Viewers have lauded comedian Jack Whitehall’s performance in the new TV adaptation of Evelyn Waugh’s novel Decline And Fall.
The actor stripped naked in the first minutes of the BBC One show as his character, Paul Pennyfeather, is picked on by his drunken university classmates.
He is then forced to take on the job of a schoolmaster after being unfairly dismissed from Oxford University for indecent exposure.
We've got your Friday night sorted. @EvaLongoria and @JackWhitehall star in brand new three-part series #DeclineAndFall. 9pm. @BBCOne. pic.twitter.com/Js2jnHFG59
— BBC One (@BBCOne) March 31, 2017
Friday night telly-watchers took to Twitter to share how much they loved it…
The new BBC adaption of Evelyn Waugh's Decline and Fall is excellent; the cast is wonderful and the script is very good. A delight to watch!
— Jack Hawkins (@grimsbyroylott1) April 1, 2017
Decline and Fall on the BBC with Jack Whitehall was a delight. Loved it.
— Sophie Haslett (@SophieHaslettXX) March 31, 2017
Loved Decline and Fall on the box last night, Jack Whitehall was perfect
— Jaki knowles (@jakiknowles) April 1, 2017
Thank you @BBCOne for the totally charming Decline and Fall. Perfect casting, wonderful acting….. a real tonic! #loveit
— Sam Smith (@samhenleysmith) March 31, 2017
Jack, 28, is known for his social class-based jokes and self-mockery, especially through his wealthy but dim-witted character JP in cult comedy Fresh Meat.
Reviewers, who also rated the three-part series’ debut on Friday, described him as the perfect fit for the satirical story.
According to The Spectator: “Jack has done Waugh proud… With this quite superb adaptation – scripted by James Wood – you do care because he has played it absolutely dead straight.”
.@jackwhitehall stars as a student unfairly expelled from Oxford, kick-starting a disastrous chain of events. 😱 #DeclineAndFall 9pm, @BBCOne pic.twitter.com/sWf8AsuPVO
— BBC Comedy (@bbccomedy) March 31, 2017
The Guardian said his performance was “splendid”, adding that Waugh would “not be turning in his grave”.
Jack was joined in the show by Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria as the glamorous Margot Beste-Chetwynde and David Suchet as bungling Dr Fagan.
Decline and Fall continues on BBC One at 9pm on Friday.
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