Comedian Joe Lycett has applied for a licence to serve alcohol as he prepares to run his own pub for a new live Channel 4 series. The 37-year-old will open The Lycett Arms in east London for just one hour a week during the six-part series, which will air live every Friday.
Lycett's Passion for Paperwork
Lycett said: “I’ve always wanted to run a pub that only exists for an hour a week, for the purposes of a TV concept, and I’m thrilled beyond words to embark on the extended process of applying for a licence to sell and serve alcohol. Filling in government-mandated paperwork has always been a passion of mine, and I only hope that at some point it involves the presentation of at least one form of photographic ID.”
He added: “Pretty much the only disappointment is that in addition to this enthralling form-filling process, I will also have to make a television series, as this is apparently the only way to make the whole tax dodge work. Nevertheless, I will meet my obligations to sit in front of a camera welcoming celebrities into the pub for great conversations and top comedy, it says here, and generally creating an unmissable event that will brighten your Friday evenings for six weeks. Those are all the words that I have been requested to say. Now I can return my attention to figuring out how to get round being locked out of Gov.uk.”
Licensing Requirements
For the show to proceed, Lycett must be fully accredited with a personal licence to serve alcohol. He is currently preparing to undergo the relevant training course and exam to obtain a Level 2 Award for Personal Licence Holders.
Each episode will feature Lycett alongside a celebrity pub manager, and The Lycett Arms will be paired with a real pub elsewhere in the UK.
Channel 4's Enthusiasm
Tom Beck, head of live events and commissioning editor of entertainment and reality at Channel 4, said: “Enticing Joe Lycett back onto Channel 4 screens has been a long and arduous process, involving months of delicate negotiations, emotional resilience and, in the end, the promise of legally binding admin. Thankfully, Joe’s appetite for bureaucracy remains undimmed, and we are delighted that he has agreed to spend Friday nights running a pub that is open for one hour a week, while also reluctantly making what we are legally obliged to describe as a brilliant new live entertainment series.”
Broadcast Details
The Lycett Arms will air at 10pm on Channel 4 on Fridays later this year, with an exact launch date yet to be announced.
