How Joe Lycett's aunties became viral internet sensations (2024)

Joe Lycettstole the show at theBAFTATelevision Awards on Sunday night as he arrived in a full on Elizabethan getup after losing a bet.

The comedian stepped onto the red carpet wearing a flowing silver cape, which resembled a gown, and high ruff around his neck as he confessed he felt like an 'oven-baked salmon' while sweating in the heat.

The unique choice of evening wear was the result of Joe losing a bet he had made with his aunts, Margaret and Pauline.

He had said on his show Late Night Lycett that he would wear a period dress for the glitzy event, if they managed to get 100,000 followers for their new Instagram account.

And it seems his aunties, who are believed to be his mother's sisters, had the last laugh as they managed to hit 247,000 followers ahead of the prestigious awards.

The pair, who have since increased their followers by another 2,000, were thrown into the spotlight earlier this month when a producer from Joe's Channel 4 show Late Night Lycett phoned them to see if they wanted to appear on the show.

Soon after their appearance the star challenged them to the bet giving them two weeks to achieve 100,000, which they hugely surpassed.

Margaret and Pauline received huge support from the public, including EastEnders' Natalie Cassidy who even offered to go as Joe's lady in waiting.

Taking to their Instagram, the influencer aunties looked rather pleased with themselves as they posed with their nephew writing smugly: 'A bet’s a bet! off to the @bafta‘s we go!!!

'So nice to be able to take our nephew along as well… @joelycett'.

The pair joined Joe on the red carpet for an interview with Michelle Visage as she gushed: 'Queen Elizabeth the I is actually reincarnated and here with us with her Aunties Margaret and Pauline.'

Discussing the bet, Joe explained: 'Yes hence this oven-baked salmon that I am in. This is the hottest I have ever been I think.'

The TV personality accessorised the outfit with a black ribbon and carried two fans – one battery-powered and one manual – presumably to help him through the stifling heat.

He made sure to he went all out and dyed his hair a dark red, in tribute to the Queen Elizabeth I who reigned from 1558 to 1603.

The bet began last month as Joe confessed: 'I have made a rash promise to my aunties that I may regret,' after he raised the bet during an episode of his show.

Contradictory to Joe's belief, the pair embraced their task to the mask, even taking over his Twitter to launch there own TV show in place of Joe's.

They wrote: 'Please turn off Late Night Lycett and watch Late Night Aunties instead!'

Overwhelmed by their commitment, Joe exclaimed: 'They’re out of control. They’re doing press interviews, they’ve been on Heart, Gaydio. They’ve got a host of celebrity fans including Craig Revel Horwood, Katherine Ryan, Rosie Jones, Gaby Roslin, Rylan, Wilf from The Traitors and Greg James’s dog.'

He added: 'I said they’d never do it. If they did, I promised I’d go to the BAFTAs dressed as Queen Elizabeth I. Obviously, they f*****g went and did it.'

Asking for help, he told fans: 'Help! My aunties are now influencers which I HATE.

'But they’ve managed to persuade Natalie Cassidy to work with them, and she’s made me a bet that if they get to 250k followers by the end of my show tonight she’ll come with me to the BAFTAs as my lady-in-waiting.

'Give them a follow over on Insta (LateNightAunties). I truly don’t care if you unfollow them tomorrow I just wanna get Nat Cass to the Baffs.'

SadlyMargaret and Paula didn't quite hit the 250k mark, however they did manage to launch their own TV show after Joe's slot last Friday was replaced by The Late Night Aunties.

Prompted by a suggesting from Scott Mills during his Radio 2 show, Margaret and Pauline took over Channel 4 as their live stream on Instagram progressed to their own live show.

Updating his followers, Joe explained: 'And here’s tonight’s debacle for you to watch. My studio audience walked out on me to go and watch my aunties instead.'

The women looked to be having the time of their live as they joked with guest Joe Swash: 'You're our favourite Joe! ' and auntie Margaret cheekily asked: 'Can I ask you how big your pole is?'

Speaking about how the idea for the dress came to life, he explained: 'So I have a wonderful stylist called Krishan, who had a panic attack when this came up, and then we found this brilliant designer called Out Of Your Gaze who we found on Instagram.

'She has done an extraordinary job, she has been sewing for 18 hours to make this and I am over the moon with it. It has such scale but it is not costume, it is modern.'

As Michelle asked:'You will be able to take it off?', Joe joked: 'I know Hannah Waddingham is behind me and I want to ruin her night so we'll see.'

While Joe planned to stay seated blocking Hannah Waddingham's view during the ceremony, he didn't expect to have to grace the stage in his get up after he bagged the gong for the Entertainment Performance Award.

Visibly shocked, Joe went onstage in the outrageous outfit to collect his gong presented the by Am I Being Unreasonable's Lenny Rush.

'I lost a bet, hence this' he told the audience before adding: 'I'm so hot and I need a p**ss!'

He beat TV duo Ant and Dec, as well as Graham Norton and Hannah Waddingham to the iconic trophy.

BAFTA hosts Rob Beckett and Romesh Raganathan were also nominated in the category as well as Big Zuu.

And fans were left shocked as they took to Twitter the express their surprise that Joe had won.

Angry, they wrote: 'Eh? Is this more box-ticking nonsense I see?'; 'Awful programme.'; 'Oh dear lord.

'Guessing the fans, are extremely miffed about this'; 'People find Joe Lycett entertaining?'; 'I mean, I enjoy it, but it should have been @TheLastLeg!'

However other fans were over the moon at Joe's win as they wrote: 'So pleased brilliant show'; 'Well deserved'; 'Absolutely delighted. Well played JL.'

Ever the funny man, the comedian kept his speech short and sweet as he joked: 'Thanks to my mum and dad, Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII.'

Posting a video to his socials, BBC captioned it, 'Serving Tudor realness.'

Late Night Lycett is a comedy entertainment series, fronted by Joe live from his hometown of Birmingham.

It includes madcap games, hilarious sketches, Joe's aunties, and celebrity guests.