Tara McKillop is best known as the wife of British comedian, actor and television presenter Lee Mack. The couple met while Mack was studying at Brunel University and married in 2005. They have three children together. Although Tara keeps a relatively low public profile, interviews and official company records reveal details about her background and her involvement in a former production business.
Who Is Tara McKillop?
Tara McKillop is the wife of Lee Mack, whose full name is Lee Gordon McKillop. Mack is widely recognised for creating and starring in the BBC sitcom Not Going Out, serving as a team captain on Would I Lie to You? and presenting the ITV quiz show The 1% Club.
Unlike her husband, Tara is not widely known for television appearances or a public entertainment career.
Much of the available information about her comes from Mack’s interviews, coverage of their public appearances and official UK business records.
One interesting detail is that Tara has a background in ballet. In a 2010 interview with The Guardian, Mack described his wife as a former ballet dancer. However, the interview did not establish whether she had worked professionally for a particular ballet company.
How Did Tara McKillop Meet Lee Mack?
Tara McKillop and Lee Mack met during their university years at Brunel University in west London.
Their meeting is commonly dated to 1996, when Mack graduated with a degree in Drama with Film and Television Studies.
In a 2009 interview about his early career, Mack explained that university had changed his life in several ways. It was where he developed his stand-up comedy ambitions, met people who encouraged him and formed a relationship with his future wife.
He also recalled that he and Tara shared a house during their university years.
Mack’s relationship with Brunel remained important to him. In July 2012, he returned to receive an honorary Doctor of Humanities degree in recognition of his contributions to the arts.
The British Comedy Guide’s coverage of the ceremony also confirmed that Brunel was where Mack met Tara.
Their relationship therefore began around the period when Mack was developing his comedy career, well before he became a familiar face on British television.
When Did Tara McKillop and Lee Mack Get Married?
Tara and Lee Mack married in 2005, approximately nine years after their university meeting.
Their marriage has continued through important periods of Mack’s television career, including the development of Not Going Out, which first aired in 2006.
In interviews, Mack has spoken about the importance of having a family life separate from his public work.
During a January 2009 interview with The Guardian, he discussed becoming a father and described family as central to his life.
Although his comedy frequently draws on everyday situations, the couple have generally kept the details of their marriage outside regular entertainment coverage.
Do Tara McKillop and Lee Mack Have Children?
Yes. Tara and Lee Mack have three children:
- Arlo, their eldest son
- Louie, their younger son
- Millie, their daughter
Their children’s names were confirmed in a 2018 interview with Radio Times.
Mack has occasionally discussed fatherhood and family life during interviews, but the children have not been the central focus of his public career.
Interestingly, his real-life experience of marriage and parenting has some similarities with the later format of Not Going Out, in which his fictional character also becomes a husband and father of three.
Nevertheless, the programme is a scripted sitcom rather than a documentary about Tara and the family.
What Is Known About Tara McKillop’s Career?
Tara McKillop’s professional history is not extensively documented in the entertainment press. However, two parts of her background can be supported by published evidence.
Her Background in Ballet
In The Guardian’s November 2010 interview, Portrait of the Artist: Lee Mack, Comedian, Mack referred to his wife as a former ballet dancer.
The comment came during a discussion about artistic interests. He joked that, despite his wife’s connection with ballet, watching dance performances was not particularly enjoyable for him.
The interview establishes her past involvement in ballet, although it does not provide details of her training, performances or professional appointments.
Her Role at Arlo Productions Limited
Official UK Companies House records reveal another aspect of Tara’s background.
She was appointed as both a director and company secretary of Arlo Productions Limited on 27 September 2005.
The company, registered under number 05575399, was classified as operating in motion picture production activities.
The Companies House officer records list both Tara McKillop and Lee McKillop in formal company positions.
Arlo Productions Limited was subsequently dissolved on 30 June 2017.
These records establish that Tara held formal corporate appointments. They do not, by themselves, explain her daily responsibilities or establish that she personally worked as a television producer.
This distinction matters because a registered company directorship should not automatically be treated as evidence of a creative role in a television programme.
Is Tara McKillop Connected to Not Going Out?
Tara is connected to Not Going Out through her marriage to its creator and star, Lee Mack.
However, she should not be confused with the fictional wife portrayed in the programme.
Actress Sally Bretton plays Lucy, the wife of Mack’s character, Lee. As the series developed, the sitcom moved from its earlier romantic storyline towards stories about married life and raising children.
A March 2018 Radio Times interview discussed this change, explaining how the programme had evolved as its characters grew older.
Although the fictional family shares certain broad similarities with Mack’s real-life circumstances, Lucy is a fictional character played by Bretton, not a portrayal of Tara McKillop herself.
Does Tara McKillop Make Public Appearances?
Tara is less visible in the entertainment press than her husband, but she has accompanied him to public events.
For example, Getty Images documents her appearance alongside Lee Mack at the National Television Awards at London’s O2 Arena on 10 September 2025.
The couple have also been photographed together at other entertainment and sporting occasions.
Such appearances establish that Tara sometimes attends public events with Mack, even though she is not generally featured in his professional interviews or television publicity.
In a 2021 interview with The Irish Times, Mack discussed his home life in Surrey and his work routine as a comedy writer.
The interview also confirmed that he and Tara had met at university and had two sons and a daughter.
These occasional references provide an account of their family life without suggesting that Tara has sought a television career herself.
How Old Is Tara McKillop?
Official Companies House records list Tara McKillop’s birth month and year as May 1969.
This would make her 57 years old in October 2026. The publicly displayed company record does not provide an exact day of birth.
Some older or less carefully sourced online biographies give different ages, but the official company record offers a more dependable reference than unsupported estimates.
Another potential source of confusion is her name. Some earlier Companies House filings refer to Tara Savage, while the current officer listing uses Tara McKillop.
These records concern her appointments at Arlo Productions Limited and help clarify the different names appearing in published material.
What We Know About Tara McKillop
Tara McKillop’s public story is closely linked to her long-standing relationship with Lee Mack, but her background extends beyond being a comedian’s wife.
Reliable interviews establish that they met at Brunel University, married in 2005 and have three children. Mack has also publicly described her past involvement in ballet.
Official company records add another documented detail: she held director and company secretary positions at Arlo Productions Limited before its dissolution.
Together, these facts provide a clearer picture of Tara McKillop without relying on speculative claims about her wealth, personal interests or private family circumstances.
Another topic to read: Tinie Tempah’s Wife: Who Is Eve De Haan?