
BBC comedy legend forced to quit the stage midway through performance after falling ill
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.
3
Matt Lucas pictured last year at the Gladiator II premiere
Credit: Getty
3
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.
"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."
Most read in Showbiz
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".
Brexit
which was broadcast on
BBC
Radio 4, where the show started in 2000.
In 2019, the comedy duo were
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."
Read more on the Irish Sun
And he admitted that modern tech
He added that the pair "make each other laugh all the time".
3
The pair reunited in 2019 and have been friends ever since
Credit: Instagram/@realmattlucas
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Irish Sun
2 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Jannik Sinner suffers ‘Roger Federer curse' as French Open final fan repeats fateful gesture six years on
JANNIK SINNER had two hands on the French Open crown - or at least nine fingers... But fans reckon he was then hit by the very same curse that struck 5 Jannik Sinner reflects on Carlos Alcaraz storming back to win Credit: Reuters 5 Roger Federer likewise blew match points against Novak Djokovic Credit: Getty Nothing less than that of "The Cursed Finger". Sinner was leading Carlos Alcaraz 2-1 in sets and 5-3 in the fourth, before earning three match points at love-40 on the Spaniard's serve. And it was then that some Sinner fans gleefully raised a finger in anticipation of the World No1 clinching his first Roland Garros title. That's also what happened to Federer in the SW19 seats when he had two match points on his own serve against big rival Novak Djokovic back in 2019. READ MORE ON JANNIK SINNER Both times fingers went up. Both times fortunes went down for the man on top. Djokovic clinched a five-set epic, then Alcaraz did just that too on Sunday - retaining his French crown via the longest-ever Roland Garros final. And fans couldn't resist making creepy comparisons. One wrote: "If it's not a cursed finger again" - followed by crying-with-laughter emojis. Most read in Sport 5 Haunted history repeated itself as fans celebrated too early in two Grand Slam finals six years apart BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS Others taunted Sinner fans - as their hero went on to The 23-year-old might also have thought the spirits were against him for another reason. Novak Djokovic digs out French Open rival for 'spying' on him and seeing Champions League trophy He But replays showed line judges had been right to call it long. Three-time Slam winner Sinner admitted afterwards it was tough to speak after losing from such a strong position. The rueful runner-up said: "It's easier to play than talk now. "I'm still happy with this trophy - I won't sleep very well tonight but it is OK." Meanwhile, Alcaraz praised his beaten rival - perhaps knowing the pair are way ahead of the world's rest in the men's game. He told Sinner: "The level you have is amazing. "It is a privilege to share a court with you in every tournament and in making history." 5 Credit: Getty 5 Federer failed to pick up his sixth SW19 crown in 2019 Credit: AFP


The Irish Sun
3 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Brit Awards in huge shake-up as show makes massive change for the first time in 46 year history
THE BRIT Awards are facing a huge shake-up for the first time in its 46-year history. The annual music ceremony is leaving London for the first time ever. 5 The BRIT Awards are moving to the Co-Op Live in Manchester for 2026 and 2027 Credit: PA 5 US star Sabrina Carpenter performed at this year's ceremony in London Credit: Getty As part of a new strategy move, Manchester will become the home of the ceremony - with the city's A new partnership means the iconic ceremony will be heading up North for the first time ever. Since 2011, it has been held at The O2 Arena and was held at iconic London venues including Earls Court and the Royal Albert Hall prior to that. 2026 marks the first year under a new three-year stewardship under Sony Music UK who will oversee the ceremony's transition to Manchester. Read More on The BRITs The first ceremony to be held at Europe 's biggest indoor arena - the Co-Op Live - will take place on Saturday 28th February and be broadcast on ITV . The BRITs will also unveil a new chair of their commitee as part of deal with Sony Music UK at a later date. This role includes overseeing all aspects of the show including performer bookings, hosts, show creative and categories, will be announced at a later date. Speaking of the news , Jason Iley MBE, Chairman and CEO at Sony Music UK & Ireland said: 'This is a very exciting time for The BRIT Awards. Most read in TV "Moving to Manchester, the home of some of the most iconic and defining artists of our lifetime, will invigorate the show and build on the BRITs legacy of celebrating and reinvesting in world-class music. "Hosting the show in Manchester, with its vibrant cultural history , perfectly captures the spirit and energy of the BRIT Awards. Maura Higgins, Sabrina Carpenter and Maya Jama look incredible as they lead the glamour at The Brit Awards 2025 "I can't wait to see the show at the amazing state-of-the art Co-op Live venue.' Bev Craig, the Leader of Manchester City Council added: ' This is a massive boost for Manchester and we are delighted that The BRITs will be coming here for the first time in its history. "Manchester is at the forefront of the UK music scene, from our iconic grassroots scene through to major events and this news is a major vote of confidence in Manchester. "We have got here through a great partnership between the BPI, Co-op Live, Sony Music as well as our own businesses in the city and we hope this is the beginning of a long and successful partnership.' 5 Jade was another performer at this year's event Credit: Getty 5 Charli XCX was 2025's big winner Credit: Getty Successful artists to emerge from Manchester include The Stone Roses, Joy Division, New Order, Happy Mondays, Take That, The 1975 and Aitch. The city is also home to Oasis with rumours likely to go into overdrive that the Gallagher brothers could perform at next year's ceremony in their home city following the completion of their iconic reunion tour later this year. Mastercard will continue their long-standing headline sponsorship of the ceremony which will mark their 28th year supporting the event. Further information on nominees and ceremony performers are expected to be announced in 2026. This year's ceremony was dominated by Sabrina Carpenter and Jade were among the performers at the event held at The O2 Arena. 5 Sabrina turned up the heat with her raunchy performance Credit: Rex


The Irish Sun
5 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Backstage with Shakira as we reveal the truth about her life on the road and she teases massive UK shows
'DON'T you see, baby, this is perfection?' Shakira sings in front of a 65,000-strong crowd at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium. As she wiggles her bum and gives the audience a cheeky grin, it is hard to disagree with 10 Shakira and her dancers wear embellished bodysuits on stage at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Credit: Getty 10 Shakira is reaching incredible new heights two decades after she first sang that line from Hips Don't Lie Credit: Getty 10 Shakira's is the biggest female tour of 2025 so far, by both box office takings and ticket sales Credit: Getty Two decades after she first sang that line from Hips Don't Lie, she is reaching incredible new heights — and it has now been confirmed that hers is the biggest female tour of 2025 so far, by both box office takings and ticket sales. Outselling But now she is having the best time on the road with her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran tour — translated as Shakira took me backstage for a UK newspaper exclusive at the first of two sold-out shows on Friday. Read More on Showbiz After her performance, I couldn't help but tell her how much I'm looking forward to her long- rumoured UK dates next year. 'Better journey' Confirming they will indeed be happening, she says: 'I can't wait.' After giving me a massive hug, the down-to-earth and downright lovely star continues: 'You flew all this way just for me? Thank you so much.' And reflecting on the show, she beams: 'I had so much fun.' Most read in Bizarre That's evident from the moment Shakira bursts on to the stage, after a film showed an AI version of the singer with a missing arm, emerging from a pile of sand and putting itself back together. That symbolism is important because this is Shakira's first tour since a torrid spell which threatened to derail not just her career but her life. Huge pop star set to make a spectacular comeback with a string of UK gigs She has been dragged through the Spanish courts over an unpaid tax bill, which was settled in November 2023. At the same time, she had a highly publicised split from former footballer Gerard Pique after 11 years together. It followed allegations he had cheated. The hurt has inspired a lot of She opens the two-hour show with her 2024 song La Fuerte, which features lyrics about waking up alone and deleting an ex's number. In an empowering speech, she tells the crowd: 'Many of you know that the past years haven't been the easiest for me, right? But who doesn't have a fall here and there, right? What I've learned is that a fall isn't the end, but the beginning of an even better journey.' 10 She opens the two-hour show with her 2024 song La Fuerte Credit: Getty 10 Track La Fuerte features lyrics about waking up alone and deleting an ex's number Credit: Getty 10 Shakira balances her own turmoil with fun and froth — with a whopping 14 outfits on show Credit: Getty 10 Shakira, 48, seems to have discovered the elixir of life, because she looks and moves like someone half her age Credit: Getty And there are more nods to those difficulties in her personal life. During Te Felicit, a song in which she says congratulations to a man who has broken her heart, she tries to reprogram a dancer dressed as a male robot so that he isn't a misogynist. But he still touches her bum and turns out to be a dud in bed when she gets cosy with him in the centre of the stage. During one interlude, there are visuals of a wolf with two cubs, representing the She-Wolf singer and her But Shakira balances her own turmoil with fun and froth — with a whopping 14 outfits on show. For her second song, the catchy There is a sea of lights across the stadium as fans wave their light-up wristbands in unison. And Shakira pulls on everything from sparkly bodysuits to ball gowns and bra tops. I'm told it took ten months to design the show, and given the attention to detail you can see why. At 48, Shakira seems to have discovered the elixir of life, because she looks and moves like someone half her age. By the halfway point of the concert, temperatures are 30C and I have sweat running down my face. Yet Shakira, who is marking three decades since her first headline concert, is running across the stage and twerking without so much as a moist brow. In fact, she looks even fitter and healthier than when she first became a household name in the UK in the early-Noughties. She is in tip-top form for this tour, which kicked off in February and Shakira describes as her 'most ambitious'. She is constantly working out and has two physiotherapists with her on the road. And I can attest that her backstage catering area, where I had dinner before the show, has plenty of healthy options including grilled red snapper, Peruvian chicken and cauliflower steak. A significant part of the show features Spanish-language songs, which have sometimes held the singer back in the UK, given most of us Brits can barely understand a word. Tender moment But as more and more non- English acts gain traction here in Blighty — such as K-Pop stars BTS and Blackpink and Spanish-speaking rapper Bad Bunny — now is her time. At the show she is joined by two special guests: Puerto Rican singer Ozuna, to perform their song Monotonia together for the first time, and Spanish Alejandro Sanz for the danceable La Tortura. During Soltera she pole- dances on a giant letter S before changing the pace for the piano-driven ballad Ultima, which she sings atop a mound of diamonds. When the tour does eventually come to our shores, it is bound to be the English language tunes that keep the audience on their feet. There's an understated rendition of her 2002 belter Underneath Your Clothes, a traditional dance with knives for her megahit Whenever Wherever, and a mass howl-along for She-Wolf, complete by a gigantic wolf image that towers over the audience. Then she throws an on-stage, multi- coloured carnival for 2010 smash-hit World Cup anthem, Waka Waka (This Time For Africa). One surprising omission from the setlist is Beautiful Liar, her 2006 collaboration with Beyonce, which topped the charts here. But in a tender moment, Shakira reveals it was her fellow artist's 2023 Renaissance tour that inspired her to organise her own. Shakira, whose North American dates were upgraded from arenas to stadiums due to overwhelming demand, explains: 'To see this place this packed, it's a dream for me. It's surreal. 'The last time I came to Hard Rock Stadium, I saw Beyonce's show and I said to myself, 'How amazing would it be if I could play the stadium one day?' 'How amazing that tonight, I'm here playing two stadiums. I have the best crowd in the world. You make all of my dreams come true.' There is no doubt that she is stronger than ever before. This show cemented Shakira as a true music icon. OZZY UP FOR GIG ONLINE OZZY OSBOURNE's massive farewell performance at Villa Park on July 5 sold out in minutes, but you'll now be able to watch the legend on a livestream. Fans who missed out on the chance to attend the Back To The Beginning concert, which has a star-studded line-up including 10 Ozzy Osbourne's massive farewell performance at Villa Park on July 5 sold out in minutes Credit: Getty Ozzy's wife Sharon said: 'We had such overwhelming demand from fans around the globe who couldn't get tickets to the show, and they took to social media, pleading with us to broadcast a livestream. 'Seeing as this is such a historic event, we couldn't let them down.' JET setter Rita Ora was back on stage at the World Club Dome festival in Frankfurt on Saturday, mere hours after singing at Washington Pride on Friday. But I couldn't help but wonder if she'd lost her suitcase in the rush over, as she was missing some gear when she performed in her bra and pants. 10 Rita Ora was back on stage at the World Club Dome festival in Frankfurt on Saturday Credit: Getty HARRY TASH FOR XX BASH HARRY STYLES made a rare public outing to party the night away at a The Watermelon Sugar singer, who is on a break from music, was spotted in the VIP section at Lido Festival in East London, where producer Jamie had curated the line-up ahead of his headline performance. 10 Harry Styles made a rare public outing to party the night away at a Jamie XX gig on Saturday Credit: Eroteme Harry wore a blue baseball cap, hoody and jacket for the event to try to go unnoticed, but was still spotted by eagle-eyed fans. The moustachioed star had an extra-special treat when Jamie reunited his band The XX on stage, bringing out Romy Madley Croft and Oliver Sim. But he won't have long to wait for music from them as I'm told they've almost completed their first album in eight years. This week in Bizness... TODAY: The new live action remake of How To Train Your Dragon, featuring Gerard Butler and Nick Frost, finally lands at cinemas – 15 years after the original hit animation arrived on screen. TOMORROW: Sydney Sweeney joins Julianna Moore and Domhnall Gleeson in London for the European premiere of their film Echo Valley ahead of its Friday launch on Apple TV+. WEDNESDAY: James kick off ten days of shows at Hampton Court Palace Festival, with Rag'N'Bone Man, Tom Jones, Chaka Khan, Elbow, Bananarama and Gary Barlow also on the bill. SUNDAY: The Capital Summertime Ball takes over London's Wembley Stadium with a star-studded line- up including chart-toppers Mariah Carey, Will Smith, Benson Boone, Lola Young and Tate McRae.