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Matt Lucas
Lucas at V Festival 2007
Birth name	Matthew Richard Lucas
Born	(1974-03-05) 5 March 1974 (age 50) Paddington, London, England
Medium	Actor, comedian, writer
Years active	1994–present
Genres	Character comedy, sketch comedy
Spouse	Kevin McGee (2006–2008)
Notable works and roles	Little Britain Les Misérables Shooting Stars Catterick Rock Profile Krod Mandoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire Come Fly with Me The Matt Lucas Awards Alice in Wonderland

Matthew Richard "Matt" Lucas (born 5 March 1974) is an English comedian, screenwriter, actor and singer, best known for his work with David Walliams in the television show Little Britain; as well as for his portrayals of the scorekeeping baby George Dawes in the comedy panel game Shooting Stars and Tweedledee and Tweedledum in Alice in Wonderland.

In May 2007, he was placed seventh in the list of the UK's 100 most influential gay men and women, by British newspaper The Independent.

Early life

Lucas was born in Paddington, London, the son of Diana (née Williams) and John Stanley Lucas (1944–1996), who ran a chauffeuring business. Some of Lucas' mother's family fled from Germany during the Second World War. Lucas grew up in a Reform Jewish household in Stanmore, Middlesex; he has an older brother, Howard. He has had alopecia since his childhood, which in interviews he has inconsistently attributed to various events, including a delayed reaction to a car accident at the age of four. He lost all of his hair when he was six years old. Lucas' father died of a heart attack aged 52, in Brent, Greater London.

Lucas was educated at Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, the same school attended by comic actors David Baddiel and Sacha Baron Cohen. He went on to study drama in the Faculty of Arts at the University of Bristol between 1993 and 1995. He also spent time with the National Youth Theatre where he first met future writing partner David Walliams.

Career

Early career

Lucas' association with Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer began in 1992. In 1995, Lucas appeared in The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer. He went on to star with them in Shooting Stars. He quickly rose to fame as George Dawes, the giant baby, who would deliver a string of meaningless gags (often in character) and insults before delivering the score, while sitting at and playing a drum kit, often dressed in an adult-sized romper suit. He also appeared on occasion as Marjorie Dawes, George's mother, who also appears in Little Britain.

He appeared with Reeves & Mortimer again, in the BBC series Randall & Hopkirk, and Catterick in a variety of roles. In 1999, Lucas paired up with David Walliams, with whom he had already worked in both Mash and Peas and Sir Bernard's Stately Homes, to create Rock Profile, a comedy show that spoofed famous musicians and musical personalities. It is notable for being one of their first comedic collaborations, which fuelled their inspiration to then create the well-known show Little Britain. Lucas has also written for actor Sacha Baron Cohen.

His music video appearances include the Damien Hirst-directed video for Blur's "Country House", "Jesusland" by Ben Folds in 2005, "I'm with Stupid" by the Pet Shop Boys and "Vindaloo" and "Naughty Christmas" by Fat Les.

Lucas ventured into the world of stage musicals in 2002, when he took one of the main roles in Boy George's musical Taboo, at The Venue, London. He played the part of performance artist Leigh Bowery.

Little Britain

Little Britain is commercially Lucas' most successful work. Originally a radio show on BBC Radio 4, it later became a TV series. Among the many characters he plays in the series, which he writes and acts in along with David Walliams, are apparently disabled Andy Pipkin, teenage Bristol chav Vicky Pollard, homophobic homosexual Daffyd Thomas and insensitive slimming club organiser Marjorie Dawes.

After Little Britain

In 2005, he took his first role in a television drama, a supporting part as a Venetian duke in the BBC historical serial Casanova, written by Russell T Davies. Also in 2005, he did voice work in the ITV children's program King Arthur's Disasters alongside Rik Mayall. Since 2006, Lucas has been the voice of the radio and television character Digit Al, devised as part of a public information campaign on digital switchover. On 26 November 2006 he appeared on the BBC Radio 4 programme Desert Island Discs. He made a cameo appearance in Shaun of the Dead as Tom, the cousin of Shaun's friend Yvonne.

In 2007, he released "I'm Gonna Be", originally by The Proclaimers, with Peter Kay as a charity single for Comic Relief. He performed the single as Little Britain character Andy Pipkin, along with Kay playing as Brian Potter. After being available for less than 48 hours on iTunes alone, the track entered the UK Top 40 at number 3. On 25 March, it went to number 1, where it stayed for three weeks, selling over 400,000 copies. He also starred as Mr. Toad in The Wind in the Willows, a 2006 television adaptation of the Kenneth Grahame novel.

He has made appearances in Kath & Kim and Neighbours (the latter alongside David Walliams as Little Britain characters Lou and Andy), as well as a cameo role, playing 'Chris' or 'Jammy' at the wedding fayre, in the BBC Three sitcom Gavin & Stacey. Lucas has co-written (with Walliams) and performed in a new series of Little Britain USA for HBO.

Lucas was the first celebrity to make an appearance in 2008's Big Brother Celebrity Hijack on E4.

On 9 April 2009, the series Kröd Mändoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire, featuring Matt Lucas as a regular performer, premièred on Comedy Central, the first major comedy series Lucas had worked on since Little Britain. In 2010, Lucas played Tweedledee and Tweedledum in Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland.

Starting in February 2010, Lucas began hosting his own radio show, And The Winner Is, in which he handed out a fictional series of awards based on nominations by his guests.

On 3 October 2010, Matt played Thénardier in the 25th Anniversary Concerts of Les Misérables, at the O2 Arena in London. A year later, from 23 June to 10 September 2011, he reprised the role at The Queen's Theatre, in the West End. He has since collaborated with Alfie Boe, who played Jean Valjean, to record a duet of "The Impossible Dream" on Boe's debut album.

Also in 2011, Lucas lent his voice to the CGI film Gnomeo and Juliet, as well as playing a small role as the roommate of Kristen Wiig in the comedy Bridesmaids.

On Christmas Day 2010, the BBC began showing Matt Lucas and David Walliams' new series, Come Fly with Me. The show followed the familiar style of Walliams and Lucas each playing multiple characters but, unlike Little Britain, it focused entirely on the working environment of the airline industry. In an interview shown on BBC 3 on 9 February 2011, it was stated that the creators considered bringing travel agent character Carol Beer from Little Britain to the new series, but decided against it, as they didn't want viewers to see the new show as merely a spinoff. Instead, all new characters were introduced.

On 28 March 2012, Lucas appeared as the "Generation X" guest on the Australian game show Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation.

On 10 April 2012, Lucas' own BBC One show The Matt Lucas Awards began. This can be understood as a send-up of awards programmes in general, inviting a number of panelists (generally speaking, comedians) to give their nominations for awards for a series of prizes concerning trivial topics.

Lucas also starred in the dark comedy Small Apartments released in February 2013 alongside James Caan, Billy Crystal, Johnny Knoxville, Juno Temple with other cameo performances by notable actors.

On 21 February 2013 Lucas appeared in a guest role on the NBC series Community as Toby, an English friend of Abed Nadir. In 2014, Lucas played Ray Thomas in The Life of Rock with Brian Pern.

Personal life

Lucas is a patron of the Karen Morris Memorial Trust, a UK charity for leukaemia patients and their families. In April 2004, he appeared on Celebrity Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and won £62,500 for the charity.

He lives with Australian actress Rebel Wilson and is an avid supporter of Arsenal F.C. Lucas admitted, when a guest on The Rob Brydon Show, that he does not drive because of his tendency to daydream.

Lucas is gay and has said he first had an inkling as such at the age of seven. In December 2006, Lucas entered into a civil partnership with Kevin McGee, in a lavish ceremony in Central London. In attendance were various celebrities, including Barbara Windsor, Neil Tennant, Elton John and Courtney Love. Their civil partnership was dissolved through the High Court in 2008, ending what was a six-year relationship and becoming the first high-profile civil partnership dissolution in Britain.

As of September 2012, Lucas lives with his Bridesmaids co-star Rebel Wilson in West Hollywood.

Filmography

Biography

Official

• Boyd Hilton; Matt Lucas; David Walliams (2006). Inside Little Britain. London: Ebury Press. ISBN 0-09-191231-8.

Unofficial

• Neil Simpson (2006). Yeah But No But: The Biography of Matt Lucas and David Walliams. London: John Blake. ISBN 1-84454-258-0.

References

1. ^ "Mirror Profile". The Daily Mirror. UK. Retrieved 24 October 2009.
2. "Matt Lucas Comedy Profile". BBC. Retrieved 24 October 2009.
3. "Matt's Little Brit of bother". The Sun. London. 1 July 2008.
4. Martin Phillips (5 September 2006). "Warts 'n all: Matt Lucas". The Sun. London.
5. Alison Bowyer (26 April 2005). "Matt Lucas has the last laugh". Evening Standard.
6. "Births and Deaths England and Wales 1984–2006". Findmypast.co.uk. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
7. Robert Crampton (6 June 2009). "Matt Lucas on fame, body image and relationships". The Times. London.
8. "Bristol University Notable alumni". Retrieved 24 October 2009.
9. "Matt Lucas urges future stars to join youth theatre that inspired him". London Evening Standard. 23 December 2009.
10. "Mutual Relief: Lucas and Kay join for charity single". Chortle. 17 November 2006.
11. Byron Perry (10 September 2008). "Matt Lucas at Variety Players".
12. "BBC Radio 2 – And The Winner Is". February 2010.
13. Akbar, Arifa (3 June 2010). "Matt Lucas lands role in 'Misérables' special". The Independent. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
14. "Les Miserables new cast at Queen's Theatre from 23 June include Matt Lucas, Alfie Boe, Hadley Fraser". Londontheatre.co.uk. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
15. "Karen Morris Memorial Trust". Retrieved 24 October 2009.
16. "thesun.co.uk". The Sun. London. 15 January 2008. Retrieved 15 January 2008.
17. "Matt Lucas has the last laugh – Showbiz – London Evening Standard". Standard.co.uk. 26 April 2005. Retrieved 23 October 2012.
18. "The show we'll all soon be watching". Telegraph. Retrieved 23 October 2012.
19. "Matt Lucas | Lucas: 'Shakin' Stevens Made Me Gay'". Contactmusic.com. Retrieved 23 October 2012.
20. Caroline Davies and Paula Sheppard (18 December 2006). "Little Britain star 'weds' his Prince Charming". The Daily Telegraph. London.
21. "Matt Lucas and Kevin McGee Pantomime Themed Wedding Reception London: Album". Exposay. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
22. Wightman, Catriona (3 September 2012). "'Bridesmaids' Rebel Wilson, Matt Lucas live together, annoy neighbours". Digital Spy. Hearst Magazines UK. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
23. http://www.tvguide.com/News/Super-Fun-Night-Bridesmaids-Matt-Lucas-1069528.aspx

External links

• Matt Lucas on Twitter
• Matt Lucas at IMDb
• BBC Little Britain Page

Template:Shooting Stars Template:International Emmy hosts

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• 1974 births
• Living people
• 20th-century English male actors
• 21st-century British writers
• 21st-century English male actors
• Alumni of the University of Bristol
• Charly Records artists
• English comedy writers
• English Jewish writers
• English male comedians
• English male film actors
• English male television actors
• English people of German-Jewish descent
• English radio presenters
• English television presenters
• English television producers
• English television writers
• Gay actors
• Gay musicians
• Gay writers
• Jewish English male actors
• LGBT broadcasters
• LGBT comedians
• LGBT Jews
• LGBT screenwriters
• LGBT singers
• LGBT writers from England
• Male actors from London
• National Youth Theatre members
• People educated at Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School
• People from Stanmore
• Smash Records artists
• British sketch comedians