Lee Mack's life off-screen - from awkward Pontins sack to giving up booze
The 1% Club presenter Lee Mack has come a long way from his humble Southport beginnings.
The Lancashire comedian and presenter, 55, has been a regular face on our screens over the last two decades, from Would I Lie To You? to 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown and Never Mind the Buzzcocks.
During his stand-up routines and television interviews, he's given fans insights into his life away from the cameras. As he hosts the popular ITV gameshow tonight, we take a look at his life off-screen - from getting sacked by Pontins to giving up booze and featuring his son in one of his stints.
Lee Mack spoke about his 'sacking' on The Graham Norton Show (PA)
He gave up booze after reading a book that completely changed his life (Matt Crossick/REX/Shutterstock for NTA)Lee started out as a stable boy and worked in a bingo hall after leaving school, even riding Grand National-winning horse Red Rum. But his comedy career began when he became one of the famous Blue Coat entertainers at a Pontins Holiday resort in Hemsby, Norfolk.
The resort was considered to be one of the top venues amongst the Blue Coats, but he lost his job there in spectacular fashion. Lee had always wanted to attempt stand-up comedy but never had the guts to do it until he was convinced by one of his pals - and got some confidence from the bottle.
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"I got very drunk, I had a go at doing it as Blue Coat. My mate said to me to just copy all the other comedians at Pontins and steal their jokes and basically talk to the front row," said the comedian on The Graham Norton Show in 2020. There was one joke that used to always "take the roof" off, where the Blue Coat would ask members of the audience where they came from.
It seems straightforward enough, but after having a few pints, Lee struggled to remember the punchlines and his first stand-up routine ended in chaos. "I tried it, but I was very drunk," he explained. Lee's drunken antics managed to get him "sacked" from the resort and he was sent to work at Morecambe Pontins "as a sort of punishment".
Clearly, it all worked out for Lee in the end, as he performed his first open mic slot while studying at Brunel University in 1994, and within 18 months, he was a full-time comedian. He first came to prominence by winning So You Think You're Funny at the 1995 Edinburgh Festival Fringe and started doing live tours.
The firing incident wasn't enough to make Lee give up booze at the time, but he did stop drinking years later for a very different reason. "Probably the number one reason I gave up drinking was a book recommendation. I read a book (by famous author Allen Carr) that changed my whole attitude to alcohol," he explained on his I Can't Believe It's Not Buddha podcast in 2021.
Lee and his wife Tara were university sweethearts and share three kids (Getty Images for BAFTA)
His son Arlo featured in the 2013 Christmas special of Not Going Out (Piers Allardyce/REX/Shutterstock)Lee, who is an ambassador for Alcohol Concern, is best known for being a team captain on Would I Lie To You? and for his hilarious BBC sitcom Not Going Out. But he nearly cancelled the comedy show, which first aired on BBC One in 2006, because repeats of the show on UKTV channel Dave were being associated with alcohol.
"We make it on the BBC, but then it ends up on commercial channels, and is heavily sponsored by beer," he told Radio Times. "This is my life. I spend 10 months a year doing this, and suddenly I feel like I'm in a brewer's marketing department, and my work is being used to sell booze."
Lee threatened not to make any more episodes if that continued, but the issue became complex due to contract obligations. He then worked out a loophole where he would make a new show and change the name, saying he would have done it "but then Dave relented".
The comedy man has been with his wife Tara since university, and they tied the knot in 2005. They live in Surrey with their three children, Millie, Arlo and Louie, who he frequently jokes about. He previously told Radio Times that his family is the source of many of his creative works and Arlo once appeared in the 2013 Christmas special of Not Going Out.
"They're really not bothered whether it's on or not," he said of his popular comedy show. "My wife doesn't really watch it and although my eldest has just started to, it's not his favourite show by a long way – and why would it be?" He continued: "The only feedback I get from him is the occasional slightly arched eyebrow if he likes one of my character's jokes. That's high praise in my house."
- The 1% Club airs on ITV at 8.50pm tonight.
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