JOE Lycett is welcoming some of the biggest names in comedy and entertainment to celebrate the finale of his smash hit Channel 4 show, Late Night Lycett.
Actor Richard E. Grant and comedian Rosie Jones will join Joe in Birmingham for the last episode of his 10pm, Friday night, entirely LIVE bundle of comedic mayhem this week.
Comedian Katherine Ryan is also 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.
Late Night Lycett has been watched by millions of people across the UK and has received widespread praise.
Guests so far this series have been Dame Joanna Lumley, Alan Carr, Alison Hammond, Daisy May Cooper, David Harewood, Rylan Clark, Greg James, Gemma Collins, Dame Joan Collins, Joel Dommett, Munroe Bergdorf, Jonathan Ross, Rob Delaney and Judi Love.
Joe also revealed his “deal breaker” in negotiations with Channel 4 before the series began to ensure the production was made in Birmingham.
“I don’t think it’s possible to do this show in London. I love the capital but it has so much TV that audiences and productions can get desensitised to the excitement of it.” he said.
“Any given night you could probably go to a dozen or so TV records in London,” Joe told the Guardian.
JOE’S BRUMMIE ECONOMIC BOOST
JOE has boosted the local economy and given jobs to dozens of local media graduates and trainees, taking inspiration from the late Paul O’Grady.
The show – filmed infront of a regional local crowd – harking back to how TV was made regionally back in the 70s, 80s and 90s on independent ITV before it was bought up by Granada and Carlton – in Digbet, Birmingham
Aneesah Iqbal, 27, had spent a decade applying for jobs in the TV industry, told The Guardian: “We don’t get many TV opportunities in Birmingham so I’ve never really had the chance previously.”
“But this show has finally been my first foot in the door.”
She is one of 26 local trainees working the show.
Late Night Lycett airs LIVE on Friday at 10pm on Channel 4 – catch up on All4.