How Joe Lycett became the world’s biggest troll – in the absolute best way

Joe Lycett is a trouble-maker in the best way. (Getty)

Comedian Joe Lycett is no stranger to a stunt, often tying them to a cause – or at least a good laugh. 

He is currently threatening to throw £10,000 through a shredder in protest at David Beckham’s reported £150 million deal to be an ambassador of Qatar during the FIFA World Cup. 

Homosexuality is illegal in Qatar and Lycett wants Beckham to drop out of the deal by midday Sunday (20 November), citing the footballer’s history of connection to gay fans.

So while we wait to see if Beckham budges, let’s have a look at some of Lycett’s best stunts.

1. Parking ticket pains

Before he became notorious for big political stunts, Lycett made a name for himself with smaller acts of rebellion.

Admitting that he had received “a lot of parking fines”, Lycett worked out he could get out of them by providing “evidence”.

As he explained on 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown in 2015, when he was asked by authorities to provide evidence he wasn’t wrongly parked in a taxi rank, Lycett sent a picture of his car with a scribble saying it’s on ‘the moon’.

Colin, from the local council, simply responded saying the fine had been cancelled.

2. Joe Lycett’s kitchen extension

In 2019, Lycett managed to convince the then-lord mayor of Birmingham, Yvonne Mosquito, to cut the ribbon at a ceremony for his new kitchen extension.

At first she refused, but eventually accepted after Lycett raffled four tickets to the event.

One of the ticket winners, Joshua Parkes, described it to BBC News as a “once in a lifetime experience”, while comedian Katherine Ryan said Lycett “loves a joke and then the joke always goes way too far”.

3. Hugo Boss vs Hugo Boss

In early 2020, Joe Lycett legally changed his name to Hugo Boss in protest over the fashion brand sending cease and desist letters to small businesses and charities that used the word ‘Boss’ in their names.

It only lasted about a month and a half, with Lycett saying the story hit headlines around the world and raised the awareness he intended.

4. ‘Down It Street’ – the Sue Gray report

A lot of people spent a lot of time eagerly waiting for Sue Gray’s report on the lockdown-breaking Downing Street parties.

And then out of the blue it was leaked and released by Lycett. Apparently.

Lycett’s version of the report stated WhatsApp groups were established to organise gatherings, including a group named ‘Down It Street’, and that all queries were emailed to [email protected]

If you couldn’t tell (which some MPs couldn’t, Lycett claimed), it was fake.

Lycett ended up releasing a statement the next day, in a now-deleted tweet, clarifying it was fake.

5. A lot of (satirical) love for Liz Truss

The pansexual comedian did not shy away from showing his political colours during Liz Truss’ short rein as prime minister of the United Kingdom.

There’s his portrait of her, that includes the words “F***ING HELL”, or his telling Truss “hold ur nerve babe u got this xoxo” after the pound tanked to unprecedented lows in September in response to her fiscal plans.

And his tongue-in-cheek, cherry on top: shortly before Truss became PM, Lycett made the front page of the Daily Mail after a satirical appearance on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg on 4 September.

He pretended to be “very right wing”, and said that as a right-winger, he would never call Truss the “backwash of the available MPs”.

He got the newspaper framed, revealing it online as “perfect” just days before Truss’ time at the top ended.