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Everything you need to know about Joe Lycett’s new Sky series, Joe Lycett’s United States of Birmingham

It’s no secret that Joe Lycett adores ‘Brum’ but as his hometown goes through a tough time of it, Joe uses his self-appointed role as the second city’s ambassador and on a mission to put Birmingham back on the map.

After getting the blessing of the actual Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Joe heads to North America: home to no less than 18 Birminghams, stretching from Canada’s Saskatchewan province, down the East Coast, through the Midwest and into the Deep South.

Across the series, Joe explores each Birmingham’s history, and meets with locals to find their collective Brummie cultural commonalities in the hope of forming an official ‘Friendship Agreement’ with as many cities as they can.

In order to cement this agreement, Joe brings some of his new friends and fellow ambassadors back to his hometown for what he hopes to make an annual event: The International Day of Birmingham.

Joe Lycett’s United States of Birmingham launched on Sky in April 2025 and ran for four episodes.

Who is Joe Lycett?

Joe Lycett is an English comedian, writer and TV presenter.

He has been performing stand-up for several years, releasing specials including More, More, More! How Do You Lycett?, I'm About to Lose Control and I Think Joe Lycett and That's The Way A-Ha A-Ha: Joe Lycett over the course of his career.

He has become a regular fact on panel shows and game shows including Taskmaster, Never Mind the Buzzcocks and 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown.

On top of his stand-up appearances, Joe also hosted the talk show Late Night Lycett and The Great British Sewing Bee.

He’s also made headlines for his bold political stunts – including changing his name to Hugo Boss in protest against the brand coming after small businesses, and creating a fake takeaway business from a skip in order to highlight UberEats’ lax safety checks.

**How many episodes of Joe Lycett’s United States of Birmingham are there?**

Joe Lycett’s United States of Birmingham is made up of four, hour-long episodes.

These episodes are:

Episode One

At the start of his journey, Joe shows off his own beloved Birmingham and gets approval from the Mayor before setting off on his transatlantic quest. First stop: New Jersey and Pennsylvania. With Friendship Agreements under his arm, Joe is ready to explore local history with the help of his driver, Randy.

Episode Two

After a quick trip to the Amish town of Intercourse, Joe and his driver Randy head to Birmingham, Pennsylvania, Joe ends up feeding a bat in a cave. From there, Ohio: where there are three Birminghams to try and add to the friendship agreement, one of which has a beer and bacon festival. Finally, there’s Birmingham in Michigan, where Joe receives a guided driven tour by the Mayor himself.

Episode Three

Joe and Randy head to the American Midwest, stopping in Birmingham, Iowa to learn about the origin of iconic art-piece, American Gothic. From there, they head to Missouri, where Joe gets to sample their classic barbecues at the world’s biggest barbecue competition.

Episode Four

Joe ends his Brummy adventure with the biggest stop of all: Birmingham, Alabama. Discovering what he can about the city’s industrial heritage and its connected history to the Civil Rights movement, Joe unwinds as he bonds with a local comedian and tries good old southern soul food before performing at a comedy club. Finally, he heads home, with some new friends in tow to mark the newfound International Day of Birmingham.

**How can I watch Joe Lycett’s United States of Birmingham?**

Joe Lycett’s United States of Birmingham is available in full now on Sky Max.

Episodes are also available on streaming service, NOW.