We have endured a lot as a nation
ITH many people struggling with their mental health right now, it’s arguably more important than ever to show local community spirit across the UK. That’s why now is the perfect time for ITV’s new topical magazine show, All Around Britain.
Presented by Good Morning Britain favourites, Ranvir Singh and Alex Beresford, they will travel to a different location for each episode of the six-part series, to celebrate life in various towns, cities and regional communities.
“I think we’ve probably endured as much as we can take as a nation, just going through lockdown and obviously the pandemic,” suggests Bristolian Alex, 39, who’s been a weatherman for ITV since 2007, but also made his hosting debut on GMB earlier this month.
“This show is going to be a breath of fresh air for many people because it’s going to be upbeat, relaxed, fun.
“To be able to show some brilliant people that may have been showcased on regional telly but deserve that network coverage, I think that’s what the show is all about.”
Preston-born Ranvir, 43, says she was “chuffed to bits” when she was approached about the series.
“It’s nice to get away from news and do something that was, for us, unrelentingly and unashamedly positive and uplifting and hopeful,” elaborates the TV personality, who’s known for her work as a political reporter on GMB, as well as hosting regularly.
Her only concern was whether they’d have to film on a Sunday.
“When they said no, I was like, ‘Sign me up!’
“No matter how passionate and dedicated you are, I just think we work so many hours; I’m so happy to be able to be at home with my dog and my son [on a Sunday], switch on the telly...
“All Around Britain is on at 11.20 in the morning, and I’ll be watching it in my PJs.”
It’s a little hard to get a word in edgeways at times during my phone call with Alex and Ranvir; they’re both incredibly outgoing, lively and amusing.
Ranvir quips they’ve been working on their chemistry – but from chatting to them, I can tell already they make a great team.
“If I see Alex in the morning in the corridors at GMB or in the studio, we have of mickey-taking banter,” says Ranvir. “And I think that when you feel like you can take the mickey out of someone, it just shows that you actually really adore one another. We can push the barrier with each other.”
“Oh, we push the barriers with each other all the time!” agrees Alex, chuckling.
“I’ve been upset and cross about certain things and Alex has seen me in those moments,” adds
Ranvir. “We’ve seen each other in a lot of different emotions.”
“And we both have sons a similar age, (we’ve) both got dogs; we have similar parallels. Other than Alex has an incredible six-pack, and I don’t have anything. The one deal we’ve made is he’s going to make me fitter, aren’t you Alex?”
“Well, I’m going to be turning 40 during the series, in October,” Alex chimes in. “So I’m going to be on a bit of a mission to be as fit and healthy as possible so when you start flagging at 2.30 in the afternoon, I’m going to tell you to drop and give me 20 because I’ll be doing 20 press-ups myself.”
It’s certainly going to be a busy few weeks filming All Around Britain, seeing as the pair will still be doing their normal jobs too.
“There will be some tough days, it will be gruelling at times – but I know having Ranvir by my side will make it doable,” notes Alex.
“It’s going to be very enjoyable because we will just laugh our way through it. If everything else fails, just laugh.”
There are certainly some full-on months ahead for Ranvir. On Wednesday she was revealed as one of the contestants for this year’s Strictly Come Dancing.
She told GMB viewers that she is “very thrilled to be on it” but admitted she was “worried about sleep deprivation because I am carrying on this job, I am worried about energy levels”.
She added that she was happy
“that there is going to be a lot of testing for Covid” as part of Strictly filming. On the subject of which, how have they both coped during the lockdown?
“I’m alright now; I did struggle at the beginning, I have to say,” confides Ranvir. “For the first four or five weeks, I found it really, really hard.
“I was working anyway, so I’m just as tired as if there’d been no lockdown in many ways. I was eating and drinking way too much.”
The presenter also brings up their GMB colleague, 53-year-old Kate Garraway; her 53-year-old husband, Derek, remains ill in hospital from the effects of coronavirus, after first being admitted in March.
“You look at lovely Kate, and all the hardship that she’s still going through... You look at the reality of what this virus can actually do and what it’s done to our really lovely friend, you just look up to the sky and you just think, ‘Dear God, just let everything be OK’.
“Ultimately, as long as your family’s well, as long as you’ve got money coming in, you’re alright, aren’t you?”
Asked if they’ve found it frustrating seeing some people break the rules during the pandemic, Ranvir says: “Do you know what, I’m just not one for judging people in general, to be honest. People are having raves and they are doing it on purpose, we have clips of that, it’s frustrating.
“But, most of the time, everybody I know is just trying to get through it the best they know how, trying to be careful but still trying to act normal for their kids, trying to do the best for their parents, and all of that.
“It’s just tricky for everybody, so
I’m just really reticent to judge people. I think there’s enough of that that goes on that I don’t need to add to that.”