Jai Kotecha on the comedy and provocations of Joe Lycett

In a world drowning in endless content, it’s refreshing to see creators using their platforms not just to entertain, but to say something that matters. Few do that better than Joe Lycett. In the age of the creator, he’s become the archetype — funny, sharp, and unafraid to tackle serious issues head‑on.

His latest project, Live From The Lycett Arms on Channel 4, takes aim at the slow death of the British pub. But it’s part of a much bigger pattern. He is also currently featuring in the latest series of The Celebrity Traitors on BBC 1 as well.

As Jai Kotecha, Grey’s CEO and Ogilvy’s global social media chief, points out, Lycett has become one of the most important voices in modern creator culture — calling out big business, challenging celebrity behaviour, and confronting uncomfortable truths, from corporate greenwashing to David Beckham’s ambassadorship of the 2022 Qatar World Cup and the country’s LGBTQ+ laws.

Lycett doesn’t just entertain. He uses humour as a lever for accountability — and always aims to make a difference.

Who is your favourite creator?

I follow loads of creators, so I assumed it would be easy. But the more I thought about it the more I tied myself in knots about which direction to go. At first I went straight to people like Rob Maydew — he’s funny, I’ve worked with him, easy choice. Then I thought about the gym creators I follow because I’m into F45 and Hyrox. Then I remembered Rory [Sutherland], probably the most famous person on TikTok in our industry, and I work with him. Then I asked myself who I actually check in on all the time, and weirdly it’s Andy Burnham — no political allegiance, I’m just always curious what he’s up to. Then I swung back to who makes me laugh, like Joe Lycett — he’s genuinely funny and I love his LGBT+ content.

What I love about Joe is the way he tackles serious subjects — politics, climate change, corporate behaviour — without making them feel heavy or dull. He uses humour to deliver points that really matter, and it’s clever humour: sharp, intentional, and designed to make you lean in. You want to hear what he’s saying because he makes the important stuff feel engaging rather than exhausting.

And when I think about our industry, the ads I love most are the ones that make me laugh. Humour in advertising is incredibly special — it has a kind of magic to it. Joe’s ability to wrap serious messages in wit feels very aligned with that. He shows how humour can carry weight, land a point, and still entertain. That’s why he’s the creator I’m choosing today.

Can you remember the first piece of Lycett’s work that you came across?

I’ve known of him for a long time, but the moment that really cemented it for me was the stunt he pulled with David Beckham during the Qatar World Cup — the whole burning or shredding £10,000 challenge, which he ultimately donated to charity. That was the point where he properly landed on my radar. It showed he was driving positive change, using his platform to call out something serious, and doing it in a way only he could. He used his social channels incredibly smartly — even the way he cut the content for different formats was sharp. The message was serious, it got people talking, and it felt genuinely original. When has anyone confronted Beckham with something that hard‑hitting? He’d been on the periphery for me for a while, but that moment was the turning point.

Is there a piece of his work or a specific moment you return to?

I’d say that was the defining moment for me. Before that, yes, he was incredibly funny and did great work for the LGBT+ community — but that Beckham stunt was the point where heads turned and people really started talking. That’s when he moved from someone I liked to someone whose work genuinely stood out.

How does his work influence your own creative output?

I’d say it’s twofold. First, he’s part of my guilty‑pleasure TikTok scroll when I get home and want to decompress. His content is funny, it lets you switch off, and it’s just a bit of joy in the feed.

But the second part is what really matters: he’s an excellent storyteller. And that’s what we do in this industry — we entertain, we take people on a journey, we land a point through narrative. Joe does that brilliantly. He uses humour to deliver genuinely interesting, often serious messages, and he does it in a way that makes you lean in rather than tune out. That blend of entertainment and meaning is exactly why his work resonates with me.

Why do you think he’s able to cross between mainstream media and social so well?

For me, it all comes back to storytelling. If you look at his social content, he not only understands the channels, he understands the audience. He knows when to go long‑form, when to go short‑form, and how to use trends to hook people from the very first beat. That’s what makes it so effective — he’s tailoring the message to the medium while staying true to what his audience wants. It’s a smart, instinctive grasp of both craft and context.

What lesson could other creatives or marketers learn from his work?

I’d say it’s threefold. First, the art of storytelling — using persuasion, taking people on a journey, and landing a point in a way that keeps you engaged. That’s the foundation.

Second, the balance between knowing your audience and knowing your channels. When you combine those two — understanding who you’re speaking to and how best to reach them — you get something genuinely powerful.

And third, having something you truly believe in. A lot of LGBT+ people follow him because he’s driving change and he’s authentic — in the real sense of the word. You can see he cares, he puts energy into the issues, and he’s willing to take the backlash because the message matters to him. That conviction comes through in the work.