Jack Whitehall to Host the 2018 British Academy Britannia Awards

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts Los Angeles (BAFTA Los Angeles) is pleased to announce that British actor and comedian Jack Whitehall will return as host for the third time for the 2018 British Academy Britannia Awards. For the first time ever, BritBox, the subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) streaming service from BBC Studios and ITV, will live stream the annual British Academy Britannia Awards to U.S. and Canada audiences, as part of a new multi-year partnership with BAFTA Los Angeles.

This year's Britannia Award honorees include Steve McQueen, who will receive the John Schlesinger Britannia Award for Excellence in Directing, Cate Blanchett, who will receive the Stanley Kubrick Britannia Award for Excellence in Film, and Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, who will receive the Albert R. Broccoli Britannia Award for Worldwide Contribution to Entertainment.

The British Academy Britannia Awards is BAFTA's biggest event outside of the U.K. This year's ceremony will take place on Friday, October 26, 2018 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel and will be presented by American Airlines and Jaguar Land Rover.

"We are delighted that Jack will be heading back to Hollywood to bring his charm and wit to the Britannia stage for a third year," said BAFTA Los Angeles Chairman Kieran Breen. "The evening is also the perfect way to launch our new partnership with BritBox, bringing BAFTA's big night in Hollywood to their U.S. and Canada audiences."

"BAFTA tirelessly supports British entertainment and the wider creative community, and BritBox is now a major destination for lovers of British Television around the world. So an alliance not only seemed natural - but inevitable," said Soumya Sriraman, President of BritBox. "This is just the beginning of our multi-year partnership with BAFTA. We will be announcing special events, screenings, and in-service activations in the coming months - offerings that continue to set BritBox apart from other VOD services."

Britannia Awards host, Jack Whitehall will next be seen in Lasse Hallstrom's THE NUTCRACKER AND THE FOUR REALMS opposite Keira Knightley, Helen Mirren, and Morgan Freeman on November 2, 2018 for Disney. He will also star in Disney's upcoming JUNGLE CRUISE opposite Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt which will be released in 2019. Jack's previous film work includes Garry Marshall's MOTHER'S DAY opposite Julia Roberts and Jennifer Garner in 2016, and THE BAD EDUCATION MOVIE in 2015, which Jack also wrote.

On television, Jack stars alongside his father, Michael Whitehall, in TRAVELS WITH MY FATHER which will premiere Season 2 on Netflix on September 28, 2018. In 2019, he will star in GOOD OMENS opposite Jon Hamm and Michael Sheen for Amazon, and BOUNTY HUNTERS opposite Rosie Perez for Sky Television (UK). As a stand-up comedian, Jack has completed two sell out arena tours, JACK WHITEHALL GETS AROUND in 2014 and JACK WHITEHALL: AT LARGE 2017 - his second tour also premiered on Netflix in 2017.

The Britannia Awards are BAFTA Los Angeles' highest accolades, recognizing both outstanding British talent, and exceptional international talent by virtue of their strong connection to British entertainment through their body of work. Known to be an enjoyable evening that captures a unique blend of sincerity and British irreverence, the evening also serves to celebrate the long-standing collaboration between the British and American industries. Proceeds from the event support BAFTA's Access for All campaign, a range of impactful educational initiatives created to provide a foot-in-the-door and a pathway to success for talented individuals, uninhibited by background, demographics or personal circumstance.

About BAFTA and BAFTA Los Angeles

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) is a world-leading independent arts charity that brings the very best work in film, games and television to public attention and supports the growth of creative talent in the U.K. and internationally. Through its Awards ceremonies and year-round program of learning events and initiatives - which includes workshops, masterclasses, scholarships, lectures and mentoring schemes in the U.K., U.S. and Asia - BAFTA identifies and celebrates excellence, discovers, inspires and nurtures new talent, and enables learning and creative collaboration. For advice and inspiration from the best creative minds in working in film, games and television, visit www.bafta.org/guru. For more, visit www.bafta.org.

Founded in 1987, BAFTA Los Angeles serves as a bridge between the Hollywood and British production and entertainment business communities. Its commitment to professional and community education is at the heart of all activity, including an award-winning community outreach program, screenings, seminars, Q&As, scholarships for British students studying in the U.S., a Newcomers Program for emerging British talents working in the U.S., and a Heritage Archive project that preserves in-depth interviews with the industry's leading talents for future generations. BAFTA Los Angeles celebrates and promotes excellence through its annual Britannia Awards, Awards Season Film and Television Tea Parties and the Student Film Awards.

BAFTA Los Angeles is a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Corporation and relies on income from membership subscriptions, individual donations, trusts, foundations and CORPORATE partnerships to support its ongoing work. www.bafta.org/losangeles

About BritBox

BritBox is a digital video subscription service offering the largest collection of British TV in the U.S. and Canada. Created by two British content powerhouses-BBC Studios, the subsidiary arm of the BBC, and ITV, the UK's biggest commercial broadcaster-the service features iconic favorites, exclusive premieres, and current series and soaps-most available within 24 hours after their UK premier. BritBox also offers expert curation and playlists that enable fans to easily find programs they know and discover new favorite via web, mobile, tablet and connected TV's. AMC Networks is a minority investor in the service

To post a comment, you must register and login.