Lee Mack
| Lee Mack | |
|---|---|
| File:40012 lee mack.jpg | |
| Birth name | Lee Gordon McKillop |
| Born | 4 August 1968 Southport, Lancashire, England |
| Medium | Stand-up, television, radio |
| Nationality | British |
| Years active | 1995 – present |
| Genres | Social satire, Observational comedy, Black comedy, One-liners, Wit, Insult comedy |
| Spouse | Tara Savage (m. 2005) |
| Notable works and roles | Not Going Out (2006—) Would I Lie to You? (2007—) Lee Mack's All Star Cast (2011) |
| Website | Official website |
Lee Gordon McKillop (born 4 August 1968) is an English stand-up comedian and actor[1] best known for writing and starring in the sitcom Not Going Out, and as a team captain on the comedy panel show Would I Lie to You?.
Career
Mack first came to prominence on winning So You Think You're Funny at the 1995 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Since then, Mack has played the part of Graham, the security guard in the original radio version of The Mighty Boosh, and also has his own radio show on BBC Radio 2 called The Lee Mack Show, which features a different celebrity co-hosting the show. He was a cast member for ITV's The Sketch Show.[1] and featured in the American (USA) version of the same name
In 2005 Mack presented They Think It's All Over, a sports based comedy panel game, formerly presented by Nick Hancock.[1] However, it proved to be the show's final series.[1] In 2007 he appeared on TV Heaven, Telly Hell.
His first sitcom Not Going Out for BBC One with Tim Vine (in which he plays Lee, the central character) premièred on 6 October 2006. The show has since returned for a second series (September 2007), a third series (January 2009), a fourth series (February 2011) and a fifth series (April 2012). It will be returning for a sixth and seventh series, currently scheduled for 2013 and 2014. It has won a Rose d'Or and RTS Award. He is a team captain on the BBC One panel show Would I Lie to You?.[1] He has also been guest host on Have I Got News for You 5 times: 23 May 2008, 12 June 2009, 1 April 2010, 2 December 2010 and 28 October 2011. He was guest host on Never Mind the Buzzcocks on 9 December 2010.
Mack has contributed to Comic Relief. Mack has also appeared on Jack Dee Live at the Apollo. Mack went on tour in 2006 and filmed his first live DVD at the Bloomsbury 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 the Hammersmith Apollo and was released in November. Other notable venues of the tour included the Gulbenkian Theatre, the Blackpool Tower, Brighton Dome, Alexandra Theatre and the Longacre Theatre in New York City. In December 2010 he performed at the Royal Variety Performance.[2]
In June 2011, he launched a new show entitled Lee Mack's All Star Cast for the BBC. It features members of the audience taking part in silly games to get a spot in a sketch at the end of the show.[3] In June 2012, Mack was one of the compères at the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Concert outside Buckingham Palace in London. Also in 2012 he published an autobiography, Mack the life. In March 2013, Lee appeared on Let's Dance for Comic Relief in the Dance Judge Panel with Arlene Phillips and Greg James.[4]
Personal life
Mack was born on 4 August 1968 and lived in Southport, Lancashire, above a pub until he was 12 when his parents separated and he moved to Blackburn, Lancashire.[1][5] He went to Birkdale County Junior School and Stanley High School in Southport[6] and Everton High School in Blackburn.[7] After leaving school he worked in a bingo hall and as a stableboy. After working at the stable for three days he asked if he could try and ride a horse; the trainer agreed and the first horse he ever rode was Red Rum.[1][8] After that, Mack became a blue coat for Pontins at Hemsby near Great Yarmouth.[1] After appearing on stage drunk one night, and calling an audience member a "cunt", he was sacked from the Hemsby team, and did six months at Pontins in Morecambe.[1]
Mack went on to have various other jobs, and did his first open mike slot in 1994, while studying at Brunel University.[1] Within 18 months he was a full time comedian.[1]
Mack lives in Hammersmith, with his wife, Tara and their children, Arlo (born 2004) and Louie (born 2006), and a baby daughter, Millie, born October 2011. He also has six nieces and nephews, who have all appeared in his shows at one point.[citation needed]
In February 2009 Mack, with other British entertainers, signed an open letter to The Times on the Bahá'í leaders then on trial in Iran.[9]
Lee Mack said in an interview with The Guardian[10] that he first went into comedy by doing Bobby Ball impressions at his school when he was 15.
Mack is a supporter of Blackburn Rovers and often visits Ewood Park to watch games. [citation needed]
In July 2012, Mack received an honorary doctorate from Brunel University.
In September 2012, Mack stated that he was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.[11]
Stand-up DVDs
| Title | Released | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Live | 26 November 2007 | Live at London's Bloomsbury Theatre |
| Going Out Live | 22 November 2010 | Live at London's HMV Hammersmith Apollo |
Television
| Year | Show | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2001-2004 | The Sketch Show | Himself |
| 2006-present | Not Going Out | Lee |
| 2007-present | Would I Lie to You? | Himself, Team Captain |
| 2008-present | Have I Got News For You | Himself, Panellist |
| 2009-present | QI | Himself, Panellist |
| 2011 | Lee Mack's All Star Cast | Himself, Presenter |
| 2013-present | Duck Quacks Don't Echo | Himself, Presenter |
| 2013-present | The Smiths | Actor |
Awards and nominations
BAFTA TV Awards
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | The Sketch Show | Best Comedy Programme or Series | Won |
British Comedy Awards
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Lee Mack | Best Comedy Newcomer | Nominated |
| 2006 | Lee Mack - The 2006 Stand-up Tour | Best Live Stand Up Tour | Nominated |
| 2007 | Lee Mack | Best TV Comedy Actor | Nominated |
| 2007 | Not Going Out | Best New TV Comedy | Nominated |
| 2010 | Would I Lie to You | Best Comedy Panel Show | Won |
| 2011 | Would I Lie to You | Best Comedy Panel Show | Nominated |
| 2012 | Lee Mack | Best Male Television Comic | Won |
| 2012 | Lee Mack | People's Choice Award | Nominated |
RTS Television Awards
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Not Going Out | Breakthrough Award - Behind The Screen | Won |
Rose d'Or
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Not Going Out | Sitcom | Won |
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Maxwell, Dominic (24 November 2007). "Mack on the Attack". The Times magazine. London. Retrieved 8 February 2008.
- ^ Simon, Jane (16 December 2010). "Royal Variety Performance". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 14 November 2011.
- ^ "Lee Mack and Penn & Teller ratings soar as Marriage Ref fails to impress". Metro. 19 June 2011. Retrieved 14 November 2011.
- ^ "Lets Dance for Comic Relief - Series 5 - Episode 3". www.radiotimes.com. Retrieved 2 March 2013.
- ^ Armstrong, Stephen (9 January 2005). "Comedy: This stand-up's got legs". The Sunday Times. London. Retrieved 29 December 2007.
- ^ Rampton, James (8 May 2004). "Comedy: Pick of the Week". The Independent. (archived at findarticles.com). Retrieved 8 February 2009.
- ^ "Return of the Mack as Not Going Out returns". Lancashire Telegraph. Newsquest (North West). 5 January 2011. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
- ^ Townend, Marcus (19 December 2007). "It's a Rum do for joker Lee Mack". Mail Online. Retrieved 20 August 2010.
- ^ "Stand up for Iran's Baha'is - Voices from the arts call for the imprisoned Baha'i leaders in Iran to receive a fair trial". The Times. London. 26 February 2009. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
- ^ Hodgson, Michelle (31 January 2009). "My family values". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
- ^ The One Show, 28 September 2012