Lee puts himself on the spot...
LIKE any true England football fan, Lee Mack is haunted by penalties. For the past three years, he has played in the annual UNICEF Soccer Aid match and every time he has missed the back of the net.
Crushed by the disappointment, and determined to prevent further humiliation on the pitch, Lee resolves to become a lean, mean, goal-scoring machine in time for this year’s event.
The Would I Lie To You captain, who plays in a Tuesday night dads’ five-a-side team, starts with a pep talk from manager Sven Goran Eriksson. Sven tells him to change his mindset, get fit and improve his technique, preferably by seeking expert help and running four times a week.
Lee’s not keen on any of these ideas, and goes for cocktails with friend Rob Brydon instead. Unlike Sven, Rob’s advice is to pull out of the match immediately… Next stop is a training session with ex-England footballer Graeme Le Saux, who drills him with penalty practice, before boxer Nicola Adams puts Lee through his paces in the ring. Marathon runner Eddie Izzard offers some tips for building stamina, while hypnotist Paul McKenna helps Lee to banish the demons of penalties gone by.
Even Olympic legend Mo Farah gets in on the act, with an ingenious method of running training. Plus, Lee gets a makeover to feel more like a cool, millionaire footballer.
Having completed such a transformation, he feels primed to score a hat trick at Soccer Aid this Saturday. Only time will tell.