Great British Bake Off star Matt Lucas previously opened up about his hair falling out at the age of six. Chatting to Rob Brydon in the latter’s popular podcast series back in 2021, he spoke about the reaction to him, and how it "fast-tracked" his personality.
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He explained: "When I was six years old, my hair fell out. I’d either be really bullied by people, quite badly, or I’d be really patronised by people. It was like that was the only thing anyone need know about me. It was like no other aspect of me really mattered, because I was the kid with no hair."
WATCH: Great British Bake Off star Matt Lucas speaks candidly about his hair loss
The TV personality continued: "I feel like people didn’t really make an effort to find out anything about me and I realised early on that I was either going to be this victim of pity and ridiculous or - it was a sink or swim thing. I fast-tracked a personality and character."
Speaking about how he found his early years challenging due to his sexuality, he added: "I had a challenging upbringing with a sense of shame and anger and frustration and confusion at being attracted to the same sex at a time where the law was against gay people. So I was a lot of neurosis and anxiety but when I got on stage, doing that performing was a place where I had some control."
Matt is one of the Bake Off hosts
Matt has previously opened up about his alopecia in his biography Little Me: My Life from A-Z, explaining that at the time, doctors decided that he was a delayed shock response to being hit by a car when he was a young child - but as an adult, he was told it was likely due to having an overactive immune system.
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He explained: "My childhood was tough, yes. No one wants to feel eternally self-conscious, constantly stared at, teased, mocked and bullied. But also it’s important to get things into perspective. Being bald has helped me in my career. Would I have had my big break as a baby in Shooting Stars if I had had a full head of hair?
"My baldness has made me distinctive, yet also allowed me to transform myself. Stick a wig on and I’m someone else. Swap the wig and I’m now another person. Perfect."
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