Matthew Richard Lucas (born March 5, 1974) is an English comedy actor. He is perhaps best known for his acclaimed work with David Walliams in the television sketch show Little Britain and spoof interview series Rock Profile, as well as for his portrayal of the surreal scorekeeping baby George Dawes in the Reeves and Mortimer comedy panel game Shooting Stars.

In May 2007, Lucas was placed 8th in the list of the UK's 100 most influential gays and lesbians, in fields as diverse as entertainment, business, politics, and science, by the British newspaper The Independent.

Lucas grew up in a Jewish household in Stanmore, Greater London. He has had alopecia since his childhood, which in interviews he has inconsistently attributed to various events, including a delayed reaction to a road accident when he was four. He lost all of his hair at the age of six.

He was educated at the prestigious Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School, alongside other well known personalities, including David Baddiel, Sacha Baron Cohen, Dave Sayers and Mark Lucas. He studied Engineering.

Career

Lucas' association with Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer began in 1992. In 1994, Lucas appeared in The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer. The second series of the show featured Lucas in several sketches. He went on to star with them in Shooting Stars. He quickly rose to fame as George Dawes, the giant baby, who would deliver a string of meaningless gags (often in character) and insults before delivering the score, while sitting at and playing a drum kit. Many of these parts were introduced not in the style of a baby, but of a grown man - indeed, often, he would come on dressed as a specific adult such as Elton John. He also appeared as Marjorie Dawes, George's mother, who also appears in Little Britain. He also appeared in the Reeves & Mortimer BBC series Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased), and Catterick in a variety of roles.

Lucas has written for Ali G and Borat actor Sacha Baron Cohen. Lucas used to work for Chelsea Fc as a sales assistant in the old club shop. His music video appearances include; the Damien Hirst-directed video for Blur's "Country House" (as a psychoanalyst), "Jesusland" by Ben Folds in 2005, "I'm with Stupid" by the Pet Shop Boys and "Vindaloo" by Fat Les. Lucas ventured into the world of stage musicals in 2002, when he took one of the main roles in Boy George's musical Taboo, at the The Venue, London. He played the part of infamous performance artist Leigh Bowery, which required him to wear some outrageous and spectacular outfits and make-up.

In 2005, he took his first role in a television drama, a supporting part as a Venetian Duke in the BBC historical serial Casanova, written by Russell T. Davies. Since 2006, Lucas has been the voice of the radio and television character Digit Al, devised as part of a public information campaign on digital switchover. On November 26, 2006 he appeared on the BBC Radio 4 show Desert Island Discs. He made a cameo appearance in Shaun of the Dead as Shaun's friend, Yvonne's cousin.

In 2007 he released "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)", originally by The Proclaimers, with Peter Kay as a charity single for Comic Relief. He performed the single as Little Britain character Andy Pipkin, along with Kay playing as Brian Potter. After being available for less than 48 hours on iTunes alone, the track entered the UK Top 40 at number 3. On March 25th It went to number one, where it stayed for three weeks, selling over 400,000 copies.

He will make upcoming appearances in Kath and Kim and Neighbours (the latter alongside David Walliams as Little Britain stalwarts Lou and Andy, as well as a cameo role in the forthcoming BBC sitcom Gavin and Stacey. Lucas is currently co-writing (with David Walliams) a series for HBO. The pair are also writing a movie for Dreamworks.

Little Britain

Little Britain is commercially Lucas' most successful work. Originally a radio show on BBC Radio 4, it later became a TV series. Little Britain has won numerous TV awards, spawning large DVD sales and merchandising. It plays heavily on memorable catchphrases which have become ingrained in playgrounds and offices around the UK. Lucas plays four of the most popular characters in the series, which he writes and acts in along with David Walliams; apparently disabled Andy Pipkin, teenage chav Vicky Pollard, homosexual Daffyd Thomas and dietician Marjorie Dawes.

Lucas is openly gay and on 17 December 2006, he and his long-term partner TV producer Kevin McGee were joined in a Civil Partnership ceremony in London. The ceremony was kept fairly formal, with male guests wearing suits but the evening reception had the guests dressed in pantomime costumes.

Lucas' cousin Alexa Tilley appeared as a contestant on the UK version of The Apprentice; she was fired in the fourth episode by Alan Sugar. He is a committed and knowledgeable supporter of Premiership club Arsenal FC. Lucas has been a season ticket holder for several years.