Lee Mack forced to apologise after on-air blunder on The 1% Club

Lee Mack issued a light-hearted apology after an awkward on-air mistake during The 1% Club Christmas special. The festive episode, full of holiday-themed questions, took an amusing turn when a contestant was left mortified by an early exit.

The ITV show’s opening round asked contestants to identify whether an image showed more elves or reindeer behind a fence. Unfortunately for Colin, he was the only participant to guess incorrectly, leading to his immediate elimination.

Colin admitted his embarrassment on camera, saying: “I don’t know what to say, I am embarrassed.”

Lee tries to lighten the mood

Lee Mack, ever the comedian, tried to put Colin at ease. “You don’t have to be embarrassed. It’s easily done,” he reassured him. But Colin remained mortified, adding: “I can’t believe I’ve done this on telly. I’ve done it now.”

Not one to miss an opportunity for humour, Lee cheekily remarked: “It’s easily done. Well no, it’s not—you were the only one.”

Viewers quickly took to social media to react. One commented: “How did anyone in the history of this planet get it wrong?” Another added: “Colin’s never going to live that down.”

Another blunder during Santa chat

© ITV

Later in the show, Lee moved on to Ray Johnson, who was dressed as Santa Claus. But in another slip-up, Lee accidentally referred to him as Colin.

“So tell me, if you win, what are you going to do with the money, Colin? No, Ray, sorry,” he said, realising his error.

© ITV

The camera quickly cut to Colin, capturing his bemused expression. Lee couldn’t help but add: “‘Oh yeah, bring up Colin again. Thanks, cheers, mate.”

Colin then added: “They’d forgotten about me, but now they’ve remembered. Oh, another close-up. Great, Lee.”

Feeling the need to set things right, Lee turned back to Colin and offered a proper apology: “So sorry, Colin”. The contestant responded with a laugh, brushing off the mistake.

Festive spirit saves the show

© ITV

Despite the blunders, the episode maintained its light-hearted tone. Lee’s quick wit and banter with contestants kept the atmosphere festive and fun.

Fans praised Lee’s ability to turn potentially awkward moments into entertainment. One viewer shared on social media: “Lee Mack is brilliant at keeping things funny, even when things go wrong.”

While Colin’s early exit was unfortunate, his reaction—and Lee’s comedic handling—added to the festive charm of the special episode.

The 1% Club airs on ITV and is available to stream on ITVX.