BBC comedy legend forced to quit the stage midway through performance after falling ill

Scottish Sun

16-05-2025

HEALTH SHOCK BBC comedy legend forced to quit the stage midway through performance after falling ill
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MATT Lucas has been supported by fans are revealing he was forced to pull out of Les Miserables mid-show over health concerns.
The Little Britain star was performing on stage in Australia when he fell ill on stage.
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Matt Lucas pictured last year at the Gladiator II premiere
Credit: Getty
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On stage with David Walliams in 2006
Credit: Getty - Contributor
The 51-year-old had to leave the theatre on Wednesday night when his voice began to fail him
Matt, who is starring in the role of Monsieur Thénardier, was replaced by a fellow actor during the production in Sydney.
He updated fans in a post on Instagram on Friday.
While he did not go into detail about his health problem, he said it was related to his voice.
Matt said: "I've been having a magical time in Les Misérables in arenas across Sydney and Melbourne.
"In over 30 years, I've never had to bow out of a performance, but tonight, as I was singing Master Of The House, I could feel my voice deserting me."
He continued: "So if Thénardier looked very different in act two, that was because the amazing Connor James took over. I am now in bed resting up, and I hope to be back on stage soon."
Matt shoto to fame with David Walliams with their hit show over 20 years ago, and now they are working together again.
The two comedians revealed earlier this year that they would be unleasing their very first podcast together called, Making A Scene.
They have since released regular episodes, some featuring interviews with big names including Simon Pegg, and Daisy May Cooper.
Little Britain legends David Walliams and Matt Lucas reunite for new comedy project together 19 years after sitcom
Matt and David met at the National Youth Theatre in the early 90s and quickly bonded over their love of comedy and impressions.
One of their first collaborations was on Rock Profile, which started in 1999.
After other TV parts they finally made it big in 2003 with Little Britain, with the show running until 2009.
They also came together to write and star in Come Fly With Me, which ran from 2010 until 2011.
The pair stopped working with each other in 2011, amid reports the friendship became strained.
Matt wrote in his autobiography about how tensions rose between the pair in 2005 during their epic Little Britain Live tour, leading to a spectacular fight backstage one night.
One of their first collaborations was on Rock Profile, which started in 1999.
After other TV parts they finally made it big in 2003 with Little Britain, with the show running until 2009.
They also came together to write and star in Come Fly With Me, which ran from 2010 until 2011.
Much to fans' delight the comedy duo reunited in 2019 after an eight-year feud, announcing that they were planning a "huge TV comeback".
Matt and David finally started to work together again in 2019, creating a one-off special episode of Little Britain called Little Brexit which was broadcast on BBC Radio 4, where the show started in 2000.
In 2019, the comedy duo were pictured together at the theatre, and in 2020, Matt revealed that the pair are friends again.
Matt says: 'I do get asked about Little Britain a lot but what I can say is that David and I are the very best of friends and we speak or exchange messages every single day."
And he admitted that modern tech helped them keep in touch.
He added that the pair "make each other laugh all the time".