Comedian Joe Lycett provided a bizarre update in the midst of his shock announcement that he had become a father over the weekend.
The Brit took to social media on Saturday (26 October) to reveal that he had welcomed a child into the world with his mystery partner.
Although many thought the out-of-the-blue announcement was a prank, due to Lycett's history of pulling several of them, he mentioned a specific hospital in the post, and oddly, a well-known company too.
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In the Instagram post, Lycett can be seen holding his baby boy, with a long message accompanying the photo.
The 36-year-old penned: ""An appreciation post from me for the extraordinary @bham_womens hospital.
"My first encounter with them was years ago when they looked after a pal of mine through surgery, and then most recently when they masterfully welcomed a little boy into the world, who happens to be my son," he wrote.
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"The care and compassion his mum and he received was exceptional; from the antenatal classes, incredible midwives, consultants, doctors, nurses and the ongoing care in the community. We also loved their baked potatoes. Birmingham is so lucky to have them and I will be forever grateful for everything they’ve done."
Lycett concluded: "I am LOVING being a dad but sadly I think this now means I can’t get out of going on Rob and Josh’s f*****g podcast. We will not be taking any press requests about this as we have already sold the rights to the first family picture to Autotrader."
As you could imagine, fans were baffled by the final line of the post, where he revealed that he had sold the rights to the first family picture to online car marketplace website Autotrader.
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Lycett did not mention the brand again, and it isn't publicly known if he has a partnership with the car company.
However, the company did reply in the comments, writing: "Congratulations again Joe! We can't wait to publish the photos of Mini Cooper Lycett."
Birmingham Women's Hospital, which was referenced in the post, also gave its congratulations to Lycett in the comments.
"Massive congratulations again to you all. We’re so proud to have supported you on this incredible life-changing milestone. We wish you all the best and lots of gorgeous cuddles for the future," the hospital wrote.
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One fan was sceptical in the comments, saying: "I never know what’s real and what’s not when Lycett is involved."
Another shared: "Congrats! but I also feel like there's a 50/50 chance that this is stunt, and you may actually be cradling a Greggs vegan roll?"
Autotrader has since launched a digital family photo project on its website following the comedian's post, where parents can share photos of their family life.
It took to social media to announce: "@joelycett has announced we're now in the family photo business! While we usually trade in cars, we couldn't resist a little side hustle. Coming soon: the most exclusive family photo album around…#TinyTrader."
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Speaking to LADbible, a spokesperson from Autotrader commented: "After our news became public knowledge, we've had to move quickly to keep up with the demand and are pleased to announce the launch of our Family Photo Gallery.
"What better way to show off your new pride and joy than on a platform that has over 80 million visitors each month. We hope everyone enjoys the photos and are inspired to browse for a new car while they're with us."
LADbible has reached out to Joe Lycett's representatives for comment.
Topics: Joe Lycett, Parenting, Celebrity, Social Media, Weird
Joshua Nair