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ROMAN'S REPLACEMENT
Brit Awards 2025 host revealed as Roman Kemp and Maya Jama step down
It's the fifth time hosting for the TV favourite
THE Brit Awards are about to get a hell of a lot funnier, as Jack Whitehall has agreed to return as host.
Much to my relief, the beloved comedian is coming back for a fifth time as frontman for the ceremony, being held at London’s O2 Arena on March 1.
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His last starring role was in 2021.
Insiders told me he jumped at the chance to roast the star guests after his jam-packed schedule made it impossible to commit for the past few years.
They said: “Jack is such a brilliant Brits host and isn’t afraid to take the p**s out of some of the world’s biggest stars.
“He has such a hectic diary that he’s been unable to take part for the past few years.
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“But he was available this time and said yes immediately.
“It is one of his favourite gigs as he can have some real fun with the celebs.”
Harriet Rose and Munya Chawawa will get the party started ahead of the ceremony by hosting The Brits 2025: The Warm-Up on ITV2 and ITVX.
Confirming the news last night, Jack said: “They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder, and that is absolutely the case with the Brit Awards.
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“It is my favourite night of the year.”
I was there the last time he hosted and found him hilarious.
Roxy Horner flashes her huge engagement ring as she confirms engagement to Jack Whitehall with loved-up post.mp4
In 2019, he caused a storm when a joke he made about Little Mix became the most complained about moment of the night.
After the girls’ killer routine of Woman Like Me, Jack quipped: “Dads up and down the country awkwardly fumbling for a scatter cushion right now.”
Sod the bores, Jack, I want more like that.
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MUR GAGS ON WAY
HERE are just some of Jack’s best jokes from his time at the Brits.
On Sam Smith: “If you like Adele songs but find them too upbeat, you’re in for a treat.”
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On Westlife: “Suddenly a hard border with Ireland doesn’t sound so bad.”
On social distancing: “This arena has been emptier than Piers Morgan's diary and had more comebacks than Craig David.”
On Olly Murs being in the audience: “Don’t worry, Mursy’s only here for fun – we’ll not let him sing.”
On Billie Eilish: “She’s the only teenager in the world that makes Greta Thunberg look lazy.”
On Ronnie Wood: “He is an inspiration to caners everywhere – the horny scarecrow of rock ‘n’ roll.”
FREEWHEELIN’ TIMOTHEE
TIMOTHEE CHALAMET caught staff and security off-guard at the premiere of his Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown.
The actor snubbed a chauffeur-driven Mercedes to arrive – in Freewheelin’ style – at the premiere on a rented Lime bike.
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Timothee made the short journey from his hotel near Trafalgar Square to the BFI Southbank, fully suited up.
But rather than being a PR stunt, insiders tell us that staff at the VIP event had no idea of his plans.
A source said: “Everyone was taken by surprise.”
Mind you, in footage of him arriving at the red carpet bash on Tuesday, he looked wobblier than a kid who had just lost his stabilisers.
ASHLEY: MY WINNING FORMULA
TOP Boy star Ashley Walters is preparing to reveal all about his troubled life in a new autobiography, Always Winning.
He will cover everything in the book, from his struggle with addiction, fame and identity, to his difficult youth – where he was left for dead after being stabbed aged 15.
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Those close to Ashley said he chose to name the book Always Winning as he used that as the framework to turn his life around and become a success.
Ash said: “What an honour to share my journey with the people who helped me get here.
“I’m no life guru but I’ve learned we all hold the key to change – this book is my how, why and what.
“Huge thanks to the incredible team at Transworld and my powerhouse co-writer, Chris Isaie, for bringing this to life.”
Always Winning will be published on May 29.
GORDON RAMSAY is now a gaming star after appearing in the world’s most popular farming title, Hay Day.
Rather than hurl abuse, his digital avatar helps players to build their own farming utopias.
Gordon said: “I’m known for many things, but being zen is not one of them.
“Via Hay Day I’ve found a new sense of calm from harvesting crops and feeding livestock.”
A RED-HOT MOLOTOV COCKTAIL
THE MOLOTOVS are definitely a group worth catching this year.
They sold out their recent show at Dingwalls nightspot in Camden, North London – the same venue that Oasis and The Stone Roses kicked off their careers.
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The British band is made up of sibling duo Mathew and Issey Cartlidge.
And with their punk/rock sound, they remind me of The Jam when they were starting out.
The Molotovs have now signed with Marshall Records and will be releasing their debut single in the coming weeks.
Mathew told me: “When Marshall came knocking, it was a no-brainer for us to link arms with a brand embedded in rock ’n’ roll history.”
I can see big things ahead.
DRAKE’S FRESH LIBEL RAP
DRAKE is upping the ante in his fight with record label Universal for spreading the “false and malicious narrative” that he’s a paedophile.
He was ripped to shreds in Kendrick Lamar’s hit Not Like Us last year, in which the claim was made, and although he isn’t taking legal action against his fellow rapper, he is suing their shared label.
Drake filed a motion to drop a previous legal action against UMG and Spotify on Tuesday, only to file the new defamation case yesterday.
The Hotline Bling star claims they knew Kendrick’s lyrics and video were false and dangerous.
I can’t see this ending nicely.
NETFLIX BECK FOR MORE WITH POSH
DAVID BECKHAM had his life story recounted in a hit Netflix docu-series at the end of 2023 – and now wife Victoria is getting the same treatment.
The former England captain went on US TV yesterday where he shocked fans with his puffy face as he revealed plans for the show, which is also being made for Netflix.
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He confessed that Posh took some persuading, but that the documentary will look back at her time in the charts, from the Spice Girls years to her solo career, and then her big move into fashion.
David said: “It wasn’t the easiest thing to get her to agree to, but in my opinion she was the star [of my Netflix show].
“So I just thought this is the opportunity, because she’s been working on our brand for 18 years, and she’s unbelievably hard-working, and no one gets to see that.
“So I convinced her to actually let people see what she does every day and what goes into her business.”
DAVID’S BOND WITH ROD
MY first job was waiting tables in a local garden centre cafe when I was aged 14.
But David Schwimmer did something far more interesting and worked as a legal assistant – where he handed divorce papers to Sir Rod Stewart.
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The actor, who played hapless Ross in Friends, said: “One summer after my freshman year in college, I was looking for work, and my mum said, ‘Well, you can be a process server for me.
“My mum was a divorce lawyer, and I was the guy who would pop out of the bushes and serve you divorce papers.
“I was 18 and I was like James Bond.
“Thank goodness I’ve never run into him since, but I served Rod Stewart.
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“I don’t know if he knows.”
Appearing on America’s The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, David laughed as the host warned that Rod knew where to find him now, adding: “He knows to punch you.”
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