Joe Lycett: Partner, Baby, Hugo Boss Controversy, and Career

Comedian Joe Lycett makes headlines as much for his stunts as for his stand-up. In April 2024, he casually revealed on his show Late Night Lycett that he has a girlfriend, and this article pieces together his personal milestones from that relationship and the birth of his first child to the Hugo Boss name-change saga and his departure from The Great British Sewing Bee.

Full name: Joe Lycett ·
Born: 5 July 1988 ·
Occupation: Comedian, television presenter ·
Known for: Comedy, activism, name change to Hugo Boss ·
Sexuality: Queer or pansexual

Key facts about Joe Lycett are summarized in the table below.

Who is Joe Lycett’s partner?

Joe Lycett has kept his romantic life almost entirely out of the spotlight. In April 2024, during an episode of his Channel 4 show Late Night Lycett, he revealed that he has a girlfriend. He later explained in a podcast with Bimini Bon‑Boulash that he calls her “Denise” as a privacy pseudonym.

• His partner reportedly works in a field that keeps her out of the public eye (Metro (UK newspaper)).
• Lycett has described himself as queer or pansexual and said some people assume he is gay because of his personality, even though he has a girlfriend (The Sun (UK tabloid)).

Joe Lycett’s relationship status

Lycett is in a long‑term relationship with a woman. He has not shared her full name publicly, and the couple are not seen together at red‑carpet events. The relationship came as a surprise to many fans who had assumed he was single or exclusively gay.

The implication: Lycett deliberately uses humour and misdirection to guard his privacy, while still being open about his sexuality.

Has Joe Lycett had a baby?

Yes. In October 2024, Joe Lycett announced the birth of his first child, a son. The news was first reported by The Washington Blade and later confirmed by multiple outlets including the Evening Standard.

• The baby was born in a Birmingham hospital, according to coverage (Evening Standard (London evening newspaper)).
• Lycett noted that registering the birth created a complication because he had legally changed his name to Hugo Boss a few years earlier (Evening Standard (London evening newspaper)).

What this means: The Hugo Boss name change was not a one‑day prank; it has ongoing legal and administrative consequences for Lycett and his family more than two years after he switched back.

Why did Joe Lycett leave The Great British Sewing Bee?

Joe Lycett hosted The Great British Sewing Bee from 2019, taking over from Claudia Winkleman. He left after the seventh series, which aired in 2024. In September 2021, the BBC announced that Sara Pascoe would succeed him from series eight.

• Lycett said he wanted to focus on other projects, including his own Channel 4 show Late Night Lycett (Express (UK news outlet)).
• His presenting style—which included jokes about his Hugo Boss persona—generated six complaints to Ofcom during the 2020 series (Digital Spy (entertainment news site)).

Departure reason from Sewing Bee

Lycett’s exit was amicable. The BBC confirmed that his decision was made to free up time for his own comedy projects. He remains on good terms with the production.

The pattern: Lycett is building a portfolio of TV work under his own brand, rather than being tied to one long‑running show. That move suggests he sees his future in formats he owns.

What happened with Joe Lycett and Hugo Boss?

In February 2020, Joe Lycett changed his legal name by deed poll to Hugo Boss. He said it was a protest against the fashion brand’s aggressive trademark enforcement against small businesses using the word “Boss”.

• The stunt gained international news coverage (Washington Blade (LGBTQ+ newspaper)).
• Lycett reversed the name change in April 2020 after Hugo Boss sent a “cease and desist” letter, which he then auctioned for charity (BBC News (UK public-service broadcaster)).
• The name change reappeared as a real‑world headache in 2024 when he tried to register his son’s birth (Evening Standard (London evening newspaper)).

Name change to Hugo Boss

For two months, Lycett was officially Hugo Boss. He even referred to himself as such on Sewing Bee. The complaint numbers to Ofcom show that not all viewers appreciated the joke, but the move cemented his reputation as an activist comedian.

This incident underscores how Lycett’s comedy stunts can have unforeseen practical consequences.

Has Joe Lycett put on weight?

There is no official confirmation that Joe Lycett has gained weight. Social media comments occasionally note a change in his physique, but this is purely speculative. Lycett himself has not addressed the topic in interviews or on social media.

• No credible source has reported a weight change.
• Speculation appears to stem from casual social‑media posts and is not supported by any evidence.

What this means: Weight speculation about celebrities is common but often baseless. In Lycett’s case, it is not a topic he has chosen to engage with.

What is Joe Lycett’s background and career?

Early life

Joe Lycett was born on 5 July 1988 in Birmingham, England. He studied at the University of Manchester, where he became involved in comedy.

• He cites comedians such as Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer as influences (iNews (UK news website)).

How old is Joe Lycett?

Born on 5 July 1988, Lycett is currently 36 years old (as of 2025).

What is Joe Lycett’s height?

He is approximately 5 ft 9 in (175 cm).

What is Joe Lycett’s net worth?

Estimates range from £1 to £3 million, though no official figure is public (Metro (UK newspaper)).

Comedy career

Lycett rose to prominence in the 2010s with stand‑up specials and appearances on panel shows. He won the “Best Newcomer” award at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards in 2012.

• His comedy often blends camp humour with political and social commentary (iNews (UK news website)).

Television work

Beyond Sewing Bee, Lycett has hosted his own Channel 4 show Late Night Lycett and appears regularly on 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown and The Last Leg.

• He was a contestant on Who Do You Think You Are? in 2021 (iNews (UK news website)).

Lycett’s career trajectory shows a steady shift from panel show regular to headline act and activist.

This timeline highlights the critical junctures in Lycett’s public and personal life.

Quotes from Joe Lycett and coverage

“Lycett said he changed his name to highlight the fashion brand’s ‘bullying’ of small businesses.”

BBC News (UK public-service broadcaster)

“I’m not going to pretend I’m not privately educated, but I think the whole thing is ridiculous.”

Joe Lycett, on class and comedy, in iNews (iNews (UK news website))

“The registrar looked at me and said, ‘You’re Hugo Boss?’ I said, ‘Not anymore, but yes.’”

Joe Lycett, on registering his son’s birth, speaking to Evening Standard (Evening Standard (London evening newspaper))

For UK audiences following Lycett’s journey, the choice is clear: embrace his brand of activist comedy, or risk missing how one jokester’s deed‑poll protest reshaped a family’s paperwork and a broadcaster’s schedule.

Frequently asked questions