Lee Mack is taking a year off from the popular show Not Going Out, but he says it’s not his decision.
The 55-year-old has written and performed in the famous BBC sitcom since 2006, and it achieved its 100th episode last year – a remarkable feat, especially given that other BBC juggernauts such as Two Pints of Lager, A Packet of Crisps, and Outnumbered reached 80 and 35, respectively.
However, there will be at least a brief delay in raising that number, as the recent Christmas special will not return this year.
Speaking about his upcoming projects, Lee, 55, said: ‘More 1% Club, more Would I Lie to You? and, for the first year in a long time, I won’t be doing Not Going Out.’
However, there could be hope in the future. ‘If we do bring it back, we’re looking at early 2025,’ Lee teased.
‘We’re talking about it now. I’d love to do more, I love doing it, it’s great fun, I love the cast but it’s not always my decision, these things,’ he told The Sun.
‘I just wait for someone to say, “There’s a bag of money, get on with it”.’
On the show, Lee plays a fictionalised version of himself – a popular trope for comedians – recently separated. Jon Richardson and Lucy Beaumont did the same with their mockumentary. Meet the Richardsons, and Miranda Hart (who appeared in Not Going Out) used a similar method in her own show.
Lee’s friendship with Lucy (Sally Bretton) has been a major character arc, culminating in the couple’s marriage in series eight.
It is the second-longest-running British sitcom by series. They trail Last of the Summer Wine, which earned an impressive 31 between 1973 and 2010, while Not Going Out has 13.
The show was temporarily cancelled in 2009, but was reintroduced in response to viewer outrage, and has reached peak audiences of up to six million.
Although Not Going Out will not be returning, there are plenty of other opportunities to see Lee’s face on television, including Would I Lie To You?, a panel show in which guests must guess whether each other is lying or telling the truth while sharing anecdotes, and the 1% Club, which he has been presenting since 2022.
Each episode of the ITV show begins with 100 people answering the same question. If they get it wrong, they are no longer eligible to continue playing, and this process repeats for 15 questions that gradually become more difficult.
Lee lives in Surrey with his wife Tara McKillop and their three children, Millie, Louie, and Arlo.
Source My Celebrity Life.