Joe Lycett Biography: Hugo Boss Name Change & Facts

Picture this: you’re a comedian, you don’t like how a big fashion brand is throwing its legal weight around, so you change your own name to that brand’s name to make a point. That’s exactly what Joe Lycett did in 2020 when he became Hugo Boss.

Born: 1988 ·
Occupation: Comedian, television presenter ·
Sexual orientation: Queer / pansexual ·
Known for: Name change to Hugo Boss (2020) ·
Instagram followers: 1 million ·
Notable legal case: Lycett v Hugo Boss (trademark dispute)

Six facts that define Joe Lycett, one pattern: a comedian who deliberately blurred his own identity to make a statement about corporate power.

The pattern: a single protest act became a lasting legal reference point, merging comedy with corporate law.

Who is Joe Lycett’s partner?

As of 2025, Joe Lycett does not have a confirmed public partner. The comedian, who identifies as queer/pansexual (Wikipedia), has kept his romantic life largely private.

Is Joe Lycett in a relationship?

• No verified reports confirm a current partner as of 2025.
• A 2026 local profile indicated he is in a long-term relationship with a woman, but her full name has not been shared publicly (BritainDaily.uk local profile).
• The Sun reported on his “girlfriend” in 2024, suggesting a relationship had been acknowledged by tabloids (The Sun tabloid profile).

Joe Lycett’s dating history

Very little is publicly documented about Lycett’s past relationships. The comedian has not spoken extensively about his dating history in interviews or on his shows. The Mirror covered his “dating past” in 2021, noting the name change as a “drastic” act in his personal life (Mirror tabloid).

The implication: Joe Lycett’s relationship status is one of the least documented aspects of his public profile. What little is known comes from lower-confidence sources, meaning readers should treat unverified partner claims with caution.

Has Joe Lycett had a baby?

There is no public information confirming that Joe Lycett has had a baby or become a parent as of 2025.

Joe Lycett’s family plans

• No announcements about children have been made by Lycett or his representatives.
• He has not referenced fatherhood in interviews, social media, or comedy material.

Parenthood rumors

Rumors about Lycett’s potential parenthood appear to stem from general curiosity about his private life rather than any substantiated claims. The absence of evidence here is itself the evidence: no credible source has reported a baby or pregnancy.

The trade-off: a private life gives Lycett control over his narrative, but it also leaves space for speculation that can’t be easily corrected.

What happened with Joe Lycett and Hugo Boss?

This is the story that turned Joe Lycett from a TV comedian into a figure in trademark law. In March 2020, Lycett legally changed his name by deed poll to Hugo Boss — the name of the German fashion giant — as a protest against the company’s enforcement of its trademark (BBC News).

The name change to Hugo Boss

• Lycett’s target: Hugo Boss sending cease-and-desist letters to small businesses and charities using the word “boss” (BBC News).
• He framed the change as a way to expose what he saw as aggressive corporate bullying.
• Hugo Boss responded by saying it “welcomed the comedian formerly known as Joe Lycett as a member of the Hugo Boss family” (BBC News).
• The story was covered internationally, including by BBC Indonesia (BBC News Indonesia).

Trademark dispute details

Lycett remained Hugo Boss for about a month before reverting to his original name in April 2020, saying he had “made his point” (BBC News follow-up report). During that time, he announced plans to launch a Hugo Boss-branded product on his Channel 4 show Joe Lycett’s Got Your Back (Evening Standard newspaper).

The dispute was not just entertainment news. Legal commentary site Lexology covered it as a notable case study in trademark enforcement (Lexology legal analysis). Years later, in 2025, The Guardian reported that Hugo Boss cited Lycett’s stunt in a separate naming dispute over a Liverpool pet shop called Boss Pets (The Guardian newspaper).

What happened to Joe Lycett?

Joe Lycett’s career spans stand-up comedy, television presenting, and the kind of publicity stunts that land in both entertainment and legal news. Here’s a look at his arc.

Early career

• Born in 1988 in Birmingham, England (Wikipedia biographical entry).
• Began performing stand-up comedy in the late 2000s, building a reputation for sharp, confrontational material.
• Won the Chortle Student Comedy Award in 2009, a key stepping stone for UK comedians.

Television appearances

Lycett became a familiar face on UK panel shows including 8 Out of 10 Cats, Would I Lie to You?, and Taskmaster. He also hosted his own Channel 4 series, Joe Lycett’s Got Your Back, a consumer-rights show that blended comedy with practical advice.

Recent projects and name change

The Hugo Boss name change in 2020 remains Lycett’s most widely reported act. He self-describes on his official website as an “incredibly right-wing comedian, painter, filmmaker, sculptor, television presenter, poet, gardener, dietician, radio presenter” — a characteristically ironic bio (Joe Lycett official website).

As of 2025, Lycett continues to tour his stand-up comedy and is scheduled to present the “Everything Must Go” exhibition in July 2026.

The pattern: Lycett has built a career where comedy and activism intersect. The name change wasn’t a detour — it was a logical extension of his public persona. For a comedian who built a show around standing up for consumers, taking on a fashion giant was almost inevitable.

How old is Joe Lycett?

Joe Lycett was born in 1988. His exact date of birth has not been publicly confirmed, which means his precise age is slightly variable depending on the month.

Birth date

• Year of birth: 1988 (Wikipedia).
• Exact day and month: not publicly available.

Age in 2025

Based on a 1988 birth year, Joe Lycett is approximately 36–37 years old in 2025. At the time of the name-change story, entertainment outlets like the Evening Standard identified him as 31 (Evening Standard).

For more on his personal life, read about Joe Lycetts partner and baby in a separate article.

Frequently asked questions