ITV Bleeps Out Jack Whitehall's 'Risky' Mandelson Epstein Joke at Brit Awards 2026
ITV made a decisive move to censor Jack Whitehall's joke referencing Peter Mandelson's involvement in the Jeffrey Epstein list during the live broadcast of the Brit Awards 2026. The comedian, 37, hosted the major music awards, which for the first time ever took place outside of London, in Manchester. The event featured notable performances, including Harry Styles' first stage appearance in nearly three years with his single "Apeture" from his new album, and honors such as Noel Gallagher receiving songwriter of the year.
Controversial Joke and Immediate Censorship
During the ceremony, Whitehall approached a table of politicians, including Lisa Nandy and Andy Burnham, and delivered a pointed quip: "This must be the politician's table. I wonder who else is here? I think I saw Peter Mandelson on the list. Oh no, sorry, that was another list my bad." The audience reacted with a mix of groans, cheers, and laughter, but ITV swiftly edited the joke out of the broadcast. This action came just days after Mandelson, whose name appears in the Epstein files, was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office and later released on bail, accused of passing information to the paedophile financier Epstein during his tenure as business secretary.
Other Censored Moments at the Brits
Whitehall's Mandelson joke was not the only instance of censorship during the evening. Noel Gallagher, while accepting his songwriter of the year award, concluded his speech with the expletive "Up the f**ing Blues" in support of Manchester City, which was bleeped out. Earlier, Whitehall had humorously referenced having the "best in the business" to handle swearing, alluding to the recent Bafta controversy where the BBC failed to censor an N-word outburst.
Additionally, the band Geese, winners of international group of the year, had their acceptance speech entirely bleeped after drummer Max Bassin declared, "Free Palestine, f**k ICE. RIP Mani." This followed criticism of the BBC for cutting a similar pro-Palestine speech at another event. Another censored moment included Luke Littler and Angry Ginge's comment that "London is a s**thole," which did not make the final broadcast.
Highlights and Winners of the Night
The Brit Awards 2026 showcased a range of musical talents, with key winners including Sam Fender and Olivia Dean for British Album of the Year with "Rein Me In," Wolf Alice as British Group, and Lola Young as Breakthrough Artist. International categories saw Geese win International Group and Rose and Bruno Mars take International Song for "Apt." The event underscored the ongoing tensions between live entertainment and broadcast standards, as ITV navigated controversial content in real-time.
