Jack Whitehall ‘doesn’t want to turn into’ his father when he becomes a dad

The comedian announced he is expecting his first child with Roxy Horner this year

Jack Whitehall has said he doesn’t want to be like his father, Michael Whitehall, when he becomes a dad.

The comedian, 34, recently announced that he is expecting his first child with girlfriend Roxy Horner.

Appearing on BBC Breakfast on Friday (26 May), Whitehall was asked if the pregnancy news made him reflect on his relationship with his father, who stars alongside him in the Netflix show Jack Whitehall: Travels With My Father.

For his own goals for fatherhood, the Bad Education star responded: “I just don’t want to turn into him.”

Whitehall joked that his child could replace Michael on the show once they have grown up.

“I did think as well, by the way, I have had to retire the Travels With My Father brand because my dad’s getting on a bit now and can’t be bothered to travel around the world, but this could be a good way of rejuvenating it when my child is old enough to be a good sidekick,” he said.

Michael is an author and talent agent, and is particularly beloved among fans of the series for his grumpy demeanour. He is married to Hilary Gish Whitehall and has two more children, Barbaby and Molly.

The comedian is touring the cuntry with a new stand-up show, Settle Down, and will be writing new material about having a child.

He said: “It’s weird as a comedian because obviously quite a lot of my life I talk about it up on stage but I’m doing this show which is all about kind of settling down in my life.

“Then this is quite a big element of that so it does feel it would be a glaring omission if I didn’t talk about it.

“So I am currently now doing the beginnings of some material about having a child.”

Whitehall posted a photograph of him and Horner together on Twitter holding ultrasound scans earlier this month to announce the happy news.

He wrote in the caption: “Should probably finally learn to drive now.”

The couple’s baby is due in September. Whitehall said he and Horner are currently thinking up baby names but did not disclose the gender.

This week, Horner shared the first photograph of her baby bump on social media. In the picture, she is standing against the backdrop of greenery while wearing a pink and green dress and cradling her bump with her hands.