Lee Mack

Lee Gordon McKillop, known professionally as Lee Mack, is an English comedian and actor born on 4 August 1968. He is best known for creating, co-writing, and starring in the television sitcom Not Going Out, as well as serving as a regular team captain on the comedy panel show Would I Lie to You? In 2022, he also began hosting the game show The 1% Club.

Mack was born in Southport, Lancashire. He lived above a pub until his parents separated when he was 12 years old. He attended Birkdale Primary Junior School, Stanley High School, and Everton High School. After leaving school, he worked various jobs, including in a bingo hall and as a stable boy for racehorse trainer Ginger McCain, where he rode the racehorse Red Rum. He later worked as a Bluecoat entertainer at Pontins holiday resorts in Hemsby and Morecambe. Mack performed his first open mic stand-up slot in 1994 while studying drama at Brunel University, graduating with a degree and becoming a full-time comedian within 18 months.

Mack gained prominence in 1995 after winning the So You Think You're Funny competition at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. In 2000, he was nominated for the Perrier Award Main Prize for his Edinburgh show Lee Mack's New Bits. Between 2001 and 2004, he was a cast member on ITV's The Sketch Show. His sitcom Not Going Out premiered on BBC One in October 2006, returning for 14 seasons through 2025. In 2007, he joined the BBC One comedy panel show Would I Lie to You? as a team captain.

Throughout his career, Mack has presented and appeared in numerous television and radio projects. He presented They Think It's All Over, Lee Mack's All Star Cast, and Duck Quacks Don't Echo. He has made guest appearances on shows such as Live at the Apollo, 8 out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, Doctor Who, Taskmaster, and Inside No. 9. On stage, he made his acting debut in a 2017 West End revival of Molière's The Miser. In audio, he hosted The Lee Mack Show on BBC Radio 2 and launched a Buddhism and mindfulness podcast titled I Can't Believe It's Not Buddha in September 2020 with Neil Webster.

Mack has toured extensively as a stand-up comedian, releasing live stand-up DVDs including a 2007 release and 2010's Going Out Live. His work on Would I Lie to You? earned him multiple BAFTA Awards, including Best Male Comedy Performance. Not Going Out has won a Rose d'Or and an RTS Award. In addition, Mack served as a compère for Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee Concert in 2012 and her Platinum Jubilee party in 2022, and he hosted the Royal Variety Performance in November 2022. He received an honorary doctorate from Brunel University in July 2012.

Mack married Tara Savage in 2005, and they have three children. He published his autobiography, Mack the Life, in 2012. In recent years, Mack hosted Freeze the Fear with Wim Hof and continued hosting duties for The 1% Club, which was renewed for additional series and Christmas specials. He has also regularly participated in Soccer Aid matches to raise money for UNICEF.