Matt Lucas and Partner Kevin McGee Seek a Divorce

Little Britain star Matt Lucas, who entered into a civil partnership with his partner Kevin McGee in a star-studded ceremony in London in 2006.

According to The Daily Mail, "TV producer McGee, 31, will be entitled to a large slice of Lucas’s fortune, which has prompted the comic to employ Mishcon de Reya, the same solicitor used by Heather
Mills in her divorce from Paul McCartney, and by Princess Diana. The reason for the split is not known, but a spokesman said it was 'amicable'. They have not been seen in public together since they went for dinner at celebrity haunt Scott’s in Mayfair on Valentine’s Day. The couple had discussed the possibility of adopting children."

Their reps, Mishcon de Reya and Withers LLP, released a statement: "It is with sadness that Matt and Kevin announce that their relationship has come to an end. Their separation is amicable. They ask the press to respect their privacy at this time and to exercise restraint in any reporting of this matter."

The couple had been together for 3 years before marrying and own a £1.5m home in St John’s Wood. Lucas and McGee are the most high-profile same-sex couple to seek a divorce since civil partnerships began in the UK.

For you Little Britain fans, I've included a clip AFTER THE JUMP of the opening tease of a documentary that was run on BBC2 and 3 about "the real Little Britain" and citizens upon which some of the characters were based.

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UK Apprentice Reject Happy to be the Only Gay in the Village

Kevin Shaw, the latest contestant to be kicked off the UK version of The Apprentice, has apparently been mocked for years for looking like the Matt Lucas Little Britain character Daffyd, or as he is better known, 'The Only Gay in the Village'.

And he has a sense of humor about it.

Says Shaw: "I have no problem with the comparison and if someone wanted me to dress up as Matt for a charity event, I’d do it. As long as it was for a laugh I’d be game. I think it’s really funny – I even brought a Daffyd mask along when I went on the follow-up show, You’re Fired! It’s been going on for years and I often start the mickey-taking myself. Matt is one of the greatest comics this country has produced for years so it’s hardly an insult."

Recently
Little Britain in America: A 'Laaady' Arrested in New York! [tr]

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Little Britain in America: A 'Laaady' Arrested in New York!

I mentioned that HBO was adapting Little Britain for American audiences back in 2006 but I hadn't heard much until now.

The Daily Mail posts some photos of Lady Emily Howard being arrested on the streets of the Big Apple and reports on the show's progress:

"David's cross-dressing character - famous for her 'I'm a laydee' catchphrase - is manhandled by his sidekick Matt Lucas, and a hunky US cop for shoplifting in new pictures from the US version of the show. The award-winning comedy duo are introducing a number of new characters in addition to keeping the old favourites. Walliams also unleashed a new middle-aged Barbara Woodhouse-style dog trainer character. Last week the pair revealed Lucas' American schoolgirl Ellie Grace and Walliams as her mother. While other new characters have yet to be revealed, die-hard fans of the past three series will not be disappointed by the latest. They can expect to see the return of Dafydd "only gay in the village" Thomas, camp Prime Minister's aide Sebastian Love and Asbo teen Vicky Pollard. Walliams and Lucas started filming in North Carolina last month and are apparently looking for an American film star to play the role of a comedy US president. Hollywood heartthrob George Clooney is rumoured to be their first choice."

AFTER THE JUMP, an Emily Howard clip featuring Robbie Williams for those of you unfamiliar with the show...

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Vicky Pollard Coming to America in U.S. Version of Little Britain

Among the characters being imported for Matt Lucas and David Walliams' American version of Little Britain, which will run on HBO, are Vicky Pollard, Daffyd (the only gay in the village), Lou and Andy, and Marjorie Dawes.

Said Lucas: "We’re mixing it up. We’re writing six new American characters and the rest will be old favourites. How could we not take Vicky and especially Marjorie to America? I would like to say that we’re going to be kind about the Americans, but can you really imagine us being nice? No, I didn’t think so!"

Lucas also reported that the duo have two film deals in the works, one with Dreamworks, and the other with production company Working Title (Four Weddings And A Funeral, Notting Hill).

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News: Brooke Astor, Flexible Battery, Jake Gyllenhaal, iPhone

New York's "Aristocrat of the People" Brooke Astor dies at 105: "...it was a changing social order that Brooke Astor oversaw. Hers was a society defined more by balance sheets than bloodline. It opened its doors to entrepreneurs and Wall Street movers and shakers who had bought entree with so many millions that in the 1980s Mrs. Astor declared herself 'nouveau pauvre.' Although aristocratic in upbringing, style and social milieu, she never sought to be the arbiter of society that the Astor name might have entitled her to be. She never wanted to rule over a world that she was among the first to recognize was no more."

Matt Damon in with the bear crowd: "Matt Damon got turned into an animated bear for a September 3rd episode of the PBS cartoon, Arthur. Matt is on to promote a feature on the site where kids can submit videos of themselves to be aired on the show."

Jake Gyllenhaal and friend enter 5K race in Massachusetts.

It keeps bending, and bending...: Scientists create flexible, biodegradable battery.

Little Britain creators become gay icons in Poland: "Apparently gays there are packing their manbags for Britain, inspired by their new hero from Little Britain. The comedy was finally screened for the first time in Poland in April on state broadcaster TVP. It is the campest show to make it on to the nation’s TV and has now become an “inspiration” to homosexuals there. Characters including Matt Lucas’s Dafydd Thomas and, in particular, David’s Prime Minister-adoring Sebastian Love, have been a hit with Polish gays. Mirka Makuchowska, of the Polish Campaign Against Homophobia, said David had become an 'important' figure to Polish homosexuals. She said: 'Little Britain has made a huge impact here. Especially David Walliams when he is playing Sebastian. It has even made many think of moving to Britain.'"

Developers win award for devising videoconference system for the iPhone.

Six-year-old boy drowns after bullies strip him and force him into lake.

Rapper Beanie Sigel on Kanye West's reported feud with Sigel for suggesting he's gay: "I don't really dwell on that sh--, man. He called me for songs, so I guess [there are no problems]. I been trying to get beats from that n---a since before I went to jail."

Concerned Roman Catholics of America pickets Knights of Columbus convention in Nashville, demanding that the organization expel 16 "pro-Sodomite" Massachusetts lawmakers: "One of the pols on the group’s hit list, state Rep. Robert DeLeo (D-Winthrop), said: 'I certainly respect the right of those who disagree with my vote on same-sex marriage to do so and to advocate for their point of view. It is my hope that they would also respect my right and responsibility as an elected official to, after listening to all the facts and arguments, decide what I think is the best course of action on issues before the Legislature.' Another on the list, Rep. Garrett Bradley (D-Hingham), said of the Knights: 'We don’t agree on every issue, and this one of them. I’m going to vote the way I think is right, regardless of what this group or another group might want me to do.' The CRCOA Web site has posted the names of those it describes as “pro-Sodomite, pro-abortion Knights of Columbus” on its site, including several Bay State pols."

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Scissor Sisters' Jake Shears and Partner to Get Hitched

This spring will see a civil union between Scissor Sisters' Jake Shears and his partner of eight years — Chris, an art student at Yale who has thus far remained out of the spotlight. The two recently moved in together in an apartment in Tribeca in Manhattan. The Sunday Mirror reports that they will hold their ceremony in New Jersey in the spring followed by a lavish party in Manhattan:

"Kylie, Matt Lucas and Little Britain's David Walliams and Geri Halliwell have been ordered to clear their diaries for a 'glorious' day in Springtime in New York. The ceremony itself will be in nearby New Jersey where same sex marriage is legal. I hope the guests pack their sunglasses as Jake has been talking about making it technicolour, with brightly coloured daffodils and tulips, a striped wedding suit, a flock of white doves and confetti at the beginning and end. Jake, whose band sold out three nights at Greenwich's O2 arena last week, popped the question after splashing out on a love nest in New York with Chris."

A source told the paper: "They are both blissfully happy with their apartment and the wedding is the next thing. They're ready to show everyone they're together."

Scissor Misters [sunday mirror]
(photo: Kevin Tachman/WENN)

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Poland Censors Little Britain over Gay Kiss

Poland's state broadcaster TVP cut about one minute out of a broadcast of the Matt Lucas comedy Little Britain because of a kiss between a vicar and a leather-clad David Walliams.

Said their spokeswoman, "British viewers are more open and indulgent than their Polish counterparts. It's a different sense of humour, and one which is sometimes incomprehensible for the Polish public. We decided to cut a scene which could cause controversy among Polish viewers and which isn't exactly in line with our mission as a public television channel."

Apparently Polish audiences have no problem with butt plugs or dildos.

No doubt Jaroslaw thoroughly enjoyed it.

I've added the clip below. Definitely NSFW.

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Towleroad Guide to the Tube: #100

VALERIE PLAME: Highlights from the CIA agent's testimony on 3/16 regarding the leak of her name. Note the "Impeach Bush" protester in the background. (source: americablog)

DONALD TRUMP: Calls Bush "worst president in the history of the United States".

KATE MOSS: The British supermodel appears as Vicky Pollard's sister - the easy one.

THE GUMBY SHOW: To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the claymation series, all 200+ of the episodes will be rolled out online on video sites. YouTube has a dedicated channel set up for them. Here is the first episode - "Gumby on the Moon".

Check out our previous guides to the Tube here!

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Little Britain's Matt Lucas Weds Partner in London

Little Britain's Matt Lucas got legally hitched to his partner Kevin McGee over the weekend in a civil partnership ceremony in central London, followed by a reception at The Banqueting House.

The photo above shows Lucas and McGee just after the ceremony and following at a pantomime-themed reception.

It must be the season for fashion faux-pas. Last week it was red dresses at the White House. This week it was Captain Hook costumes at London's most high-profile celebrity wedding reception: "Sir Elton John, Queen's Roger Taylor, Paul O'Grady, Neil Tennant from the Pet Shop Boys and hypnotist Paul McKenna all arrived to celebrate his civil partnership dressed as the villainous pirate."

Below: O'Grady, McKenna, Tennant, John. I've a feeling nobody went home to change outfits, but perhaps they clawed each other's eyes out with the multitude of hooks.

A few more guest shots after the jump...

Courtney Love came as the Queen of Hearts.

Former Boyzone singer Stephen Gately and his partner Andy Cowles (who had their own civil partnership last March, with X Factor host Louis Walsh. Right, singer Will Young as an Ugly Sister.

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Vicky Pollard's Mum to Make Little Britain Debut [tr]

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Vicky Pollard's Mum to Make Little Britain Debut

Those of you who have managed to catch Little Britain on BBC America or LOGO may be familiar with Matt Lucas' tracksuit-clad teenage delinquent Vicky Pollard.

Recently it was announced that Vicky's mum will make an appearance in a two-part special of the series being broadcast across the pond. We probably won't get it here for a while. But set to play Vicky's mum is none other than Dawn French, of French and Saunders.

Check the mother/daughter portrait after the jump...

Vicky ends up in a Thai jail and her mother arrives to bail her out. More here...

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News: Heisman Contenders, London Tornado, CNET Editor

CNET Editor James Kim found dead in Oregon wilderness after heroic effort to save stranded family.

Freak Nature: Hundreds left homeless as tornado rips through North London.

Little Britain star Matt Lucas being considered to play Friar Tuck in new Robin Hood series.

Gay housemate Davis lets N-word fly in boozed up Real World conflict: "Davis and Tyrie’s confrontation was horrifying because Davis called his black roommate the n-word, showing MTV’s audience that gay guys can be confrontational, obnoxious racists, too. But it was also horrifying because the entire thing happened because both of them were drunk out of their minds, and because everything received a neat, clean resolution once they sobered up, as if blind drunkenness is an acceptable excuse for fighting or racism."

David Beckham is Britain's richest footballer, worth $171 million.

Britney Spears' va-jay-jay speaks...

Heisman contenders down to three: Darren McFadden, Brady Quinn, and Troy Smith.

STUDY: Global warming creating famine in tropical oceans. "The finding, which has long been predicted by computer models, suggests that as warming continues, fish stocks in tropical and sub-tropical regions will drop significantly. The study showed that in some ocean regions microscopic plants in the plankton, known as phytoplankton, respond to rising temperatures by scaling down their productivity by 30% or more. With less production at the bottom of the food chain, fish and other large ocean creatures have less to eat."

American Idol contestant Elliott Yamin re-emerges with Christmas song and set of new teeth.

Gay porn producer Matt Sterling dies.

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News: Jocelyn Wildenstein, Gay Rhodes Scholar, Little Britain

Film director Robert Altman has died at the age of 81.

FOX News pundit: Happy Feet just an animated Inconvenient Truth. "I saw this with my two little boys. What I found offensive — I don’t care what your stands are on the environment — is that they shove this in a kid’s movie. So you hear the penguins are starving and they’re starving because of mean old men, mean old companies, arctic fishing, a big taboo...I half expected to see an animated version of Al Gore to pop-up."

Puff pastry: Jocelyn "Cat Woman" Wildenstein dines out at Mr. Chow.

New Lifetime show makes woman choose whether a man is Gay, Straight, or Taken: "After interacting with each man in group and one-on-one settings, the woman must determine who is the single straight guy among the three. If she chooses correctly, she wins an exotic trip for two with him. If she chooses wrong, the man she selects wins the trip with his significant other."

Little Britain picks up International Emmy Award.

Ryan Thoreson, co-chair of the Harvard Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, Transgender and Supporter Alliance, chosen as 2007 Rhodes Scholar.

The History Boys opens today in limited release. AfterElton talks to director Nicholas Hytner about the machinations of sexuality at a prep school.

Britney Spears finds new friends in Paris Hilton, Mario Lopez.

Gay magazines suffer ad erosion, made more noticeable by subscription growth: "The mags' troubles stand out in a gay ad market that is generally booming, according to the most recent Gay Market Press Report, an annual report produced by Prime Access, an ad firm, and Rivendell Media Co. The latest report, released this May, had total advertising in gay media reaching $212 million. However, much of this budget goes to local gay publications including newspapers covering culture, leisure, and politics in specific cities or regions."

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The Only Gay in the Village to Marry

Little Britain's Matt Lucas intends to enter into a civil partnership with his partner Kevin McGee, according to a new book, Inside Little Britain.

Uk tabloid The Sun reports that Lucas popped the question last May: "Last year he and Kevin swapped matching silver rings. They recently moved out of their North West London flat to set up home together in a £1million pad in the capital’s swanky St John’s Wood."

A spokesman from the BBC, which airs Little Britan, said, “Matt and Kevin feel destined to be together."

It was recently announced that Lucas' hilarious creation Little Britain is to get an American remake on HBO.

"Matt Lucas and David Walliams are to adapt their outrageous comic creations for American viewers under a deal with the cable channel behind the award-winning The Sopranos and Sex and the City. The search is on to find the urban American equivalent of the schoolgirl nightmare Vicky Pollard and a suitable deep South locale for the only gay in the village. The duo will work with American writers and Simon Fuller, the British entrepreneur behind Pop Idol, will oversee the show."

Here are two of the show's recurring skits featuring "a lady" and Daffyd, the only gay in the village.

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