Joe Lycett clarifies misconceptions about his private life ahead of Celebrity Traitors
Comedian Joe Lycett has clarified misconceptions about his private life and revealed what he's really like 'off stage'.
Ahead of his appearance in the upcoming season of BBC's Celebrity Traitors, the 38-year-old has opened up about the difference between the real him and his persona when performing.
But after revealing he had a long-term partner and had welcomed a baby in 2024, the comedian himself to acknowledged that 'people presume I'm homosexual based on my entire personality'.
READ MORE: Celebrity Traitors 2026: Season 2 cast, start date, full schedule, and favourite to win
Advert
Known for his off-the-wall, elaborate pranks, there were some fans of his who suspected the previous announcement about his girlfriend and baby were just another stunt.
But it was later confirmed by the comic, who thanked staff at Birmingham Women's Hospital for the 'care and compassion' shown to his newborn son and his partner at the time.
The TV show host later went on to open up about the confusion surrounding his sexuality, and made his personal preferences clear for those who must know.
Lycett told Fearne Cotton during a recent taping of her podcast Happy Place: "Lots of people were surprised when I had a child with a woman because they were like, 'but you're the gay man'."
He continued: "You know, I've never said that I'm gay because I've never been gay. But because I'm camp and I, you know, do innuendo and all those sorts of things that people have this idea of what that is."
"I am very calm and peaceful"
Now, in a new Q&A ahead of the airing of Celebrity Traitors, which will see him appear alongside other famous faces including Maja Jama, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Miranda Hart and Rob Beckett, he has discussed what he's really like off-stage.
He also once again touched on the common misconceptions about him being gay, explaining that people assume he is because of his persona when performing.
"So, when I started doing stand-up, my on and off-stage persona were quite similar," he said.
"I showed off at parties because I wanted attention and then, gradually, as I got that attention through doing stand-up, I could calm down in real life.
"When I’m not out on stage I’m very calm, thoughtful and peaceful. I think the comics know what I'm like on and off stage, but I think the others who, for the first time, will spend time with me not in ‘show mode’ might see that as suspicious.
"I definitely come across assumptions of ‘oh, he's the gay comedian off the telly’ and I explain I've got a female partner and a son with said female partner.
"I’m really quite a tranquil individual when not in performance mode which may surprise some."
Speaking on Fearne Cotton's podcast, he also added: "On stage, I kind of played on these things because they're funny ultimately. But how much of that has filtered into what I actually am? And is the stage persona the same as me? And, you know, these things sort of oscillate a lot."
Joe addresses why he joined the Traitors
The comic also touched on why he joined the hit BBC show, describing it as the 'best show on TV'.
"The first series was just such phenomenally good television, and I didn’t think that it could be bettered, and then the celeb series came along," he explained.
"The last episode was beautiful. That first year I sent a DM on Twitter, which was not responded to, to Studio Lambert to ask if they could send me all the rushes.
"I just was so hit by it and wanted more. I am just thrilled to be part of the universe of The Traitors and to have been asked.
"I have no idea how to play it. I don't think you can particularly. I think you just have to let it play itself a little bit."
The Celebrity Traitors starts on Thursday 1st October at 8pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Topics: Joe Lycett, The Traitors, TV, Entertainment, Celebrity
James Holt