Joe Lycett’s ‘headache’ after changing his name to Hugo Boss

The comedian formerly known as Joe Lycett has said that changing his name to Hugo Boss to taunt the fashion company has been “a headache”.

The comic changed his name after the designer targeted small firms that use ‘Boss’ in their branding. Picture: Geoff Robinson

The TV star is now legally called Hugo Boss, in response to the German designer using trademark claims to target small businesses and charities which use “Boss” in their branding.

He said he had been surprised at the response to his decision since announcing it on Sunday.

He had posted a letter on Twitter purporting to be from the UK Deed Poll Office, which committed him to “absolutely and entirely renounce, relinquish and abandon the use of my said former name”.

His move brought a lot of attention, and he became a trending topic on Twitter.

Appearing on BBC Two’s Victoria Derbyshire, where the host referred to him by his new name, the comic said: “Thank you for calling me Hugo Boss, I’m going to have to get used to it.”

He showed off his BBC visitor pass, which had a picture of him with his new name and added: “I’m now legally Hugo Boss, according to the BBC system.”

Explaining his decision, he said: “ Hugo Boss is also a company, and there’s a small company called Boss Brewing in Swansea, who are a little new business, and they tried to make a trademark for a couple of their beers and Hugo Boss sent them a cease and desist letter, which is a legal letter that says stop doing what they think is alleged illegal activity.

“It’s a massive company taking on a little company and it’s just not fair. Nobody’s going to confuse a beer with Hugo Boss.

“I don’t think I’d splash myself with Heineken in the morning on my neck... So they clearly don’t like their name being used, they’ve sent dozens of these to small businesses and charities.” He added: “I changed my name by deed poll and I didn’t expect the reaction... I was in the bath about an hour ago.

“I’ve legally changed my name and it’s a headache, I’ve got to tell you, there’s so many things you have to do.”

He said he would be launching a new product as Hugo Boss and it will be revealed on his TV show, adding: “Which I suppose has to be rebranded now because it was called Joe Lycett’s Got Your Back, but it’ll have to be Hugo Boss Has Got Your Back.”

According to WalesOnline, Boss Brewing was left with legal fees totalling about £10,000 last year after the fashion brand sent it a cease and desist letter when the brewer tried to register its brand.

In 2018, the i paper reported that a charity called DarkGirlBoss received a legal letter from Hugo Boss when it tried to trademark the name.