BRIT Awards viewers were left scratching their heads after several of host Jack Whitehall’s jokes were censored for those watching at home.
The comedian was back for his sixth year of hosting the awards, which were held outside of London for the first time in the history of the event.
It didn’t take long though for Whitehall to fall foul of the censors as he hosted the show from Manchester’s Co-op Live arena last night (February 28), with some jokes proving too much for ITV to air.
Those at home didn’t get the full experience of the annual music awards, as Whitehall’s audio was cut out as he wandered around the audience near the start of the show.
As he looked around the tables of celebrities, stars and guests, he spotted one table featuring several politicians, including Manchester mayor Andy Burnham and Lisa Nandy, who is the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.
Host Jack Whitehall kept the BRIT Award censors busy (ITV)
He apparently said: “So many politicians! I thought I saw Peter Mandelson on the list. Oh no sorry, that was another list, my bad.”
It comes days after former Labour politician Mandelson was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: “Officers have arrested a 72-year-old man on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
“He was arrested at an address in Camden on Monday, February 23 and has been taken to a London police station for interview.
“This follows search warrants at two addresses in the Wiltshire and Camden areas.”
Following his arrest, Lord Mandelson’s lawyers, said: “Peter Mandelson was arrested yesterday despite an agreement with the police that he would attend an interview next month on a voluntary basis.
“The arrest was prompted by a baseless suggestion that he was planning to leave the country and take up permanent residence abroad. There is absolutely no truth whatsoever in any such suggestion.
“We have asked the MPS [Metropolitan Police Service] for the evidence relied upon to justify the arrest.
“Peter Mandelson’s overriding priority is to cooperate with the police investigation, as he has done throughout this process, and to clear his name,” they added.
He is facing allegations claiming he passed on market-sensitive government information to Jeffrey Epstein, while he was serving as a minister.
Jack Whitehall took aim at Peter Mandelson for his brutal censored joke (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP via Getty Images)
Not content to stop there, Whitehall also had a dig at Andy Burnham, saying: “This is the only party he’s allowed into these days” referencing the fact Prime Minister Sir Kier Starmer had prevented him from standing in this week’s by-elections.
He also took a swipe at the BAFTA’s racial slur incident, joking that ‘we’ve got the best in the business on the bleep button tonight…. it’s the guy who did the BAFTAs, nothing gets past him.’
They were certainly kept busy for the night, as the likes of I’m A Celeb winner Angry Ginge also received the mute treatment when he said he was glad the ceremony was being held in Manchester, as he said “It shows people are realising London is a ****hole!” but viewers at home just heard the bleeps.
Unsurprisingly, Noel Gallagher also invoked the censors, ending his speech with ‘up the f***ing blues’, referring to his beloved Manchester City football team.
The comment was greeted with a roaring chorus of boos, presumably from all of the Manchester United fans.
New York band Geese took to the stage to accept the award for Best International Group, and drummer Max Bessin took to the stage was censored when he said: “Free Palestine, F**k ICE”.
Whitehall also said Happy Mondays stars Shaun Ryder and Bez had ‘aged like service station flowers’, before jokingly announcing the duo as the new presenters of Strictly Come Dancing.
Lily Allen’s ex David Harbour was also in the firing line: “Her album West End Girl was launched into the charts like a torpedo, only this torpedo didn’t sink a ship it destroyed a harbour.”