'Another item ticked off my midlife crisis bucket list’

Zoe Lyons is taking part in the next series of Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, making another item ticked off her ‘midlife crisis bucket list’.

The comedian is currently filming the series in Vietnam and spent her 51st birthday yesterday undertaking gruelling challenges for the Channel 4 show.

A source close to Lyons told Chortle: 'This show always been one of her dream shows – and her birthday came slap bang in the middle of filming so was the perfect present.'

Lyons is the first ever comedian to take part in the celebrity version of the show in its five series.

Other stars lined up for the 2023 show include former Liberty X pop star Michelle Heaton, former Page 3 model Melinda Messenger, singer Gareth Gates  and rugby ace Gareth Thomas. Former health secretary Matt Hancock is also said to have been approached to appear, although nothing has been confirmed.

Lyons also discusses her ‘monumental midlife crisis’ in her new stand-up show, Bald Ambition, which tours next year.

It involved her buying a sports car, having a brief separation from her partner of 23 years and running a 100k ultra marathon ‘which didn’t end well.’

Her alopecia ‘recurred with a vengeance’ – giving the show its title – and she even turned her back on her comedy career to start delivering vegetables from a van.

Lyons previously hosted BBC Two quiz show Lightning, before it was axed this summer after two seasons.

And she is no stranger to reality TV. Before she was a stand-up she took part in Survivor in 2001, lasting for 34 days – which could be an indicator for how she will cope with Celebrity SAS’s demanding challenges.

But she was less successful in Celebrity MasterChef in 2018 when she was sent home for making two soups in honour of the Victoria Wood sketch of that name.

»  Zoe Lyons tour dates and tickets

Published: 4 Oct 2022