Matt Lucas

Matt Lucas finds 'refuge' in the world of musicals

Comedy actor Matt Lucas has revealed that musicals became his "refuge" from the world when he lost his hair and suffered health problems as a child.

He's the man they turned to when Brucey was too ill to present Strictly. He was caught taking drugs in Extras and entertained Bubbles DeVere in Little Britain. This year, to mark his 80th birthday, he'll have his own Christmas Day sketch show. Yes, it can only be unlikely national treasure Ronnie Corbett, the short comedian with the long career, charted here with loving input from his hordes of admirers including Miranda Hart, Rob Brydon, Stephen Merchant, Matt Lucas and Michael Palin.

What could be more festive than an old-fashioned light entertainment special? Apart from Santa eating sprouts, not much. This one-off all-star sketch show marks Ronnie Corbett's 80th birthday earlier this month and sees him joined by a host of younger comics including David Walliams, Matt Lucas, Catherine Tate, Harry Enfield and Miranda Hart, who has said that she studied the effect of Corbett's little looks and head turns to the audience. There's even a reprise of Corbett's signature rambling armchair anecdotes, written by Ben Elton, plus music from Charlotte Church.

Interview: David Walliams and Matt Lucas

David Walliams and Matt Lucas are having the time of their lives on a decommissioned jumbo jet at an airfield in Surrey.

First shown on Christmas Day, Matt Lucas and David Walliams's follow-up to Little Britain is a spoof of the various fly-on-the-flying-wall airport docs that littered our screens in the early 2000s. So far, so topical. The tight confines of the setting give the show a bit (a bit) more nuance than Little Britain and - depending on your thoughts on rich white comedians blacking up as an African coffee stall employee and a young Asian rudeboy - there are some laughs. Take budget airline boss Omar, who boasts: "I've not had a plane crash since Tuesday", and mismatched married couple Geoff and Sue, who carry more than a hint of The Fast Show's Roy and Renée.

Come Fly With Me: fasten your seatbelts...

Matt Lucas and David Walliams's follow-up to 'Little Britain' is an airport mockumentary that takes their brazenly un-PC humour to startling new levels. Can such contentious comedy still fly in the 21st century? Dominic Cavendish predicts a bumpy ride.

Matt Lucas obtains damages over 'intrusive' article

Matt Lucas has obtained undisclosed damages and an apology over an article in the Daily Mail after the death of his former civil partner Kevin McGee.

Interview: David Walliams and Matt Lucas

Comedy duo say they are proud of Come Fly With Me, their new BBC series.

What the Little Britain boys did next

Matt Lucas and David Walliams introduce their new airport mockumentary Come Fly With Me on Christmas Day. Five years in the making, it features dresses, wigs and catchphrases. But do the duo really expect it to be as big as Little Britain?

Wallace & Gromit to star in Christmas Radio Times

Festive issue will also feature Steven Moffat, David Walliams, Matt Lucas and David Suchet.