On-screen duos who 'aren't really friends' – including comedy icons Vic and Bob

Gregg Wallace and John Torode discussed by Aggie Mackenzie

When it comes to the world of on-screen double acts, it’s hard to imagine their chemistry in front of the cameras might not always translate to real life.

But MasterChef judge John Torode exposed his real relationship with his co-star Gregg Wallace back in 2017, claiming: “It’s funny, we’ve never been friends.

"We’ve not been to each other’s houses… he’s so OCD, he wouldn’t know what to do.”

John has also admitted: “We don’t really socialise, Gregg and I.” He said: “If we go away to somewhere like South Africa, we do things separately. If we do go out for a drink, I’ll invariably be at one end of a big old table and he’ll be at the other.”

Gregg and John aren’t the only duo who might not be as close as it first appears, though.

Vic and Bob have 'drifted apart' (Image: Getty)

Despite collaborating with each other for decades on shows like Shooting Stars and Vic and Bob’s Big Night Out, it turns out comedy duo Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer have “drifted apart” over the years.

Vic – whose real name is Jim Moir – was last seen on-screen with Bob in 2019. Bob confessed on Richard Herring’s RHLSTP podcast: “I got on great with Jim, but no, we’re both doing our own little things at the moment.

“We had a lovely time, but you get older. I wish I’d done more with Jim, you know, when we were younger, because now we have drifted apart. As I get older, I think of all the lovely people I've known and don't see them anymore - it just seems to happen.”

Jim, meanwhile, said: “We never really speak much. Bob and I have never been ones for talking on the phone.”

Matt Lucas and David Walliams have also feuded (Image: Getty)

Despite creating Little Britain and Come Fly With Me together, it turns out Britain’s Got Talent star David Walliams and Bake Off’s Matt Lucas don’t get along as well as first thought.

Their working relationship has had its fair share of ups and downs, with Matt Lucas admitting: “Throughout our relationship David and I would often find ourselves at loggerheads during rehearsals and shooting.”

Recalling their relationship in his memoir Little Me, Matt recalled the pair “suddenly hurling obscenities at each other”, exchanging words during two blazing rows on an Australian live tour. But on both occasions, they “sorted it out within an hour, hugged and did the show”.

The pair finally reconciled at the funeral of their friend Dale Winton in 2018, going on to create more Little Britain specials together – after an eight year feud.

Bobby Ball and Tommy Cannon feuded for three years (Image: Getty)

Despite their iconic catchphrase “Deep down, you really hate me, don’t you?” being mainly a joke, it turns out Tommy Cannon and Bobby Ball didn’t always get on in real life.

The pair, who originally became friends when they were both working as welders in the 60s, launched their 80s comedy career, but didn’t speak at all outside of performances and rehearsals from 1983 until 1986.

They “stopped speaking” due to “gossiping” assistants, with Bobby telling Express.co.uk: “We had entourages in those days. We didn't even know how to check into a hotel. We were surrounded by all these people who were gossiping. They wanted to divide and conquer and instead of sitting down and saying, 'What's wrong?' - we stopped speaking.”

Thankfully the pair managed to reconcile before Bobby sadly passed away in 2020, with Tommy describing himself as “devastated” by his death from coronavirus.

Penn and Teller have a business relationship (Image: Getty)

Magic double act Penn and Teller might have a perfect business partnership, but they reportedly “never got along”. Penn told CBS: “Teller and I never got along. We never had a cuddly friendship. It was a very cold, calculated relationship where we thought we do better stuff together than we do separately. It turns out that respect lasts longer than affection.”

However, Penn has previously said: “It’s funny, because Teller and I have a deep friendship because we never tried for it. We always tried to be business partners. We will always arrive on time. We’ll always do our jobs.

“That’s all that’s required. Friendship was never required. And if we have an argument or a disagreement or we’re getting on each other’s nerves, there’s a show to do at that time. And there’s work to do here.

“We’re like two guys who own a 7-11. Now that being said, after 46 years the first person outside of the family to hold my two children was Teller. When my mother and father died, I talked with Teller. When Teller’s mother and father died, he talked to me.

“I mean the friendship is very deep, but we still don’t socialise that much. We still have our own circle of friends because there’s nothing to say. We work together 50 hours a week. So if we went out to dinner, we’d say, ‘hey, Teller, what did you do today? Same thing you did stupid!’ We were there the whole time. Many acts actively hate each other. And that’s a big difference.”