Following the success of his Big Pride Party last summer, comedian Joe Lycett is back on Channel 4 with a new Friday-night entertainment series. Late Night Lycett will broadcast from his home city of Birmingham over the next five weeks, with a variety of celebrity guests interacting with live audiences.
Here Joe guides us through what to expect in Late Night Lycett and opens up about his recent Liz Truss and David Beckham stunts…
Joe Lycett — release date of Late Night Lycett
Joe Lycett’s Late Night Lycett season 1 starts on Friday, March 31 2023 at 10 pm on Channel 4. There are five hour-long shows, showing on consecutive Fridays, which will also be available on All4 after transmission.
The trailer for Late Night Lycett
Coming soon! Please check back for the Late Night Lycett trailer.
Late Night Lycett — what to expect
When What To Watch joined Joe Lycett on a video interview to talk about his new series, he was busy finalising guests and preparations for the Friday night variety showcase…
Joe Lycett: “We’ve just had a meeting about set designs and it’s starting to feel very real. I love the idea of doing a risky live show from Birmingham. When I started doing stand up my aspirations were just to get enough gigs to survive. I still pinch myself thinking ‘Oh my god, this is my job!’ I’m really chuffed.
“Birmingham will feature heavily. We’re doing it by the banks of the canal and there will be a hodgepodge of guests mixing with Birmingham locals. The guests are along for the ride. It's not going to be a big promo opportunity for them, they’ll get stuck in with the anarchy and chaos. We’ll also have outside broadcasts hosted by people with no experience of live TV… All sorts of strange, silly things will be happening!”
Late Night Lycett — guests
At the time talking to Joe, guest stars were strictly under wraps and in the process of being finalized, but the star revealed he has an interesting wish list…
Joe: “At this stage we’re working out who will work well with one another. The guests I get most pumped about are people I love watching. I’ve got a huge wishlist of dream guests - Carol Vorderman, Ruth Langsford, any of the Loose Women, [the Prince and Princess of Wales] Kate and Will, Sam Smith, Joe Biden, and Liz Truss. If we got her I’d probably retire at the peak of my powers.
“There’s been talk about my family coming on, but there’s no way you’re going to get Helen Lycett on my program. She’s unbookable, you’re more likely to get Liz Truss!”
Joe talks stunts on Live with Lycett
Each hour-long outing features local Brummie legends and Lycett’s trademark stunts, which have a tendency to go viral, including his cheeky appearance on politics show Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg last year when he pretended to be right-wing.
“The stunts that do well surprise me. I didn't expect my appearance on Laura Kuenssberg’s show to become a big deal. I was going on to sell a few tour tickets. For people to claim that I brought down the government… None of that was planned.
“Things have been pitched to me [for this series] that I’d never do unless I was pushed by Channel 4. You might end up watching me genuinely annoyed about the positions I’ve been put into on my own TV show. I don’t currently have a lawyer but will be looking for one!”
Joe on having local legends on the show…
“We’ve got people out scouring Birmingham landmarks finding interesting people. Some we knew about before the Pride show and some I’ve interacted with over my 30-plus years living in Birmingham. Programmes like Gogglebox and The Traitors have shown that audiences love seeing real people from all backgrounds, ages, sizes, genders and sexualities; people enjoy seeing diversity on their screens. I don’t know how we’ll manage it but having real people commenting on the celebrity in front of them, live, is an exciting prospect. It will be fun!”
Joe on that David Beckham stunt…
Joe made headlines when he pretended to shred £10,000 after issuing a challenge to David Beckham about his involvement in the Qatar World Cup. During our interview, Joe was asked if he feels pressure to top his previous stunts…
“No, I don't. Obviously, things like the Beckham stunt are more considered [than Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg] and we were deliberately garnering negative press to get people talking. I was surprised by how effective that was. I live a much happier life if I'm not trending, but then I get wound up about something and can’t help myself.
Is he worried about anything going wrong on Late Night Lycett?
“I love it when things go wrong! Weirdly, that’s when my anxiety calms itself down. When a show is prerecorded you know you can do another take if you fluff a line. When I do live TV the stand-up version of me comes to life. I’m excited! Though I might change my mind if things go so wrong I’m unemployable…”
Finally, does Joe keep in touch with his Sewing Bee pals?
Joe presented BBC One’s The Great British Sewing Bee from 2019 until 2021 before handing the mantle over to Sara Pascoe.
“Sara is absolutely smashing it — my mum loves her as the host! I’m still in touch with [judges] Patrick [Grant] and Esme [Young]. My sister got two kittens and we’ve named them Patrick and Esme, so there are actually two Patricks and Esmes in my life now!”
Late Night Lycett season 1 — episode guide
Late Night Lycett season 1 — episode 1
The first episode of Late Night Lycett sees Joe joined by Alan Carr, Joanna Lumley, Alison Hammond and Katherine Ryan.
Thank you to everyone for watching last night’s debut #LateNightLycett - never had a reaction like it. Plus very strong ratings, averaging over a million. So proud of the team, the guests, and the people of Birmingham. Can’t wait for next week. 🌈🐂 pic.twitter.com/T1eN99noqkApril 1, 2023
Late Night Lycett season 1 — episode 2
In the second episode of Late Night Lycett Joe is joined by Daisy May Cooper, Rylan Clark, David Harewood, Greg James and Katherine Ryan.
Late Night Lycett season 1 — episode 3
Guest stars for the third outing of Late Night Lycett are Dame Joan Collins, Gemma Collins, Joel Dommett, Munroe Bergdorf, and (third time lucky?) Katherine Ryan.
From C4: "Actress Dame Joan Collins, reality TV star Gemma Collins (no relation), model and activist Munroe Bergdorf will all join Joe in Birmingham for episode three of his hilarious and entertaining Friday night 10pm show.
"Katherine Ryan also returns once again, having twice failed to make it from the show’s barge Green Room into the studio to chat to Joe due to unforeseen circumstances. The first week the barge became untethered, and Katherine was left drifting along Digbeth Canal, and last week her hair became inadvertently hitched to the barge doors, and unfortunately, she wasn’t freed on time before the show came off air."
Late Night Lycett season 1 — episode 4
Joe's star guests this week include Jonathan Ross, Rob Delaney, Judi Love and Katherine Ryan.
From C4: "Joining Joe in Digbeth this week is presenter Jonathan Ross, actor and comedian Rob Delaney and comedian Judi Love, who will all get to hang out with Joe’s regular assortment of local Brummie and LGBTQ+ heroes, plus his two real-life aunties Pauline and Margaret.
"And, after her latest unfortunate attempt to make it on to the show last week which saw her arrested for piracy as she made her way from the show’s barge green room into the studio, Katherine Ryan has agreed to return for another attempt to make it on the show.
"As well as celebrity guests, Joe will be looking back at events from the week, we’ll hear from right-wing news reader Richard Yewtree and Joe’s assorted guests will be playing ‘Finish Me Off’. Plus, after three shows of him giving away his possessions as prizes, will one lucky winner finally drive away from the studio in Joe’s very own Lexus Hybrid or will Joe hold onto his car for another week?"
Late Night Lycett season 1 - episode 5
For the series finale of Late Night Lycett, Joe is joined in Brummie by Richard E. Grant, Rosie Jones and Katherine Ryan.
From C4: "Comedian Katherine Ryan is planning to make it to the studio, having failed over the last four weeks to make it from the show’s barge Green Room into the studio to chat to Joe due to unforeseen circumstances — the barge becoming untethered, her hair getting caught in the barge doors, being arrested for piracy and, last week, pushed in the canal by an over-eager fan.
"There’ll also be another mystery guest doing a shift in Joe’s local corner shop, following in the mighty footsteps of Claire Sweeney, Natalie Cassidy, Anthea Turner and H from Steps.
"As well as celebrity guests, Joe will be reflecting on the week, transforming into right-wing news reader Richard Yewtree and hanging out with his regular assortment of local Brummie and LGBTQ+ heroes, plus his two real-life aunties Pauline and Margaret."
Catch Joe Lycett’s Late Night Lycett on Channel 4 on Fridays at 10pm, from 31 March 2023.
