Lee Mack | |
|---|---|
 Mack in 2024 | |
| Born | Lee Gordon McKillop (1968-08-04)4 August 1968 (age 56) Southport,Lancashire, England |
| Education | Brunel University (BA) |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1994–present |
| Known for |
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| Spouse | |
| Children | 3 |
| Website | Official website |
Lee Gordon McKillop (born 4 August 1968), known by his stage nameLee Mack, is an English comedian and actor.
He is known for his quick wit, writing and starring in thesitcomNot Going Out, being a team captain on theBBC One comedy panel showWould I Lie to You?, hosting theSky One panel showDuck Quacks Don't Echo, presenting the panel showThey Think It's All Over, and hostingFreeze the Fear with Wim Hof alongsideHolly Willoughby. He has also been a guest host onHave I Got News for You andNever Mind the Buzzcocks, a guest captain on8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown and a guest panellist onQI. In 2021, he made his debut on theBBC Radio 4 panel gameI'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue. In 2022, he began hosting theITV game showThe 1% Club. In 2024, he appeared on theWest End stage as Peter inSteven Moffat's playThe Unfriend.
Lee Gordon McKillop[2][3] was born on 4 August 1968[4] inSouthport,Lancashire.[5] He lived above a pub until he was 12, when his parents separated.[6] He went to Birkdale Primary Junior School (Bury Road),Stanley High School in Southport, and Everton High School in Blackburn.[7][8] On leaving school, Mack worked in a bingo hall and as a stable boy. After working at the stable of racehorse trainerGinger McCain in Southport for three days, he asked if he could ride one of the horses, to which the trainer agreed. Without realising, Mack then choseRed Rum as the first horse he would ride.[6][9]
Mack then became a Bluecoat entertainer at thePontins holiday resort atHemsby inNorfolk. He was sacked after appearing on stage drunk one night, forgetting a joke and insulting an audience member.[10][11] He then worked for six months at Pontins inMorecambe.[6]
Mack went on to have various other jobs, and performed his first "open mic" slot in 1994, while studying atBrunel University, from where he graduated with a degree inDrama.[12] Within 18 months he was a full-time comedian.[6]
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Mack first came to prominence by winningSo You Think You're Funny at the 1995Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Five years later at the festival, he was nominated for thePerrier Award Main Prize for his sketch comedy show,Lee Mack's New Bits, withCatherine Tate andDan Antopolski. Since then, Mack has played the part of Graham, the security guard in the original radio version ofThe Mighty Boosh, and also has his own radio show onBBC Radio 2 calledThe Lee Mack Show, which features varying celebrities co-hosting the show.
Mack was a cast member forITV'sThe Sketch Show[6] in 2001 to 2004, and featured in the American show of the same name.
In 2005, Mack presentedThey Think It's All Over, a sports-based comedy panel game, formerly presented byNick Hancock;[6] it proved to be the show's final series.[6] In 2007 he appeared onTV Heaven, Telly Hell.
His first sitcom,Not Going Out forBBC One withTim Vine (in which he plays Lee, theleading man), premiered on 6 October 2006. The show has since returned for eleven more seasons, the most recent airing in 2023. The show has won aRose d'Or andRTS Award.
Since 2007 Mack has been a team captain on the BBC One comedy panel showWould I Lie to You?.[6] He has also been guest host onHave I Got News for You six times, and was twice guest host onNever Mind the Buzzcocks.
Mack has appeared onLive at the Apollo and8 out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, where he is the current Carrot in a Box champion.[13]
In June 2011, Mack launched a new show,Lee Mack's All Star Cast, for BBC One. It features members of the audience taking part in silly games to get a spot in a sketch at the end of the show.[14] In June 2012, Mack was one of the compères atQueen Elizabeth II'sDiamond Jubilee Concert outsideBuckingham Palace inLondon, introducingCliff Richard,Ed Sheeran, andMadness.
In March 2013, Mack appeared on the panel on an episode ofLet's Dance for Comic Relief withArlene Phillips andGreg James.[15]
From 2014 to 2017, Mack presentedDuck Quacks Don't Echo, a comedy-based panel show forSky One, with various celebrity guests.In 2017, he made his stage debut inMolière'sThe Miser.[16]
In 2018, Mack appeared in theDoctor Who episode "Kerblam!".[17]
In June 2020, Mack announced his new sitcom,Semi-Detached. He was also set to host a reality show namedThe Chop: Britain's Best Woodworker forSky History. However, the show was suspended shortly after its debut in October 2020, after allegations emerged that one of the series' contestants, promoted through the channel's social media pages, bore facial tattoos resemblingNazi symbolism.[18]Semi-Detached was cancelled after one season.[19]
Mack was on series 11 ofTaskmaster, which started broadcast in March 2021.[20]
Mack presented two new shows in 2022:Freeze the Fear with Wim Hof on BBC One - alongsideHolly Willoughby andWim Hof,[21] andThe 1% Club, on ITV.[22]The 1% Club was renewed for a second and third series, plus two Christmas specials.[23][24]
In June 2022, Mack was one of the compères at the Queen'sPlatinum JubileePlatinum Party at the Palace, introducingJax Jones andDiana Ross.
On 8 November 2022, it was announced that Mack would be hosting that year'sRoyal Variety Performance at theRoyal Albert Hall.
On 18 May 2023, Mack appeared on an episode of theanthology seriesInside No. 9. The episode was initially billed as "Hold on Tight!", featuring creatorsSteve Pemberton andReece Shearsmith alongsideRobin Askwith, and was going to be set within a No. 9 bus, but this turned out to be a deliberate hoax; the actual episode was "3 By 3", a supposed pilot quiz show hosted by Mack, that was introduced by thecontinuity announcer as a replacement for "Hold on Tight!".[25] This was the second time Mack played himself presenting a fictitious game show after 2017'sNational Treasure.
Mack has long had an interest inBuddhism,mindfulness and the possibility of leading a more spiritual life. Since September 2020, he has hosted apodcast on Buddhism and mindfulness with Neil Webster calledI Can't Believe It's Not Buddha.[26]
In April 2001, Mack appeared atUp The Creek (in Greenwich)[27] and in 2003 he was regularly playing clubs around London - including Balham's Banana Cabaret, alongsideIan Cognito.[28]
Mack went on tour in 2006 and filmed his first live DVD at theBloomsbury Theatre, which was released the following year. In spring 2010, Mack embarked on his "Going Out" tour. Extra dates were added for autumn 2010 due to his spring tour being sold out well in advance.Going Out Live, his second live DVD, was filmed at theHammersmith Apollo and was released in November. In December 2010 he performed at theRoyal Variety Performance.[29]
In 2010, Mack took part inChannel 4's Comedy Gala, abenefit show held in aid ofGreat Ormond Street Children's Hospital, filmed live at theO2 Arena in London on 30 March.
Mack briefly appeared as the Narrator in the stage adaptation ofBBC Radio 4 comedy series,Bleak Expectations.[30] He made his stage acting debut in March 2017 in a West End revival ofThe Miser byMolière at theGarrick Theatre, starringGriff Rhys-Jones.[31]
Mack met his wife, Tara Savage, during his time studying atBrunel University in 1996. They married in 2005 and live inEast Molesey,Surrey, with their three children.[32] Their eldest son, Arlo, briefly appeared in the 2013 Christmas special ofNot Going Out, and their daughter, Millie, appeared in theNot Going Out episode "Friend" of the twelfth series. Mack is of distant part-Irish descent, which was explored in the 2018 season of the British television programmeWho Do You Think You Are?[33] While on the show, Mack found that his great-grandfather was a jobbing comic named William Alexander McKillop, who used the stage name Billy Mac. He also learned that his grandfather Joe was born in Southport, but was taken to Ireland as a baby and brought up by his grandparents inBallina, County Mayo.[34]
In February 2009, Mack, along with other British entertainers, signed an open letter toThe Times regarding theBaháʼí Faith leaders then on trial inIran.[35]
Mack said in an interview withThe Guardian[36] that his first foray into comedy was doingBobby Ball impressions at his school when he was 15. Ball would go on to play Mack's father, Frank, inNot Going Out. Mack is a keen supporter ofBlackburn Rovers and occasionally visitsEwood Park to watch games.[37] At one point, he shared a flat withNoel Fielding.
In July 2012, Mack received an honorary doctorate from Brunel University.[38] He published his autobiographyMack the Life (ISBN 0-552-16655-3).
Mack is adarts fan and regularly plays with his friend and formerNot Going Out co-star,Tim Vine. Both men appeared on the debut series ofLet's Play Darts, facing each other in the final, with Mack and his partnerMartin Adams beating Vine and his partnerDarryl Fitton. Mack held twoGuinness World Records titles relating to darts. The first was for the most darts number twos in one minute, which stood until 19 November 2020 whenRicky Evans broke the record with a total of 25.[39] Mack had also, on the same day of the first record, broken the record for the most darts in inner and outer bullseyes in one minute; that title was held for a year and two months, before it was broken on 23 September 2016 by professional darts playerJames Wade.[40][41]
In a 2015 interview withThe Big Issue, Mack stated that he adheres to "left-of-centre" political leanings.[42]
Mack isvegan.[43] He has been alcohol-free since 2016, and is an ambassador forAlcohol Concern.[44]
Mack has a phobia of flying, and travels by himself to holiday destinations. He travelled by train toBarcelona and went around the world forChildren in Need in 2009 with other celebrities; however, he andFrank Skinner did not fly toTurkey. Mack said because the day he went home was his wife's birthday, he could not get the train back. He went on a flying course, which briefly helped for the flight home; however, he has not been on another plane since.[45]
Mack has taken part in severalSoccer Aid matches to raise money forUNICEF. In September 2021, he scored for the first time,[46] in a year that he played for the World XI team, due to his Irish heritage from his great-grandmother.[47] On 12 June 2022, Mack returned for thefollowing game at theLondon Stadium, and scored the winning penalty for the World XI after a 2–2 draw in normal time.[48][49]
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Going Out | |
| 2013–14 | Hit the Road Mack |
| Title | Released | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Live | 26 November 2007 | Live atLondon'sBloomsbury Theatre |
| Going Out Live | 22 November 2010 | Live at London'sHammersmith Apollo |
| Hit The Road Mack | 24 November 2014 |
 |
| Year | Show | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997–1998 | Gas | Himself | |
| 1999, 2005–2006 | They Think It's All Over | Panellist and later Host | 1 episode as panellist; host of Series 19 and 2006 specials |
| 2001–2004 | The Sketch Show | Lee | |
| 2005–2008 | 8 Out of 10 Cats | Panellist | 7 episodes |
| 2005–2010 | Live at the Apollo | Himself | 3 episodes (1 as guest; 2 as host) |
| 2006–present | Not Going Out | Lee | |
| 2007–present | Would I Lie to You? | Regular team captain | |
| 2008 | Thank God You're Here | Himself | 2 episodes |
| 2008–2018 | Have I Got News for You | Guest presenter | 6 episodes |
| 2009–2021 | QI | Panellist | 8 episodes |
| 2010, 2012 | Never Mind the Buzzcocks | Guest presenter | 2 episodes |
| 2011 | Lee Mack's All Star Cast | Host | |
| 2013, 2015–2018 | 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown | Guest team captain | 10 episodes |
| 2014 | The Smiths | Michael Smith | Pilot |
| The Feeling Nuts Comedy Night | Himself | ||
| 2014–2017 | Duck Quacks Don't Echo | Host | |
| 2015 | Let's Play Darts | Competitor | Won the show |
| Officially Amazing[41] | Guest | ||
| 2016, 2022 | Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway | Guest announcer | |
| 2016 | Outnumbered[50] | Thompson | uncredited; Christmas special |
| 2018 | Top Gear | Guest | 1 episode |
| Doctor Who | Dan Cooper | 1 episode; "Kerblam!" | |
| 2019 | Semi-Detached | Stuart | 7 episodes |
| Comedians Watching Football With Friends[51] | Himself | 1 episode | |
| 2021 | Taskmaster | Contestant | 10 episodes |
| 2021-2022 | Murder, They Hope | Willy Watkins | 4 episodes |
| 2022 | Freeze the Fear with Wim Hof[21] | Co-host | |
| The Royal Variety Performance[52] | Host | ||
| 2022–present | The 1% Club[22] | Host | |
| 2023 | Inside No. 9 | Himself | 1 episode; "3 by 3" |
| Brassic | Eddie Braithwaite | 1 episode |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Horrible Histories: The Movie – Rotten Romans[53] | Decimus | |
| 2024 | Bad Tidings[54] | Neil |
| Production | Dates | Role | Theatre |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Unfriend | 9 January - 9 March 2024 | Peter | Wyndham's Theatre, London |
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | The Sketch Show | Best Comedy Programme or Series | Won |
| 2019 | Himself forWould I Lie to You? | Best Entertainment Performance | Won |
| 2020 | Nominated | ||
| 2023 | Himself forThe 1% Club | Nominated |
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Himself forThe Sketch Show | Best Comedy Newcomer | Nominated |
| 2006 | Himself | Best Live Stand Up Tour | Nominated |
| 2007 | Himself forNot Going Out | Best TV Comedy Actor | Nominated |
| Not Going Out | Best New TV Comedy | Nominated | |
| 2012 | Himself | Best Male Television Comic | Won |
| King or Queen of Comedy | Nominated | ||
| 2013 | Himself | Best Male Television Comic | Won |
| King or Queen of Comedy | Nominated | ||
| 2014 | Himself | Best Male Television Comic | Won |
| King or Queen of Comedy | Nominated | ||
| Himself forWould I Lie to You? | Best Comedy Moment | Nominated | |
| 2022 | Himself forNot Going Out | Outstanding Comedy Actor | Nominated |
| 2023 | Himself forWould I Lie to You? | Outstanding Male Comedy Entertainment Performance | Won |
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Not Going Out | Sitcom | Won |
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Himself (andAndrew Collins) forNot Going Out | Breakthrough Award – Behind The Screen | Won |
Lee, who no longer drinks and is a vegan, has long had interest in Buddhism, mindfulness and the possibility of leading a more spiritual life.
| International | |
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| National | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |