Jack Whitehall made a whirlwind return to Soccer Aid on Sunday, but his return came with little sleep, plenty of excitement and a painful night for his beloved Arsenal still fresh in his mind.
The 37-year-old comedian admitted that he had returned to London from Budapest just hours before the charity match at the London Stadium.
After staying up until the early hours of the morning reliving Arsenal’s Champions League penalty shootout loss to Paris Saint-Germain.
Speaking from pitchside before kick-off, Whitehall told presenter Dermot O’Leary that he had been “up until 3am crying and drinking” while re-watching the game alone in his hotel room.
“Not great, I just got back from Budapest,” he said.
“I was up until 3am alone in the hotel room watching the penalty shoot-out, crying, drinking, but it’s okay, I’m here surrounded by United and Tottenham fans, I feel great!”
The comedian, who last appeared on Soccer Aid a decade ago, joked about heartbreak as he pretended to sob over the Arsenal defeat.
Despite a lack of sleep, he managed to get 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 raised more than £121 million since its inception in 2006, and this year’s star-studded line-up includes Danny Dyer, Olly Murs, Sam Thompson, Tom Hiddleston and sprint legend Usain Bolt.
