If there was going to be someone to reinvigorate the chatshow, of course it would be Joe Lycett. Right from its hectically surreal opening titles, his new Friday-night Channel 4 show Late Night Lycett harks back to the zany charm of grassroots, Boosh-era television. Surprised-looking pigeons and grainy rainbow emojis whorl across a psychedelic graphic, culminating with retina-shattering neon letters grandly displaying the phrase “LIVE FROM BIRMINGHAM” – an instant chuckle, and a perfect elevator pitch for Lycett’s knowing, ironic sense of humour. “Hello, you bastards!” he yells, from amid a crowd of drag queens.
With a commanding presence, Lycett makes it immediately clear that he is the star. He’s the driver of this runaway train, sparkling cogs and wheels pinging off in unpredictable directions. His audience is all seated or stood on one level in a twinkling, labyrinthine space at historic Birmingham venue The Bond, which gives more of a 2am Edinburgh fringe showcase vibe than network chatshow. It makes the whole thing feel all the more ad-hoc, fresh and dangerous – no bad thing in a world where Jimmy Fallon is currently grinning his way waxily to the 2,000th episode of The Tonight Show.
