PARTNERSINTIME
WEDNESDAY
SIX years of hosting The Great British Bake Off earned Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins a huge slice of praise from TV critics and viewers alike.
Their witty banter and saucy asides were seen by many as the icing on the cake of the much-loved BBC contest, which is moving to a new home on Channel 4 minus both hosts and Mary Berry.
But the pair – who have been working together on TV for more than 20 years – don’t have such a high opinion of themselves.
Asked how they’d describe their on-screen partnership, Sue suggests “overrated”, while Mel prefers “shambolic and contractual”.
But in truth, they love each other’s company and can’t believe they get paid to have fun together.
Mel, 48, said: “The best thing is just hours and hours of larking about, basically.”
Sue, 47, added: “And there’s no downside to that. It’s just gas, gossip, merriment and then usually Mel will go, ‘Tired now’, or wee herself.”
The pair met as students at Cambridge and appeared at the Fringe together before moving into TV in 1996 in French and Saunders and presenting Late Lunch together on Channel 4 from 1997.
In the wake of Bake Off ’s farewell, they are back on BBC1 presenting Let’s Sing and Dance For Comic Relief as telly stars showcase their performing skills ahead of Red Nose Day on March 24.
And it gives the hosts the chance to talk up their own dancing and singing credentials.
Sue, who is in a relationship with TV presenter Anna Richardson, said: “I’ve never discussed this before but I am the rhythm of dance.
“Rhythm moves through me like water. Sorry, curry moves through me like water. We just wanted to have fun.”
Married mum-oftwo Mel added: “In our youth, I don’t want to be smug but we could cut a bit of an old rug.”
Sue chipped in: “I’d like to think we cut through the dancefloor but, with hindsight, people were leaving the dance floor so that they weren’t associated with us,
“At the time, you think, ‘Wow! My Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins have been TV double act for more than 20 years and they’re back together on BBC1 to host an all-singing, all-dancing star-studded contest for Comic Relief
moves are so stellar I’m creating space, my shapes are creating space’. People were just trying to run away.”
In this year’s Comic Relief talent show, the stars are throwing shapes and unleashing their vocal talents.
Mel and Sue enjoy singing and have been known to hog the karaoke mic.
Sue said: “We used to go to a great Chinese restaurant and they had a fantastic karaoke machine and we’d belt out the hits.
“I did Midnight Train To Georgia, which gave most of the front row tinnitus, probably for life.” And in 2000, they got dolled up as Elaine Paige and Barbara Dickson for a celebrity edition of Stars in their Eyes. Sue, who took on Barbara’s part in I Know Him So Well, said: “We couldn’t look at each other when we were doing it and became too hysterical.
“As soon as I caught a whiff of Mel dressed as Elaine Paige, the bladder went quite significantly.”
Mel added: “We got into real trouble because we were laughing so much.
“We’re competitive when it comes to gags, because we both like to get in there and come up with a pun or a punchline, but when it comes to singing and dancing, definitely not.”
In the first of three live heats on Saturday, the public voted for Rickie Haywood Williams and Melvin Odoom, who performed a Will Smith medley to win a place in the final on March 25. Judges Jo Brand, Katherine Ryan and Frank Skinner picked Sara Pascoe to join them after a sing-off.
Over the next two weeks, hopefuls including the cast of Casualty and Holby City, James and Ola Jordan, a super group of The One Show reporters, Alison Hammond, Sally Lindsay and Gogglebox stars Steph and Dom Parker will take the stage.
And while their dream bookings are unlikely to happen – Sue wants “Mary Berry busting out a Pitbull number” and Mel longs to see “Helen Mirren doing Meatloaf ”, they just love being part of the show.
Sue said: “It’s pure joy. There’s no end game other than to make money for a really good cause.” ● Let’s Sing And Dance For Comic Relief, BBC1, Saturday, 6.45pm. For more on Comic Relief, visit www. rednoseday.com
I’d like to think we cut through the dancefloor. With hindsight, people were just trying to run away