Matt Lucas has said he had “lots of sex” to cope after the death of his former partner Kevin McGee.

The Little Britain star revealed how he also turned to food to “distract” himself after Mr McGee’s death in 2009.

Lucas, 43, told The Sunday Times magazine: “I think people respond in all different ways to grief.

Matt Lucas and Kevin McGee
Matt Lucas (left) and Kevin McGee (Joel Ryan/PA)

“I thought I was very conscientious going to a bereavement counsellor and not turning to drink, which I barely do ever — I probably have six units a year.

“I’m not going to start smoking again, I’m not going to do drugs.

“But I ended up eating lots and having lots of sex. That was how I responded.

“As much as anything I was trying to distract myself.”

Lucas married Mr McGee in a civil partnership in December 2006. The couple divorced just over two years later and Mr McGee died the following year.

Matt Lucas
Matt Lucas (Ian West/PA)

The Doctor Who star and comedian also spoke about how he moved to America three years after Mr McGee’s death because he “wanted to build a new life” for himself.

“The first thing (they say) when something as terrible as that happens is not to do anything radical,” Lucas said.

“Don’t immediately sell your house when someone dies, don’t immediately change your job. But enough time had gone by for me to think now was the time to move on.

“I thought I had to go somewhere warm, so I went to California.”