Matt Lacey

Last updated

Matt Lacey
Birth nameMatt Lacey
Born1987 (age 35–36)
MediumTelevision, YouTube
NationalityBritish
Years active2009–present
SpouseFrankie Ward (m. 2021)

Matt Lacey (born 1987) is a British actor and comedian. He is best known for his recurring role as Ben in the BBC television series Cuckoo and as Orlando in the Gap Yah viral comedy sketch.

Contents

Life and career

Lacey was born in the United Kingdom in 1987 to Irish immigrant parents and studied at the Whitgift School, South Croydon, as a child. [1] He went on to study modern history at Oriel College, Oxford University. [2] At Oxford he was a founder member of the Unexpected Items, a comedy group who would perform in pubs and later at festivals and comedy nights. [1] He was working in his family's construction business as recently as 2010 to support his comedy and acting work. [3]

His break-through was in the role of Orlando in the comedy sketch Gap Yah, produced and directed by Lacey's Unexpected Items team and VM Productions. [2] The video became a viral hit on YouTube, with 660,000 views in its first month and around 50,000 "fresh hits a day" [4] in late March 2010. [5] As of early 2017 the video had over 6 million views, while follow-ups part 2 and 3 have over 1.5 million views combined. [6]

Lacey joined the cast of Cuckoo on BBC Three in 2014 and was a recurring character in seasons 2 and 3 alongside Greg Davies, Helen Baxendale and Twilight star Taylor Lautner. [7]

In 2018 Lacey was touring on stage in a Bill Kenwright production of the Edgar Wallace play The Case of the Frightened Lady , he joined the cast as Detective Sergeant Totty in September 2018. [8] [9]

Filmography

Film

Television

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References

  1. 1 2 "Matt Lacey – Man of the Yah". The Evening Standard. Retrieved 7 March 2016.
  2. 1 2 "Posh student 'Orlando' is YouTube hit during his "Gap Yah"". Metro. Retrieved 7 March 2016.
  3. ↑ "Purley Comedian scores internet hit with gap year send-up". Your Local Guardian. Retrieved 7 March 2016.
  4. ↑ Nick Curtis (25 March 2010). "Now it's the Yahs who are having the last laugh". Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 9 May 2010. Retrieved 18 April 2010.
  5. ↑ "Young film-makers' skit pulls in 660,000 hits on youtube". Harrow Observer. 8 April 2010. Retrieved 18 April 2010.
  6. ↑ "Gap Yah". YouTube. VM Productions & The Unexpected Items . Retrieved 7 March 2016.
  7. ↑ "Cuckoo, BBC3 – TV review: Offbeat and very British, this heralds the start of BBC3's online rebirth" . The Independent. Archived from the original on 12 May 2022. Retrieved 7 March 2016.
  8. ↑ "EastEnders actor John Partridge stars in thriller touring to Derbyshire". Ripley and Heanor News. Retrieved 12 September 2018.
  9. ↑ "THE CASE OF THE FRIGHTENED LADY NATIONAL TOUR". Hatch Talent. Retrieved 12 September 2018.
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