Bradley Walsh reveals huge struggle to get celebrities to sign up for The Chase – and the star he was able to convince
CELEBS love a chance to get in the spotlight – except if it means taking on the brainboxes on Beat The Chasers, at which point they often decline.
That’s what host Bradley Walsh says happens when he tries to tap up famous faces to appear on the tough ITV1 quiz show, which returns to our screens with a celebrity special on Friday at 9pm.
He even took the opportunity to corner stars when hosting the Royal Variety Performance in December, but had the usual reaction.
Bradley said: “I want Rick Astley to come on the show . . . Hannah Waddingham, Danny Jones, I was recruiting them all.
“It was the weirdest Chase recruitment drive ever.
“But you know what happens?
“As soon as you mention the Chasers, they freeze.
“They panic, they want to be able to get it right.
“I’ve had a lot of clever celebrities come on who have failed at the first hurdle.
“That happened this series too — out on the first question, gutting.
“And it’s gutting for the Chasers too because they want to play them.”
Fortunately, one celeb brave enough to face them was Pointless presenter Alexander Armstrong.
Not only did Alexander, who was unmasked in the second week of The Masked Singer at the weekend, turn out to be smart enough to take on the formidable Chasers, he also had a whale of a time with his old chum Bradley.
Bradley said: “To have him come on and have a go was great for me.
“I loved it.
“When we do Beat The Chasers, Pointless is in the next studio.
“I’d always go past the make-up room, ‘Morning lads, how are you?’.
“It was great to have Xander on.
“He took it really seriously.
“He’s a very clever dude, I mean, seriously clever.
“The recording was double the length for that episode because of the banter between us.”
Here’s hoping he fared better than he did on The Masked Singer.
LIV ISN’T BACK TO REALITY
OLIVIA ATTWOOD wants to put reality TV to one side to give her more time to focus on making documentaries.
She has revealed she is too busy filming for her hard-hitting shows such as new ITVX series The Price Of Perfection, about cosmetic surgery, to schedule in any more reality TV series such as Olivia Meets Her Match, with her footballer husband Bradley Deck.
And the ex-Love Islander hopes to continue her career as a documentary maker.
She said: “We’ve turned down a lot [of reality shows] because the documentaries are very time-consuming, and right now this is my focus.
“I want to cover a lot more topics.
“I’d like to take myself into a different environment, maybe abroad – something with a heavier tone.”
But she said of her show with Bradley: “It’s still in popular demand, so we’re hoping to find some time for another series next year.”
Bizbit
MICHELLE KEEGAN’s new Netflix thriller Fool Me Once has been hailed as the most watched title of the week for the streaming service.
The series, which dropped on New Year’s Day, debuted with 37million viewers, reaching the top ten in 91 countries.
REAL LIFE OF SOAP ROYALTY
THE lives of Britain’s soap royalty are being put under the microscope in a new reality series.
ITVBe show Drama Queens will take a look behind the scenes at the nation’s favourite stars from Hollyoaks, Corrie and Emmerdale.
And it promises exclusive access to their professional and personal drama.
From juggling late-night shoots to posing for photos with their family, the unscripted action will be followed day and night.
The show is being made by Lime Pictures, who were behind reality hits Towie and Geordie Shore.
Director of programming Rebecca Kenny-Smith said: “We’re bringing audiences a new kind of reality show that goes beyond the glitz and glamour.
“It offers a genuine and raw portrayal of what it’s really like to be a soap star.”
Drama Queens will air on ITVBe and ITVX this spring.
MICHAEL’S BIG NEW REVEAL
MICHAEL McINTRYE is turning up the mischief ahead of a new series of his Big Show.
Aside from fan-favourite the Midnight Game Show, he’s got two new games lined up.
He says: “The first is ‘Wheel On Wheels’, where I find people watching my TV gameshow The Wheel – I peer through windows and freak the life out of them.
“I pause their TV and then play the game with them for prizes in the back of my ‘Wheel on Wheels’ van.
“Plus, Unexpected Star Star’, where we surprise an actual pop star as they arrive on stage.
“We play their biggest hit and see if they take to the mic.
“I don’t want to give too much away, but Tony Hadley thought he was going to the dentist.”
Other stars set to take part in the new series, which starts on BBC One this Saturday, include Bradley Walsh, Alison Hammond, Joe Lycett and Dermot O’leary.
Bizbit
JAMES McARDLE and Emun Elliott are at each other’s throats in a trailer for Sexy Beast.
The Paramount+ drama, which is a prequel to the 2000 film of the same name, follows criminals Gal and Don starting out as London gangsters.
The series starts on January 25.
EM’S OUT FOR KATE
THERE’S already a host of celebs acting as guest judges on Emma Willis new fashion competition.
But now the host has revealed who tops her wishlist of famous names she would like to appear on Style It Out, which features youngsters showing off their designing talent.
Model Anais Gallagher, fashion expert Gok Wan and Katya Jones from Strictly will appear on the CBBC series.
Emma, left, said: “We don’t know yet if there’s going to be another series, but the Princess of Wales is at the top of my list to judge next year, though that might be very difficult.”
The show starts tonight on CBBC at 6pm.