Jack Whitehall has added extra London dates to the final leg of his Settle Down tour. One of these dates will be at Fairfield Halls in Croydon and anyone with tickets for that show could well be in for a memorable night in particular.
Speaking exclusively, Jack told MyLondon the additional Croydon date has an 'added element of jeopardy' as his girlfriend's family are from the area and will be in the audience. His partner, Roxy Horner's, aunts and cousins will be heading down to watch him for the first time.
Jack said: "It's going to be one that has the added element of jeopardy because Roxy, my girlfriend, who's featured heavily in the show has quite a lot of family in Croydon. I'll be launching into a routine about the intimacies of our relationship or bedroom antics or embarrassing stories from our home life and then I'll be looking at the audience and accidentally making eye contact with her aunt who will be giving me a beady stare from the stalls."
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The model is from Essex and the comedian has performed in front of other members of her family during "tense evenings in Colchester, getting eyeballed by various fractions of her family". He added: "I felt like from a sadomasochistic point of view I needed to put myself through that ordeal again in Croydon.
"So, if there's an awkward atmosphere in the room, that will be why, and if I'm sweating profusely at any point that will also be why." Jack and Roxy recently welcomed their daughter Elsie into the world and his tour focuses on where he is in his life right now as a new father.
He told MyLondon it is a reflection of him "reluctantly becoming an adult," as he has moved in with his girlfriend, got a dog and now has a child. He has had to readjust and find a balance between touring and spending time with his new born, hence why lots of the last leg of the tour is in the South.
On becoming a dad he said: "It's been amazing. You know, nothing can really prepare you for it. I definitely appreciate nights in a hotel a little bit more than I did before because I can get eight hours of uninterrupted sleep. Equally, I miss my girlfriend and my daughter a lot more when I'm on the road.
"So an evening in Croydon becomes a lot more appealing than doing a night in Aberdeen. My last four tours looked like they were created by somebody who doesn't own a map, I did more miles than any other comedian in the country. I think it's nice to be doing some that are a little closer to home."
He told MyLondon that Elsie has already become a 'punch line' during his show. Jack said: "Anyone that's in my orbit, my friends and family, no one is really safe. I've always said that nothing is sacred but when we were pregnant I was like hopefully my child will be the exception to that.
"But before she'd even arrived, she was part of the routine. I photoshopped one of the scan pictures and had it up on the big screen. This baby hadn't even arrived into the world yet and she was already a punch line. That trend has continued as I've been adjusting the show and adding in new bits here and there.
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"I'm just hopeful that it's not something that she's talking about to a therapist in twenty years time." Jack said he can't wait for his first Christmas with Elsie, to take her to Winter Wonderland and decorate the house but in the meantime has "laser focus on Croydon" and impressing Roxy's family.
He joked: "Maybe I'll quit after that, the night in Croydon will be so incredible that I'll be like I've peaked as an artist." After the tour ends in December Jack will be filming a documentary for Netflix with his dad called Fatherhood with my Father , where the hilarious duo will be exploring all the facets of modern parenting.
Jack said: "Maybe I'll get a little more advice from him once the cameras are rolling. He tends to hold it back until he's got the pay cheque. I'm sure that's what he's waiting for."
Tickets to see Jack in Croydon, or at Drury Lane and Wembley can be purchased here.
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