Joe Lycett is currently navigating a significant shift in his personal life, noting that the arrival of his son—who is now nearly two years old—has fundamentally altered his habits. “Since I had my son, I’m not drinking anywhere near as much,” he admits, explaining that the demands of parenting leave little room for the consequences of a late night. “Children do not respect hangovers, or tiredness in general.” To cope, he has adopted a new routine: “I’ve started going to bed when he does, which is about seven o’clock. I’ve seen a few nights where I’ve just gone: ‘Right, well, that’s me, then.’”
This disciplined schedule is about to face a major test with the launch of his new seriesLive from the Lycett Armswhich debuts this Friday at 10pm on Channel 4. The show, a more ambitious evolution of his previous Friday night projectLate Night Lycettinvolves hosting a broadcast from a fully operational pub. The production is designed to thrive on spontaneity, featuring his aunties behind the bar and various celebrities stepping in for shifts as managers. However, the project is currently facing a hurdle: the venue itself is still under construction in east London, and Lycett admits he does not even know the full address yet.
Beyond the physical build, Lycett faces a legal obstacle: he is required to be the licensed operator of the pub, a role that necessitates passing a Level 2 Award for Personal Licence Holders. His first attempt at the exam was unsuccessful. “I took the exam but I failed,” he says. “I didn’t do any work, so that is a problem. I needed about 70% to pass, and I got something like 38%. I tried to use common sense, and I don’t have a lot of it apparently.” When pressed on the four primary licensing objectives from the Licensing Act 2003, his attempt at a definition was shaky, though he jokingly insisted he had simply paraphrased the requirements regarding public safety and the prevention of crime.
Despite these challenges, Lycett remains enthusiastic about the show’s potential for “surprising and silly” television. He acknowledges the rarity of being commissioned for live, late-night programming in the current industry climate, noting that “TV is in freefall.” While he jokes about hospitality being a potential fallback career, he recognizes the difficulty of running a real business, noting that the appeal of a “lock-in” often masks the reality of managing invoices and VAT.
This year marks a busy period for the comedian, who is also returning to standup after a two-year hiatus. He has been performing one gig a week since last October to prepare for a full tour next year. Reflecting on his career, he acknowledges his growing public profile, though he remains dismissive of the “national treasure” label. “Fine, OK, I’m a national treasure, yes,” he says with a roll of his eyes.
Lycett maintains that he refuses to alter his comedic voice to satisfy critics. “There are only about 10 comedy reviewers left in the whole country, and it wouldn’t be good to write something just so that 10 white men will like me,” he asserts. He notes that fatherhood has made him more risk-averse in his personal life while simultaneously fueling a desire to take stronger stands on issues that matter to him. His new material, he adds, even includes segments on swimming.
Looking ahead, Lycett is also set to appear inThe Celebrity Traitorslater this year, a project expected to be a major television event. He remains strictly bound by confidentiality agreements regarding his experience on the show. “The production team were very nice, as was Claudia Winkleman,” he says, offering little else. “I can’t say anything about the other players, so I can’t say whether they’re nice or not.” The report also notes that it sounds as if it has been specifically constructed to maximise impromptu chaos – more on that in a bit – but for now Lycett has a pair of larger anxieties to deal with. The report also notes that even though we’re meeting just a couple of weeks before the first episode, the pub isn’t ready, the first is that. The report also notes that nevertheless, he promises that the finished building will be “identifiably a pub. The report also notes that there’ll be an outdoor area and a cellar. The report also notes that there’s no point in doing it.”, if it isn’t fun. The report also notes that eager to help him out a little, I ask if he knows the four primary licensing objectives, as per section four of the Licensing Act 2003. The report also notes that the blood briefly drains from Lycett’s face. The report also notes that “Safe … safety … safe drinking environment to create … happy places, for people … to dwell?” he yammers.
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