Lee Mack has been a familiar face on British television for decades, charming audiences with his quick-fire wit on shows like Not Going Out and The 1% Club, which returns tonight (November 15). But behind the scenes, the comedian leads a surprisingly quiet family life with his rarely-seen wife, Tara McKillop, his childhood sweetheart. Together, they are raising three children in a wonderfully quirky home in Surrey – far from the glitz of showbiz.

So how did Lee and Tara first cross paths? What caused the “friction” Lee once joked about at home? And when did their son unexpectedly make a cameo on Not Going Out? Here’s a closer look at the couple’s long-lasting love story.

A Relationship That Began in the ’90s

Lee Mack and Tara McKillop first met in 1996 while both were studying at Brunel University – long before Lee became a household name. Their relationship strengthened over the years, eventually leading to a private wedding ceremony in 2005 (reported by The Guardian). Despite Lee’s fame, the couple maintain a relatively low profile, rarely appearing in public together.

Lee has often joked about their pairing, especially during his appearance on Would I Lie To You?, where he admitted some friends thought they looked “mismatched” because Tara is “much more attractive than him” – a humorous line that echoes his self-deprecating comedy style (BBC One).

Lee Mack’s Parenting Reflections: “I Would Have Had Kids Earlier”

Today, Lee and Tara are parents to three children: Arlo, Louie and Millie. Lee became a father for the first time at 36 – an experience he reflected on in a 2015 interview with The Big Issue.

“I waited fairly late to have kids,” he noted. “I’m 46 and my eldest is 10… I’d probably have kids earlier because it has been so great.” (The Big Issue, June 2015)

He also acknowledged that parenting at an older age comes with unique challenges. As he humorously put it, having a toddler later in life means, “I now have more time but less energy.”

The “Friction” at Home Over TV Storylines

In 2017, Lee revealed that working on Not Going Out occasionally created comedic tension at home. Speaking on Dermot O’Leary’s The Nightly Show (ITV), Lee shared the writers’ rule: any plotline added to the show must be inspired by something that actually happened in real life.

That rule, he admitted, sometimes caused awkward moments – especially when the storyline involved intimate scenes.

“You might be sitting at home watching it with your wife, and she’s saying: ‘I cannot believe you’re talking about this on screen.’” he joked.

When Lee’s Son Appeared on Not Going Out

Fans may be surprised to learn that Lee’s son, Arlo (born in 2004), once appeared on Not Going Out. His cameo was part of the show’s 2013 Christmas special (Radio Times).

Despite this fun moment, Lee says his family doesn’t closely follow his TV work. In a 2017 interview, he explained: “They’re really not bothered whether it’s on or not. My wife doesn’t really watch it… and it’s not my eldest’s favourite show by a long way – and why would it be?” (Radio Times, 2017)

Inside the Family’s Quirky Surrey Home

The Mack family lives in East Molesey, Surrey, an area where average house prices hover around £900,000 (Evening Standard). Their home is anything but ordinary. During an interview with the Irish Times, the reporter described Lee’s workspace as a playful yet cosy environment.

According to the article, his writing room includes:

• a pinball machine

• a pool table

• a full-size Dalek prop from Doctor Who (a nod to Lee’s own appearance on the series)

• a writing desk where he begins work at 7:30 a.m. daily

The journalist added that Lee spends his mornings writing before “emerging to dig in his garden,” suggesting a grounded lifestyle that contrasts with the chaotic world of entertainment (Irish Times).

A Private Couple with a Lasting Bond

Though Lee Mack spends much of his career making people laugh, his personal life remains intentionally quiet and steady. His decades-long partnership with Tara, their commitment to privacy, and the warm, slightly eccentric family home they’ve built together paint a picture of a couple who prefer authenticity over publicity.

From university sweethearts to parents of three, Lee and Tara’s enduring romance continues mostly off-camera – exactly the way they seem to prefer it.