Matt Lucas' Life and Tragedies — Including Losing Hair at 6 and His Ex-spouse's Death

Fans of "Little Britain" are used to having their funny bone tickled by British comedian Matt Lucas, whom others will know as one of the judges in the UK's version of "The Masked Singer," as well as David Walliams' partner in comedy.

But the comedian and actor's personal life has been far from a laugh a minute, and he went through heartbreak when his beloved ex-husband Kevin McGee passed away a year after their divorce.

MEETING KEVIN MCGEE

In 2002, Lucas met the handsome blue-eyed McGee, a TV producer at a nightclub, and the two started dating. Four years later, the couple tied the knot in an extravagant December ceremony.

Their 400 guests -- including Sir Elton John, Charlotte Church, and Courtney Love -- were asked to dress up as characters from Christmas pantomimes. But what seemed to be the beginning of a happily-ever-after ended in heartbreak.

The divorce was finalized in January 2009, and in October of the same year, McGee was found dead.

DIVORCE

Just 18 months after the wedding, Lucas retained Mishcon de Reya, the same firm that had handled Princess Diana's divorce. The comedian announced that he and McGee were separating amicably.

Behind the split were McGee's ongoing addiction and a battle with depression which ended up undermining their six-year relationship. Their divorce settlement was never divulged but is believed to have been generous.

SUICIDE

The divorce was finalized in January 2009, and in October of the same year, McGee was found dead in his apartment in Edinburgh. An apparent suicide note on Facebook stated that he preferred death to life. A devastated Lucas said:

"In the end, he lost his battle with addiction and depression. I guess some people don’t have the armor for this world."

HEARTBREAK

In 2019, ten years after McGee's death, Lucas posted a photo of his ex-husband on Instagram accompanied by a heartbroken tribute in which he spoke lovingly of McGee and their relationship. Lucas wrote:

"I loved him more than anyone I’ve ever met, and still do (...) We were together for nearly six years and he made me the happiest man on the planet."

TRAUMA

McGee's death was the latest blow Lucas suffered. Life wasn't easy for Lucas, who was run over by a car at age six and lost all his hair from the shock. His hair grew back, only to fall out again permanently.

The young Lucas was teased at school for his premature baldness and weight, which his mother attempted to remedy by taking him to WeightWatchers -- another humiliation for the young boy.

When Lucas was 14, his father, John Lucas, to whom he was very close, was arrested and later convicted for fraud. He was sentenced to four years in prison, and the family was devastated.

The respectable, solidly middle-class family lived in what was described as a "smart neighborhood," where fathers going to prison was unheard of. The teenage Lucas was now mocked for being fat, bald, and the son of a convicted felon.

COMEDY FROM TRAGEDY

It was Lucas's painful childhood that inspired many of the characters he created for his comedy act with David Walliams and would eventually lead to his hard-earned success as a comedian and actor.

Lucas has shown himself to be a true survivor who has battled his way back from devastating loss again and again, with his sense of humor and his smile intact. Matt Lucas has transformed his pain into the greatest of gifts: laughter.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text "help" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741, or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.