Americans think we all speak the Queen's English after my U.S. gig... sorry Cheryl says Jack Whitehall

The Marlborough-educated comic is following hot on the heels of folk band Mumford & Sons, Homeland's Damian Lewis and pop group One Direction after American audiences went crazy for his plummy accent.

Jack star of Channel 4's hit comedy Fresh Meat had the audience eating out of his hands at Amnesty International's Secret Policeman's Ball in New York earlier this month.

But he admitted he was helping perpetuate a myth Stateside that all Brits speak the Queen's English and joked it wouldn't do any favours for Geordie Cheryl who was dropped from the US X Factor last year amid rumours American viewers couldn't understand her.

Jack said: "It is always terrifying doing a gig somewhere you haven't done one before as you are slightly out of your comfort zone so I was very nervous.

"If some material is not going well in England, you can throw in a joke about The Only Way Is Essex or something and people will get it, whereas in America your back catalogue is far more limited.

Flop ... Cheryl Cole struggled in the US

"I was really worried about my references but fortunately there were enough things similar. And then there is the whole Cheryl Cole thing, worrying they weren't going to understand you, but I think mine and Cheryl Cole's voices are different enough.

"I think I have probably just perpetuated the preconception (that everyone in Britain has a posh accent). I've probably damaged Cheryl Cole's chances of another relaunch in America as they are all going to assume people talk like me.

"But it is a lie that as soon as you go to America and open your mouth they are wooed by your dulcet tones.

"You definitely need more than that you need some actual lines. What you are saying has to be good as well."

And Jack who is dating his Fresh Meat co-star Gemma Chan said it was ! also a f allacy that American woman love a posh English accent.

He said: "I spoke up in the hope that I would get some female attention. I didn't get much."

But he added: "I wasn't going out there on the pull. We didn't go out much. It was quite surreal, the whole experience.

"We were sharing a toilet with Coldplay at the Secret Policeman's Ball. Our dressing room was next door to them and there was only one toilet. Everyone was really scared. I was a bit nervous of doing anything too pungent in fear of ruining their performance."

House of fun ... Jack Whitehall in Fresh Meat

Despite not being well known in the States, Jack said he did get some attention but for the wrong reason.

He said: "Someone said I looked like one of Mumford & Sons and he said he had been told he looked like me. So we had a photograph together.

"Mumford & Sons are huge over there so next time I should use that to my advantage. It could have been me playing nice twee folk music to Michelle Obama. Instead I'll be going to the pub with my friends."

Despite his success with the American audience, Jack said he has no plans to follow Secret Policeman's Ball co-star Russell Brand and try to crack America.

He said: "If gigs arise I would go over there and do stand-up but I am very happy working here and the projects I am doing.

"I am trying to concentrate on filming (new BBC series) Bad Education and Fresh Meat. You have to really commit to America and I am so happy with the stuff I am doing here I want to carry on with it. I love doing Fresh Meat. I hopefully want to do more."

Jack will next be seen on our screens tomorrow night in new C4 show Hit The Road Jack in which he travels to different UK towns to stay with locals and do gigs.

Jack said his most hair-raising visit was to! Newcast le where he was accosted by the Geordie Shore girls. He said: "I went out after my tour date and they were filming Geordie Shore in the club I was in. I went to the toilet and a couple of them accosted me and said: 'Why are you being rude about us on Mock The Week?' and I was like, 'Because of this'.

Jackie ... Whitehall in drag for his new show

"It was a bit scary. I didn't know whether they would attack me or try to get off with me. I thought probably both."

Jack also stayed with a family in Glasgow who revealed that he once got close to their daughter on holiday.

He said: "The dad told me he hadn't realised it but that apparently when I was on holiday in Spain I had snogged his daughter. He said that to me when I was in his house on my own in the middle of Glasgow and I was suddenly like, 'Has he orchestrated this so he can kill me?' That was a bit nerve-racking.

"It was totally random. I don't even remember snogging his daughter. He knew because she had told him, which I thought was quite weird. He said, 'Don't worry, you didn't go any further' and I was like, 'No, I definitely didn't'.

"The daughter was in the house. She was a bit giggly around me. There is no way of dressing it up. It was odd, one of the oddest situations I have ever been in."

When Jack went to Manchester he got into another odd situation.

He said: "I did a drag show. It was fun. I definitely will be doing it again. I had fake t*ts and everything. I got hit on by a man who was about 55 or 60. He came up to me in the bar and said something like 'Do you putt from the rough?' and I started talking about golf. He kept tucking in my breasts.

"First I thought, 'He probably thinks I am an actual woman' but I hadn't shaved and then I realised he probably knows. I was the least convincing drag queen."

Hit T! he Road Jack begins tomorrow. C4, 10pm.