Lee Mack responds to rumours he has coronavirus and says Not Going Out jokes have become a ‘struggle’

Reports have speculated the comedian tested positive for the illness

Lee Mack has responded to rumours that he has tested positive for coronavirus.

Reports emerged that the comedian had the illness after a friend of his told The Mirror: “Lee has got coronavirus. It looks like he caught it from his driver when he went to the Cheltenham Festival.”

After The Independent contacted Mack’s representatives for confirmation, a spokesperson for Avalon said: “Lee has not been tested for this virus, but has been feeling unwell for 10 days now and he and his family have been completely self-isolating.

“He said the worst symptom so far is the avalanche of jokes about him Not Going Out. He laughed on day one but now it’s day ten it’s becoming a struggle.”

Not Going Out is a BBC sitcom created by and starring Lee Mack as an unambitious lodger who spends most of his days on the sofa.

Stars who have had confirmed cases of coronavirus include Idris Elba, Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson and Olga Kurylenko.

Elba recently condemned a conspiracy theory that celebrities are being paid to say they have the illness.

“This idea that someone like myself is gonna be paid to say I’ve got coronavirus? That’s absolute bulls***,” Elba said. “Such stupidness. People wanna spread that as if it’s news. That’s stupid.”