Baftas 2022: Rebel Wilson's 'car crash' hosting slated by TV viewers

Viewers of the 2022 Baftas were not impressed with host Rebel Wilson's jokes, as droves of people complained about her performance online.

The Australian comic was hosting the Baftas for the first time, but viewers of the prestigious awards show were quick to complain that her script was 'not funny'.

One viewer called her performance a 'car crash', while another said 'don't give up your day job'.

Venting his opinion online Piers Morgan said he was 'cringing so violently' at her hosting.

One viewer took pity, saying that Wilson was probably wondering “who forgot to bring the funny” to her script.

Another suggested that the Australian was 'out of her comfort zone', asking "Why is rebel Wilson so stiff and awkward? She’s usually so funny." One viewer said they were enjoying her performance, challenging the armchair critics to 'get up there and have a go' to see how difficult the gig was.

The Pitch Perfect star took to the stage in a sparkly red gown and said: “I might look a bit different from the last time you saw me here.”

Read more: All the winners at the 2022 Baftas

Referring to a picture of her at the 2020 ceremony that appeared on screen, she added: “That was me two years ago and since then I’ve done quite a transformation – I hope JK Rowling still approves.

“Everyone is asking me, why did you lose weight? Clearly it was to get the attention of Robert Pattinson,” she joked.

She continued: “I didn’t lose weight just to get a guy, I did it to get more acting roles."

One gag involving a cake made to look like Benedict Cumberbatch seemed to go down like a lead balloon in the Royal Albert Hall, with the Sherlock star looking particularly mortified.

Wilson said she had chosen the celebratory cake to be made in homage to Cumberbatch for herself, adding she wanted it later for “reasons she would not go into”.

The Power Of The Dog star looked baffled as actor and director Andy Serkis jammed a 75-shaped candle into the cake.

Another skit saw Wilson sharing quips with the sand worm from Dune, which turned out to be comedian Asim Chaudhry in a cheaply made costume.

After Will Smith was a no-show to pick up his Best Actor award for King Richard, Wilson made a joke about his best performance was 'appearing to not care about his wife's boyfriends', which one viewer called 'low'.

Read more: Rebel Wilson takes aim at JK Rowling

However, one joke did seem to go do well with the crowd. After introducing actor Emilia Jones, who was appearing on stage with two sign language interpreters, Wilson said the sign for Russian president Putin was universal, and flipped the bird to huge applause.

Previous Bafta hosts include Graham Norton, Joanna Lumley and Stephen Fry.

Watch: Rebel Wilson is pumped for the Baftas