Sean Lock: 8 Out of 10 Cats fans remember comedian’s hilarious performance in ‘Carrot in a Box’ game

Game was played on ‘8 Out of 10 Cats’ Christmas special

8 Out of 10 Cats fans are remembering Sean Lock’s hilarious performance during the game “carrot in a box” following the comedian’s death.

The panel-show regular died of cancer aged 58, his agent announced on Wednesday (18 August).

They wrote: “It is with great sadness that we have to announce the death of Sean Lock. He died at home from cancer, surrounded by his family.”

While fellow comedians such as Lee Mack and Ricky Gervais paid tribute to the comic, fans shared their favourite memories of Lock, with many recalling a game which took place on 8 Out of 10 Cats.

The moment happened during a Christmas episode of the quiz show and centred around a bluffing game, in which both Lock and co-star Jon Richardson were presented with their own box, one of which contained a carrot.

One comic would look in their box and then convince the other to swap the box or not, with the aim of the game being to end up with the box with the carrot in it.

Lock looked first, simply saying: “I’ll keep this, it’s got the carrot in” which prompted tears from host Jimmy Carr and the other panelists as they laughed at the ridiculousness of the game.

Richardson chose to swap the boxes, telling Lock: “Can I just say, at this point if there’s no carrot in that box, you are a genius.”

It then turned out that Lock had been bluffing, with the comic pretending to twiddle an imaginary moustache as his plan was unveiled. Richardson stormed out of the studio in response.

The clip was widely shared on Twitter on Wednesday, with one fan writing: “Sean Lock’s genius game of carrot in a box is one of my favourite moments of television ever, what a man. Rest in peace.”

I’m devastated for his family today and sad for comedy that we have lost one of the very best.

Undisputed, undefeated, carrot in a box champion. I will miss him.

— Jon Richardson (@RonJichardson) August 18, 2021

“Carrot in a box will always be legendary,” another said.

Richardson also referred to the clip in his tribute, as he remembered the “undisputed, undefeated, carrot in a box champion”.

David Walliams also shared the clip, writing: “The genius of Sean Lock.”