Matt Lucas reveals he is autistic: ‘I’ve never, ever spoken about this’
The actor and comedian made the disclosure on BBC Radio 2, ahead of his role as Fagin in Oliver! at London’s Gielgud Theatre
By Callum Wells
Matt Lucas has revealed that he is autistic, telling Romesh Ranganathan that he has never previously discussed it publicly.
The actor and comedian made the disclosure on BBC Radio 2, ahead of his upcoming role as Fagin in Matthew Bourne’s production of Oliver! at London’s Gielgud Theatre.
Speaking about how he balances performing with writing, Lucas said: “I’ve never, ever spoken about this publicly, but I’m autistic, and so I enjoy periods of being very sociable, like you are in the theatre, and then I also enjoy those periods of solitude where I can just write on my own.”
What has Matt Lucas said about his autism?
Ranganathan asked whether Lucas needs time to recover between periods of socialising and being alone.
“Do you find that you need to recharge each battery, like you’re kind of flitting between those two things?”
Lucas said his days away from the theatre give him an opportunity to spend time by himself.
“On my day off, I like not to see people and give them a break from me” – Lucas on “recharging” between his theatre work
“Yeah, and so on my days off, you know you do theatre six days a week, and on my day off, apart from resting and resting my voice and all of that, on my day off I like not to see people and give them a break from me, but just to have that recharge time is quite important to me.”
His theatre work includes Les Misérables, Me and My Girl and the forthcoming Oliver!, in which he plays Fagin alongside a cast that includes Ranganathan’s son.
Lucas has played Thénardier in Les Misérables on and off for more than 16 years. He told Ranganathan that he continues to find new elements of the character each time he returns to the role.
What are the signs of autism?
According to the NHS, autism can affect how someone communicates and interacts with others, as well as how they experience the world. Signs vary from person to person, and someone may not experience all of them.
Common signs include difficulty understanding what others are thinking or feeling, taking things literally, finding social situations challenging, preferring routines, having intense interests, repetitive movements, and being particularly sensitive to sounds, lights, smells, tastes or textures.
The NHS also notes that some autistic people mask their traits to fit in socially, which can make autism harder to recognise.