Matt Lucas has debuted a bold new look, growing a beard that he showed off on The One Show. The 52-year-old comedian, who was promoting his six-week run as Fagin in the West End production of Oliver, joked about his 'bizarre beard' during the episode.
Explaining the beard
Hosts Clara Amfo and JB Gill asked about the new facial hair, prompting Lucas to explain. 'I grew a moustache for three weeks in the pandemic,' he said. 'I've talked about this before. I have alopecia. I lost my hair when I was six.'
'So seven weeks ago, when I knew I was doing this, I went, "Right, what happens if I don't shave?" And this is what happened. So my aim is to keep growing it down to my ankles, and then when I'm at football, and it's freezing in the winter.'
Viewer reactions
Following the appearance, viewers took to X to share their thoughts. '@ronan367 wrote: 'Didn't recognise Matt Lucas. Quite a change since I last saw him. Looking good though.'
Many comments focused on his recent weight loss. '@sdfpk wrote: 'I just can't compute Matt Lucas as a thin man,' while @MaisyMooCow added: 'A slimmer Matt Lucas looks like a different person.'
Living with alopecia
Lucas has been open about living with alopecia, previously writing in The Guardian: 'My childhood was tough, yes. No one wants to feel eternally self-conscious, constantly stared at, teased, mocked and bullied. But also it's important to get things into perspective.
'Being bald has helped me in my career. Would I have had my big break as a baby in Shooting Stars if I had had a full head of hair? My baldness has made me distinctive, yet also allowed me to transform myself. Stick a wig on, and I'm someone else. Swap the wig, and I'm now another person. Perfect.'
