While preparing for his role in The Afterparty, Jack Whitehall was caught off guard by a last-minute journey to Italy for the series Live Italian.
The comedian and actor was cast in the second season of the comedy series as a guy with a’six pack,’ and while he had the best of intentions to bulk up, his trip to Tuscany saw him devour quite a lot of carbohydrates as he enjoyed La Dolce Vita.
Live Italian is a three-part series starring Maya Jama and Lawrence Dallaglio, in which the trio is matched with an Italian specialist who will show them to the greatest food, music, and sports the Mediterranean country has to offer.
In the first episode, Jack teams up with Chiara Maci, an Italian TV presenter, blogger, and Italian gastronomical expert, for a culinary tour of Tuscany, where he milks a cow to make gelato, makes pasta dough from scratch with some naughty nonnas, and tries to convince Italians of the wonders of Alphabetti spaghetti (don’t be surprised if it doesn’t go down well).
‘For this [Live Italian] I said I wouldn’t be eating a lot of carbs because I was going to do a show in LA [The Afterparty] that required a lot of nudity and so I really wanted to get in shape,’ Jack told reporters.
‘All of the character descriptions were like “he takes off his shirt to reveal a rippling six pack” and I thought “oh god I hope they’ve seen me” and know that’s not something Id’ be bringing to the character unless there was a lot of CGI.
‘But for the first time ever I thought I would try and do it and get a trainer and adjust my diet, and then I got offered this the week before I was due to go out and film it.’
While Jack, 34, believed he’d be alright, being served pizza, spaghetti, and gelato was too wonderful to pass up.
‘I thought I would have enough self-restraint to be in Tuscany and not eat carbs and then ate pasta every day for a week,’ he joked.
Thus, when it was time to travel to America for his other assignment, he had to be truthful.
‘I told them that while I had the best endeavours and intentions to arrive on set with a six pack, it was more of a one pack, and they might have to look for different ways to show a six pack,’ he laughed.
‘Then they said they could get a body double and they just did that – it was great.
‘There’s a lot of nudity, but it’s just not me.’
Although the Bad Education star is creating a reputation for himself in Hollywood, he doesn’t think he’s ready for a job that would necessitate constant gym sessions.
‘The weight gain I had was all incremental, but you have to be so strict if you want to have the Marvel body,’ he said.
‘I don’t know whether I have the self-control, especially if I am in Tuscany surrounded by the best food and wine and beer that there is. The secret is to Live Italian…and have a body double.’
Maya discovers the importance of music in Italian culture in the second episode, while Lawrence renews his long-standing rivalry with Martin Castrogiovanni as they compete in traditional Italian sports challenges in the third and final episode.
Live Italian is streaming from Friday on Prime Video.