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Matt Lucas for new Channel 4 lockdown series Reasons To Be Cheerful with Matt Lucas
17 April 2020, 11:07 | Updated: 17 April 2020, 11:12
Reasons To Be Cheerful with Matt Lucas will celebrate the ways in which celebs and the public keep themselves entertained during lockdown.
Matt Lucas has been confirmed for a new Channel 4 show about life in lockdown.
The Little Britain star will host the six-part series entitled Reasons To Be Cheerful with Matt Lucas, which will celebrate the many ways celebrities, members of the public and their pets are keeping themselves sane during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Get the latest NHS advice on Coronavirus
Channel 4 revealed that the programme - which has been written by Harry Hill and starts on 26 April - will see Lucas joined by self-isolating comedians, musicians, TV personalities, sports stars and more as he presents each half hour episode from the safety of his own home.
The network also announced Mo Gilligan's All Star Happy Hour, featuring sketches, viral formats unique musical performances and prize-winning games.
Ian Katz, Director of Programmes at Channel 4, said, "After weeks of relentless grim news and being cooped up at home, Britain desperately needs a dose of fun and Mo and Matt, two of the breakout stars of lockdown, are just the people to administer it."
And Phil Harris, Head of Entertainment at Channel 4, added that the station was "really proud" of how the team has come together during such difficult times.
Matt Lucas reworks Baked Potato song from Shooting Stars
Meanwhile, Matt Lucas has already been doing his bit to spread joy amid the coronavirus outbreak.
The comedian, actor and writer went viral when he reworked the Baked Potato song for his followers on Twitter, encouraging them to stay at home.
He went on to release the song for his Feed NHS campaign, which saw him team up with actor Damian Lewis, his Peaky Blinders star wife Helen McCrory and the owner of LEON to raise funds in order to feed NHS workers on the frontline.
He said in a statement: "The Baked Potato Song was something I sung on Shooting Stars 20 years ago and in an idle moment on Tuesday night I rewrote the lyrics and updated them.
"Baked Potato is always giving good advice and the new advice in the new version of the song is about washing your hands, staying indoors and only going to grocery stores. I urge everyone to go out and buy the single this week and raise vital money for the FeedNHS campaign."
Matt Lucas – Thank You Baked Potato #StayHome #WithMe #FeedNHS
The statement on the FeedNHS Just Giving page reads: "Hi we’re Damian, Helen and Matt and we’re attempting to raise 1 million pounds to get hot meals to NHS staff on the front line.
"Some of our heroes are already working 20 hour shifts and these hours will only get longer as the crisis worsens. With cafes and eateries all shut there is a real need to get healthy hot food to the hospitals.
"We are spearheading a campaign with LEON to get 6,000 meals a day into London hospitals for critical care staff and then hopefully across the nation to feed the NHS. The aim is that everyone will get one hot meal a day. We are starting this initiative in partnership with Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and UCLH Healthcare NHS Trust and hope others will be inspired to roll it out across the nation."
They added: "This is a not for profit movement to deliver food to our heroic workers and already Wasabi, Tortilla, Peach Pubs, Rosa Thai, Hop, Pizza Pilgrims, Franco Manca, Farmer J, Tossed, Haché, Abokado, Dishoom and Nusa Kitchen have joined.
"No one’s making any money out of this and any profits will go back into the NHS, so please give generously to help #FEEDNHS."
At the time of writing this article, the Feed NHS campaign has smashed its £1million target and raised £1,112,889.95
