Matt Lucas stands down after former partner's death

(Claire Greenway/Getty Images)

The comedian Matt Lucas has pulled out of his debut performance in a West End play following the sudden death of his former civil partner.

Lucas, 35, had been starring in Prick Up Your Ears at the Comedy Theatre, a sombre play about the suicide of the playwright Kenneth Halliwell, who killed himself after murdering his lover and fellow playwright Joe Orton.

But the Little Britain star quit after his real-life former partner Kevin McGee was found hanging on Monday in his Edinburgh flat after sending a Facebook message to friends which read: “Kevin McGee thinks death is much better than life.” Police said there were “no suspicious circumstances” surrounding the death.

A statement released by the show’s producers said that an understudy would be taking on Lucas’s role as Halliwell “until further notice” as the grief-stricken actor had left London to stay with friends.

Mr McGee, a television producer, met Lucas at a nightclub in 2002 and was dating the actor while he rose to fame through the comedy panel show Shooting Stars and later Little Britain, which turned him into an internationally recognised figure.

In 2006, they became one of the most notable same-sex couples to marry in a civil partnership. The quiet ceremony at the Home House private members club in central London was followed by a much louder pantomime-themed reception in Whitehall which was attended by some of Britain’s leading gay glitterati, including Sir Elton John, Will Young and Paul O’Grady.

Although the pair had been dating for six years before their marriage, their civil partnership was dissolved after 10 months, with Lucas citing Mr McGee’s unreasonable behaviour as the cause. At the time it was reported that Mr McGee was a heavy cocaine user and that Lucas had paid for him to visit rehab clinics. Friends said the split was painful for both men and as Lucas continued his rising television career, Mr McGee continued to battle with depression.

At 4.26am on Monday, he wrote a message on his Facebook wall indicating that he was potentially suicidal. Police broke down the door to his Edinburgh flat less than four hours later and found him hanging.

Only one week earlier, however, Mr McGee had written a series of more positive messages on his Facebook account, including one which read: “Kevin thinks there’s nothing he can’t face… except for bunnies”. He was studying for a degree and had just bought a Labrador puppy.

Earlier this year, Lucas said he had signed an agreement not to talk about his divorce with Mr McGee, but admitted that his former partner had struggled with Lucas’s rising public profile. Lucas said he was slowly getting over the divorce: “I’m in a much better place than I was. Time is a great healer.”

When news of Mr McGee’s death broke, Lucas had been preparing to appear on stage at The Comedy Theatre. His performance had received positive reviews and critics admired his ability to switch from comedy to a more serious role. An understudy stood in for him on Monday night.