascertain that it's not. all doom and gloom I'm just. I get a little bit. morose when I'm being introspective I. think it's really important that. particularly the point that. even someone in your position has those. insecurities about. losing their position the self-doubt all. of those things that everyone has every. day and all in all of their jobs and. really like the reason why I start this. podcast actually I've come to like learn.

why we do this podcast it goes back to. the word you said at the very start. which was about connection yeah you said. at the start when you're most authentic. when you're most open people feel. connected yeah what you also do for them. in those moments is you liberate them. from thinking that they're inadequate. and broken yeah so by you saying it. you've just liberated a ton of people. from thinking that those thoughts that. they've been having make them. actually an imposter that's why we call. it a syndrome because it's actually just. a perception we have which is usually. like flawed in some way as it relates to. acting though you are.

you got a movie coming up robots yeah. yeah that's coming out this summer. um which uh was a movie yeah we shot. that a couple of a couple of years ago. actually been waiting a while for it to. go through the editorial process which. is another element that I find so. frustrating with films is that you film. it and then it takes years for it to. come out and uh you've got and you've. even done it but I I yeah that that was. a again like a great experience really. fantastic people to work with.

writer director that I really got on. with and Shailene who's a fantastic. actress who's. having you know a blast working with her. and that's again like that's that's one. of those things where I'm like. that that was a moment I was really. happy I really enjoyed the whole process. was working with very good people very. nice people it was a very happy set very. creative environment and uh yeah like. that was one of those moments where I. was like I'm I'm very professionally. content. your father.

do you um do you think he's proud of you. now clearly from the origin of your. story that he was a big sort of figure. in your life that you tried to impress. and please. yeah def but I think you know he is. proud of me and he's expressed that and. and continues to express it my um and my. mum as well like they're so sweet. um I'm so happy that they've. you know. had this kind of. Second Wind in their lives as well. maybe with my dad's it's a third or.

fourth win I don't know but. yeah they still come to my shows and. you know call me afterwards and. things and watch me on TV and then if. it's something good they'll text me and. you know that means a lot still. um are you still trying to impress him. I think so I think so because when I do. something that he doesn't think is. good enough which you know does happen.

from time to time he will let me know. he's very honest and he's one of the few. people that will like. really cut through everything and just. like be very honest with me. um I mean the other thing that we. haven't sort of touched upon and again. is is something that's very present in. my mind with all of this in terms of. having a baby in terms of. you know trying to achieve as much as I. can in my career is that I want to do. all of it with him around and obviously.

I know that that's. not going to be the case forever. uh and so. I think that yeah I mean that's why oh. God. I said I wasn't gonna do this on this. and. I'm where I'm now getting emotional I am. I wanted to have a a baby because I. wanted him to be around to know my child. and to spend time with my kid. uh I've seen how amazing he is with my.

niece he's the most loving person ever. and so I want him to have a relationship. with my kid. and then. yeah I I wanna. do all of these things and. um. you know have success in my career that. I can share with him and he can see. these things and and enjoy them and. if the you know yeah I I I love having.

him there for all of that and uh. so yeah I do still think a lot about. impressing him and uh. his his approval still means a hell of a. lot to me. it's such a beautiful thing you know. it's such a beautiful thing yeah and why. that closeness you have with your father. so much and even when I I see you like. doing you know gigs and stuff together. and doing like you know you did the. Netflix thing with him it's such a.

special thing it's I feel I'm so lucky. as well that I've had the opportunity to. do it and you know it's it's never lost. on me the the. amazing thing about doing that show as. well is having people that come up to me. and they say you know like I watched it. with my dad and you know I have. you know a really good relationship with. my dad and we watched your show and then. we went away and we did a trip together. and it was one of the I'm so happy that. we did it and uh you know. or and on the flip side of that is yeah.

I have people that you know maybe lost a. parent and uh have watched the show and. really connected to it because it's. reminded of them of the relationship. that they had with their. um father when when they were around and. and I think. you know I just I know I know how lucky. I am to have had that. um. that experience with him and continue to. have experiences with him and to work. with him and and it never feels like. work when I'm doing stuff with him it.

honestly you know. it's I mean partly because of the the. shooting hours that he insists upon and. the hour-long break for lunch uh with a. wine present wherever we are whatever. you know the situation is. you know but just hanging out with him. it just feels like that's. it it can never feel like work because. it's it's it's my dad and and yeah I I. cherish like. hanging out with him so much there's so.

much banter when you guys are together. on the screen but I I wondered you know. from hearing what you've said about him. today like does he does he truly know. what. he means to you and the impact he he's. had on your life. I think so but I think mainly from. hearing me talk about it when he's not. there because I don't think I. necessarily would ever articulate these. feelings to him. just because that's not like the nature. of our relationship the reality is a lot.

of the time when we're talking we're. talking about you know. we talk about work stuff quite a bit we. talk about football we'll talk about. current affairs things like that but we. don't really talk about our emotions. never really have. um but I think he knows it and I think. I think he's yeah he I think he's very. very very aware of it. um and I'm glad that he is as well I'm. glad that he knows how much. he means to me because. um. I don't think I would necessarily.

be able to say it to him if he were sat. in front of me. a lot of people can relate to that yeah. for some reason it's bizarre isn't it. yeah. I don't know I I yeah I I I look at him. and I'm like oh what will I from will. take from him when I become a dad and. you know I think. he's a. he's surprisingly he is more. affectionate than people think like that.

because that's obviously not an aspect. of him that you ever see on any of the. Netflix shows or on his podcast or or. whatever but like I don't know just yeah. what what watching how he is with my. niece and and knowing what he was like. when we were like very little it's like. I. yeah I want to be like that and and he. he took a decision in his life as well. you know he had a very successful career. and was a producer and an agent and then.

he really did he he did wind it all down. and stop when we were kids and spent I. mean I know again we went to boarding. school so we were away for. for for a period of of our youth but he. did you know spend a lot of time with us. and he was very. like present in our lives and and wasn't. as consumed with work uh and and I think. that was a good a good decision of his. and so I think that's why.

I'm aware that it's even more important. like to make sure that I address that. what life balance thing when my child. comes along because I do want to have. enough time to like you know be. attentive and present parent I think. about this a lot with with my dad I've. talked about it quite often on this show. that the last thing I want to have is. is almost like regrets of words unspoken. when my dad's my dad's 70 odd years old. now and um.

we've not had the closest relationship. over the years and I've also struggled. like I've I took him to the World Cup. and stuff but we never really talk yeah. yeah you know what I mean yeah yeah yeah. yeah and I find it much easier to say. things to him maybe on. this podcast or on text maybe yeah but. to say it's such a strange thing that. with my partner I can be open and. expressive but with my dad it's like. yeah you know and I worry if I'm being. honest about. the regrets of the words.

unsaid yeah so there'll be times where. it might be Father's Day or other days. or maybe his birthday where I'll just. try and express it yeah. you have. do you write it down yeah. but it is it's hard isn't it it's where. if someone doesn't receive it how you. want it to be received as well it can it. can make it very difficult yeah and. there are you know especially like men. of that generation it's just very. because it must have been so different.

with his his father and so. and yeah just it's just not a way of. communication that we're is used to so I. do think that's why sometimes it can be. a real struggle to say some of those. things because if you said them to. anyone else then you know that they. would go on a an elicit a kind of. emotional response that you would be. yeah welcoming yeah and it's and it's. hard when it's not like that we have a. closing tradition on this podcast where. the last guest leaves a question for the.

next guest not knowing who they're. leaving it for and. I have such a bad issue reading. handwriting okay what do you place. oh. what do you pledge to do this year to. live life. fully while you still make a difference. what have I pledge to do. um. I'm going to be. more present and attentive with.

the people that I love and I cherish and. hold close to me. they're gonna clip Roxy's gonna clip. that she's gonna play it every time I'm. gonna change some nappies as well yeah I. will change a nappy okay it's already. gone down to just being a singular nappy. but I will do a nappy that will happen. Well Jack thank you thank you so much. for your time today um I'm incredibly. excited for your tour I'm actually. coming with my team that sounds a little.

bit amazing dodgy but. I'm I'm I will be attending your tour. with my team. um I believe we're going to the London. show and I'm very very excited because. I've been a big fan of yours for a very. very long time. um and your particular style of um. comedy and performance I think is what. makes you exceptional at what you do but. also a very necessary voice in comedy. because. you I I just think where we are in the. world with public discourse and. polarization if there was ever a time. for comedy it is now and so it's so.

lovely that with everything going on. with the macro economic backdrop and all. these things we have great comedians out. there adding a little bit of joy to. people's lives and that's really what. you're what you do through your work. from from my observation if anybody. wants to come to the settle down tour. tickets are on sale now. um on the internet wherever you get them. he's doing [ __ ] [ __ ] tons of dates. um so I hope to see some of you at the. London show in particular because I'll. be there um but yeah thank you Jack. thank you very much it was lovely to. chat yeah thanks so much for having me.

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