Jack Whitehall to Host 2026 BRIT Awards as Show Moves Outside of London

The BRIT Awards has announced its host for the 2026 ceremony. Comedian Jack Whitehall will return to the role, having hosted the awards five times previously.

“I am so excited to be coming back for this very special BRIT Awards in Manchester, a place that is so important to me,” Whitehall said in a statement. “The city I started my comedy career in, it feels like a real full circle moment returning to host this historic night at the Co-op Live, a venue that is only a stone’s throw away from the comedy club I did my first 10 minute set in all those years ago. Hopefully I get a few more laughs than I did that night. I cannot wait.”

The show will be held outside of London for the first time next year, taking over Manchester’s Co-Op Live arena on Feb. 28. It will be broadcast live on ITV 1 and streaming service ITVX.

Stacey Tang, chair of the 2026 BRIT Awards Committee and co-president of RCA Records at Sony Music UK said in a statement: “Jack is absolutely brilliant at his craft so we are thrilled to welcome him back and excited for the fun and mischief he’s bound to bring to the show again this year. His legacy hosting the awards speaks for itself and as the BRITs enters a new era, in a city familiar to him, there’s nobody better placed to take the helm of the biggest night in music.”

As he eyes his return on the BRITs stage, Whitehall breaks former talk-show host James Corden’s previous hosting record for his sixth stint in the job. Whitehall previously hosted the ceremonies in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, before enjoying a huge comeback moment in 2025. 

Whitehall rose to prominence in the British dramedy series Fresh Meat in 2011, and went on to create and star in the BBC show Bad Education. He has since toured arenas across the U.K. and Ireland, and more recently starred in original Amazon Prime series Malice.

Nominations for the 2026 edition of The BRIT Awards are expected to be announced in the coming months, alongside performers at the event.

On Dec. 3, Jacob Alon, Sienna Spiro and Rose Gray were announced as the nominees of The BRIT’s critics choice award for 2026, which tips rising stars for future success. Previous winners include Adele (2008), Sam Smith (2014) and most recently, Myles Smith (2025).