He may be one of Britain’s greatest stand ups, but Lee Mack laughs he’s prone to the same nerves as us all. The comedian has enjoyed an incredible career as a comedian since he got behind the mic for the first time over 30 years ago.
The 56-year-old’s razor sharp wit and quickfire gags have elevated him to the top of the industry and he is now a household name as the creator of Not Going Out, a presenter on ITV’s 1% Club and a panelist on Would I Lie To You. Even though he possesses one of the UK’s best comic brains, Lee told the ECHO in an exclusive interview he still relies on an old psychological trick to give him the confidence to get on stage and be funny.
In the incredibly unlikely event his jokes don’t go down well, Lee can always reassure himself he’ll never see anyone in the crowd again so it doesn’t matter if the show doesn’t go down quite as he planned. However, he admitted there are limitations to this strategy, particularly as it means he can never perform in his native Southport.
He told the ECHO: “I’ve never done a gig in Southport and I never will. It just feels wrong for me to do that. It’s just the nerves. It’s too close to home. I know those people. I always have a psychological trick when I go on stage, I’ll never see these people again for as long as I live and then it gives you a bit of confidence. You can’t say that if your Auntie Gladys is in.”
Performing in Liverpool is the closest a hometown gig gets for Lee and he has performed in the region many times across his amazing career. However, he laughed there have still been some close shaves when his psychological trick was put to the test.
He said: “I remember one year when my uncle and auntie came to see me. There was a piece of paper on stage as I walked out. This wasn’t my relatives, this was some random person, who had written a note saying, ‘I just wanted you to know that I knew your grandad Joe when he was alive’.
“It wasn’t a heckle, it was just a nice friendly note letting me know that he knew my grandad. Of course, my family are at the back of the room and they’re interested. It all became a bit like a family gathering rather than a gig.
“When you do gigs in Liverpool, at the stage door, you come out and there can be someone from school there. ‘Alright, it’s me from 45 years ago’. Or you get heckled. People say, ‘It’s me, I used to sit next to you in chemistry’.”
The encounters have not been enough to trigger his anxieties too much as Lee explained the united community spirit in Liverpool always means he loves performing in the city. He said: “The fact the crowd already has an identity means they feel like they know each other a bit more so they’re going to laugh more. On a very simple point you can make a reference and the crowd will all know what you mean.”
The comic’s Merseyside roots mean Lee’s family are all huge Liverpool FC fans and he will be rooting for Arne Slot’s side to triumph in today’s Carabao Cup final against Newcastle. However, the Reds are no longer his favourite team as he switched allegiances to Blackburn Rovers when he moved to the Lancashire town aged 8.
He explained this was inspired by his love for the Roy of the Rovers comic, adding: “Liverpool in the 1970s just won everything all the time. In the fictional world of Roy of the Rovers, it was always the non league clubs that won the FA Cup.
“I thought, ‘wouldn’t it be exciting to support a team who aren’t very good?’ Because when they win something it’ll be more exciting.” Lee remains a huge football fan and his love for the game will be on show this summer as he has once again signed up for the annual Soccer Aid match for UNICEF.
However, it’s more than his passion for the game why he makes sure to clear his busy schedule for the charity event, which has raised more than £106 million for UNICEF since it started 2006. He said: “It’s raises an absolute fortune for UNICEF, which is brilliant. People don’t get tired of it, which is great. The crowds are still coming and the money is getting better every year.”
Lee is taking part in the event at Old Trafford this year and will take to the pitch as part of the Rest of the World XI on account of his Irish heritage. Tickets for the game on June 15 are on sale now and the comic will face off against the likes of Wayne Rooney and Tyson Fury in this year’s charity match, which features a combination of legendary footballers and celebrities hoping to raise money for vital causes.
Lee has been a part of some of the most memorable moments over recent years as he scored the winning penalty in the 2022 edition. The comedian revealed the only reason he was able to stay on the pitch to take the penalty was because he lied to Arsene Wenger, who managed the World XI that year.
He said: “The last three years I’d missed and he knew I wasn’t very good so he said we’re going to bring somebody off the bench to take the penalty. In football, you can’t bring people off the bench in a penalty shootout.
“But, in Soccer Aid, they don’t mind that. They break the rule and say anyone can take a penalty. But I basically lied to him. And just said, ‘it’s the real rules of football, Arsene. You can’t just bring someone from the bench’. He looked at me confused. I had to lie to Arsene Wenger to take it and the pressure was on to score.”
Fortunately, Lee wrote himself into Soccer Aid history when he tucked away the penalty and he’s now looking forward to being a part of more amazing moments, as he has no intentions of hanging up his boots anytime soon.
He said: “I will play when I’m 60. There’s not many people that can still play to a sold out stadium when they’re 60. ” He laughed: “I’m under no illusions, I got it for other reasons than merit.”
Lee has shared the dressing room with World Cup winning icons such as Roberto Carlos and Cafu while playing for the Rest of the World at Soccer Aid, but he set his sights on an English football legend when he shared his hopes for who might sign up in the future. He said: “Who I’d really like to see play and I’ve met him because he’s connected with UNICEF is [David] Beckham, but I don’t think he plays in any of these.”
He joked: “What he does is the opposite of me and keeps his dignity. He wants to be remembered at his peak. He’s not an idiot. Beckham doesn’t feel he’s good enough to play at 50. I’m deluded enough to think I’m alright to play at 56. That says a lot about the deluded mind of a stand up comedian.”
Lee will always make sure to take time out to raise money for the vital charity, all while still leading his busy career as one of the hardest working TV personalities. However, the comedian had a more humble assessment of his work ethic as he looks forward to the next chapter of his career and juggling his thriving comedy career with being a part of Soccer Aid.
He said: “You always hear a phrase about the hardest working people in showbiz. And you think, ‘Let’s add up the hours here.’ It probably averages out at about a 40 hour week, which is what everybody does. What it means is sometimes you’re doing 80 hours and then the next week you’re not doing anything.
“That’s when it becomes intense.” He quipped: “The hardest working person in showbiz says more about people in showbiz than about how hard it is they’re working.”