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Jack Whitehall is coming for Gordon Ramsay‘s reign at Fox — and he has high hopes that his Nation’s Dumbest hosting gig will lead to more opportunities.
“I took some satisfaction in winding up my friend Gordon Ramsay that finally Fox had commissioned a show that he wasn’t part of and that I was coming for his crown as the face of Fox,” Whitehall, 38, joked during an exclusive interview with Us Weekly. “And you can probably guess what he said to me.”
Whitehall was excited for the opportunity to host his own show.
“I have to wear a lot of hats on this show. I’m the quiz master but then I’m also at times more like the school counselor where I am trying to give them a shoulder to cry on,” he noted. “Or a supportive hug when they need it the most.”
He continued: “Then at other times, I’m more like the torturer. I am really putting them through the ringer. I had to be quite valuable to try to be supportive at times. I picked my moments.”
Nation’s Dumbest is described as “a proven format across multiple international territories, channels celebrities’ inner school spirit as they head back to summer school, facing a mix of brain-teasing tasks, fast-paced physical challenges, and long-buried classroom knowledge.”
According to the description, each week “the ‘smartest’ celebrity graduates, narrowing the field until a high-stakes final exam determines who will be left standing with the distinction no one wants — the title of The Nation’s Dumbest.”
“I think I would be quite deep into [the show if I was a contestant]. I don’t have great general knowledge,” Whitehall told Us. “And I have some glaring blind spots — particularly in American pop culture and sport. I could come undone on a show like this.”
Whitehall joked he is “quite a delicate flower,” adding, “I don’t think I would have the resilience to put myself on the show. … I was not particularly academic [in school]. I was more into the arts and drama — more of a like theater kid. I wasn’t great academically but I think people just make assumptions about me because I have this voice and I sound quite intelligent.”
The comedian used it to his advantage on Nation’s Dumbest.
“On the show, I’m able to look quite smug and above it all,” he shared. “But I think it’s just because I have the fancy British accent and then all of the answers written on a clipboard in front of me.”
Whitehall also learned some important lessons for the future. “Sometimes you just have to just check yourself and be like, ‘Don’t be too much of a dick,’” he said. “Because it is very hard. It’s very easy to stand there and be smug and aloof when you’ve got all the answers written down. I kept having to remind myself that if the boot had been on the other foot, I would have been flailing around and getting questions wrong. I tried to make sure that I was compassionate as well.”
Luckily, Whitehall didn’t have to participate in answering questions alongside the all-star class that includes TV personality Hilaria Baldwin, actress Carmen Electra, actor Anthony Michael Hall, actor Jon Heder, musician Chase Hudson and rapper Ice-T.
Singer-songwriter Elle King, former NFL quarterback Matt Leinart, TV personality and physician Dr. Drew Pinsky are also part of the group while Jackass star Steve-O, singer JoJo Siwa and former presidential candidate Andrew Yang round out the cast.
“[In season 2 we could have] maybe some other members of the Fox family participate,” Whitehall suggested to Us. “Ken Young, Joel McHale, Rob Lowe, Ernest Leary, they would be good. Gordon Ramsay — I’d love to see Ramsay on it.”
Nation’s Dumbest debuts on Fox Wednesday, July 15, at 9 p.m. ET.
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