It’s game over for Jack Whitehall as he leaves Sky1 series A League Of Their Own for the USA like his co-star James Corden
HE’S had a naked mudbath with FREDDIE FLINTOFF, been mortified by an inappropriate text sent to PRINCESS EUGENIE from his phone and had paintballs fired at him by BILLIE PIPER.
But JACK WHITEHALL has finally decided it’s time to wave goodbye to all the wild antics of TV’s A League Of Their Own.
I can reveal the comic has quit the hit Sky1 series after six years in a bid to follow in the footsteps of co-star JAMES CORDEN and crack America.
And bosses have already found Jack’s replacement, with ROMESH RANGANATHAN taking the TV favourite’s spot on the panel later this year.
In an exclusive interview, Jack said: “I’ve actually made the decision to leave A League Of Their Own.
“I’m leaving because my schedule is very busy. I love doing it but I can’t do it for ever and I want to explore new opportunities — I would like to do more in America.
“It was very sad sitting down JAMIE (REDKNAPP) and Freddie and telling James on the phone. Jamie wept.
“I’m the b*****d breaking up the friends. But I think they still like me.
“I think we’re all still pals, it will probably help going forward with our friendship as we won’t see each other all the time.
“I’ve been filming a load of other things and have new opportunities coming up and I just felt like it was the right time to leave.”
Jack, below with co-stars from left, Jamie, Freddie and James, made his first appearance on A League Of Their Own in April 2010 soon after its launch, before becoming a regular panellist in 2012.
Since then Jack has thrown himself into a host of hilarious challenges including synchronised swimming, Mexican wrestling with JOSH WIDDICOMBE and human bowling with RUSSELL HOWARD.
And despite making the decision to leave, Jack says he’s still going to get withdrawal symptoms.
He added: “I’m going to miss it I’m sure. Come the summer I might have to pay someone to come round and put me in a spandex bodysuit and hang me in a harness and throw some balls at me just to make it feel like I’m still doing the show.”
Romesh, who has twice guest-starred on the show, will take Jack’s spot when the series returns this summer.
He said: “I’m saddened by Jack leaving but it has essentially meant that I can become part of the show so I’m actually pretty delighted.
“I’m looking forward to joining James, Freddie and Jamie and finally adding some eye candy to the show.”
Luckily we’ll be getting our TV fix of Jack when he makes his debut as presenter of the biggest night in music, the Brit Awards, on Wednesday, February 21.
However, Jack could already be replacing his A League Of Their Own pals by forging a brand new bromance at the ceremony.
Jack said: “I can imagine ED SHEERAN and I will get on — so the Brits could be the start of our beautiful friendship.”
Fred, Jamie and James will be gutted.
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Dawn of a new bay
JAMES BAY is back with strikingly shorter hair – and a bold new sound.
The single Wild Love, his first release since Brit-winning 2015 album Chaos And The Calm, is more electro after he feared being labelled “the acoustic guitar guy”.
James, who plays London’s Brixton Electric on March 15, said: “Wild Love is about falling for someone . . . It’s also about yearning for someone.”
His long locks went as he embraced his new sound. James said: “As soon as I recognised I was being pinned down as the acoustic guitar guy I realised I had to push myself musically.
"I hope this new music can do for songwriters what DRAKE and CHANCE THE RAPPER are doing for their genre by tearing up the rule book.”
He should tap them up for a collaboration.
bizbit
S CLUB 7 star PAUL CATTERMOLE has failed to sell either of his Brit Awards on eBay but is already feeling bad about trying to flog them.
He said: “I regret, in a way, how it’s gone. I was hoping to sell quietly, without there being a furore.”
Flirty ex tweets leave Chris Liv-id
OLIVIA ATTWOOD has been caught by “boyfriend” CHRIS HUGHES sending flirty late-night tweets to her footballer ex BRADLEY DACK.
In the early hours of yesterday, the Love Island favourite messaged him “yellow suits you” in a response to a video of him, before she deleted the tweet. She also erased messages to “Muggy” MIKE THALASSITIS – Chris’s rival on the show.
But not before Chris, left with Olivia, had seen them. He replied “interesting”, tagging in Bradley.
She and Chris split up briefly before. Maybe it’s time to make it permanent.
bizmeter: music
- MUSIC DOCU: AFTER his cameo in Game Of Thrones, ED SHEERAN is not afraid to hit the screen again. New docu Songwriter – directed by Ed’s cousin Murray Cummings – will give a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of his album Divide. Its first showing will be at the Berlin Film Festival, which kicks off next week.
- GIGS: BRUMMIE band PEACE play London’s Omeara on Tuesday. They will warm up indie fans in the capital for the NME Awards on February 14 at the O2 Academy Brixton. THE SHERLOCKS are also playing in the capital tonight at Camden’s iconic rock venue Electric Ballroom.
- LINE-UP: POP extra- vaganza Mighty Hoopla is returning for a second year, this time in South London’s Brockwell Park, near Brixton. MELANIE C, X Factor winner LOUISA JOHNSON, B*WITCHED, VENGABOYS, and MNEK are among the acts who will perform on June 3.
- RELEASE: ANNE-MARIE releases her new single Friends today after teaming up with pal MARSHMELLO for a second time. The American DJ, real name CHRIS COMSTOCK, remixed Anne-Marie’s single Alarm back in 2016 and hit almost 12million streams on Spotify. They’ll be hoping for similar success this time.
A blazer of glory for Amanda
A LONG day of sitting on the judging panel couldn’t have been too comfortable in this outfit.
AMANDA HOLDEN wore this pleated blazer and skirt at the Britain’s Got Talent auditions in Manchester on Thursday.
She was joined by fellow judges ALESHA DIXON, DAVID WALLIAMS and SIMON COWELL as they continued to scour the country for acts.
But while they were back on the road, 2012 winner ASHLEIGH BUTLER, who won with her late dog PUDSEY, was opening up about the loss of her canine companion last July.
She told my ITV colleague and Sun columnist LORRAINE KELLY: “I miss him so, so much, there’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about him.”
Hopefully her new pooch, Sully, is providing some comfort.
Calum's made a new friend
LEONA LEWIS’s comeback is under way – and she has enlisted help from a fellow talent show veteran.
The 2006 X Factor winner performs duet You Are The Reason on CALUM SCOTT’s album Only Human, out next month.
The single is out today and is her first big release since 2015. I can reveal the Bleeding Love singer was keen to feature on the track after former BGT contestant Calum asked for her feedback. He said: “To have her on a song that I’ve written myself is a surreal feeling.”
Calum also confirmed Leona will soon be releasing her own music for the first time in three years.
He added: “She is coming back with new music. We’ve talked about writing with each other.
“She’s going to smash it. Her voice is just as strong and beautiful as it was on the first album.”
Jamie: I'm not whipped up by fans
JAMIE DORNAN clearly doesn’t mind dishing out a spanking in his Fifty Shades movies – but he can’t take one.
The actor says he doesn’t care what paying fans think of his portrayal of Christian Grey after critics hammered the final instalment of his erotic franchise.
Speaking in an exclusive chat as Fifty Shades: Freed hits UK cinemas on Friday, Jamie said: “I don’t really pay too much attention to how I’m perceived by audiences.
“That’s why I’m not on social media. The only thing that matters to me is what my family and closest friends think of me.”
Belfast-born Jamie, who stars alongside DAKOTA JOHNSON as Anastasia Steele in the series, told The Sun last year he would not return for a fourth outing of the franchise.
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Signing off for good, Jamie said: “It’s been a rewarding experience but every journey has to end.”
Brit director SAM TAYLOR-JOHNSON quit after Fifty Shades Of Grey in 2015 following creative disagreements with author E. L. JAMES before JAMES FOLEY took over the reins.
Doubt she’s got too many regrets about that.