Matt Lucas gains German citizenship

Comedian Matt Lucas has taken up German citizenship, made available to him through his grandmother who fled the Nazis before the Holocaust.

The entertainer and actor, who co-hosts The Great British Bake Off on Channel 4, said he had been offered citizenship through his grandmother, who fled Berlin in 1938.

Lucas, 47, has previously told how members of his family fled Germany prior to World War Two amid persecution from the Nazis over their Jewish heritage.

He told one follower on Twitter the naturalisation process had taken about six months.

Sharing a photo of a pin badge featuring both the British and German flags, the Little Britain star quipped that he had been given gummy bears by the German embassy.

He said: “My grandma fled Berlin in 1938. Having been offered citizenship, I have just been to the German Embassy in London to collect my Certificate of Naturalisation.

“I am officially Anglo-German. They gave me some Gummibarchen and this lovely badge. Now to choose a German football team.”

FC Union Berlin was the first team to contact Lucas, commenting “Willkommen” – “welcome” – and sharing a handshake emoji.

Lucas, an Arsenal fan, replied: “I have been claimed by Union Berlin, it seems. My new German team, then!”

He and his Bake Off co-host Noel Fielding recently dressed up as German band Kraftwerk for the introduction to a German-themed week on the show.