Major soap savagely rejects Matt Lucas after Little Britain star asks for role
Matt Lucas has admitted he desperately wanted to be on Coronation Street, but was savagely snubbed by the soap's bosses. The Little Britain star is one of the most recognisable faces on TV and has a legion of loyal fans, who have followed his impressive career since making his debut on Shooting Stars as giant baby, George Dawes, in the nineties.
Matt, 51, has appeared on a string of shows over the years, but Corrie has always eluded him after he revealed his plans to rock up on the cobbles as new character, Teddy Pink, were shot down by the powers that be. Chatting to his friend and fellow comic David Walliams, 53, on the latest episode of their Making a Scene podcast, Matt said: "I would like to be in Coronation Street because I feel like that's the sort of funniest of the soaps."
He continued: "And I've always wanted to be - and I told the people of Corrie this years ago, they didn't bite - someone that goes into the hairdresser and sits down and has a haircut, even though I have no hair.
"And I've always wanted to be called Teddy Pink. And I said, 'I'll be in Coronation Street as long as I'm called Teddy Pink.'"
David, who starred with Matt in Little Britain and Come Fly With Me, has had more success in soap land. He appeared in an episode of EastEnders in 2003 as Ray Collins - the fake registrar who performed Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace) and Alfie Moon's (Shane Richie) wedding in the Queen Vic pub on Christmas Day.
Telling Matt he wanted to reprise his role, he said: "I played a character in 2003 in EastEnders, marrying Kat and Alfie in the Queen Vic in front of all the characters. So I was super excited. So I've been in EastEnders. And one day, I would like to come back as that character.
"Sometimes comes up, EastEnders are celebrating an anniversary or something. They'll write down people who've gone on to different things from the show. So yeah, I loved it actually."
Speaking about his excitement working with late stars June Brown (Dot Cotton) and Wendy Richard (Pauline Fowler), David could not contain his excitement.
He gushed: "I was so starstruck, particularly by June Brown. I was so starstruck. And she was obviously different from the character, but she was dressed as Dot and smoking away in the dressing room."
He continued: "And also Wendy Richard, I was incredibly starstruck by because we've grown up with her in Are You Being Served? It's Miss Brahms. She was very sexy. Had a massive crush on her then."
While Matt may not have appeared in any British soaps, he did rock up in Aussie staple, Neighbours, along with David in 2007.
The pair starred as their Little Britain characters, Lou Todd and his friend Andy Pipkin - who unbeknown to Lou pretends to need a wheelchair.
The hilarious scene saw Matt and David roll up in the Scarlet Bar alongside characters Steph and Toadie, played by Carla Bonner and Toadfish legend, Ryan Moloney, and had viewers both here and Down Under in stitches.
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