We’re doing our best to recreate the movie magic we’ve missed this year
As Sky One series There’s Something About Movies returns for a third series, DANIELLE DE WOLFE chats to host Alan Carr and its stars to find out more
‘I’VE come as a deckchair,” declares comedian Alan Carr triumphantly. It’s exactly the kind of exuberant response you’d expect from the Chatty Man host, who’s in the midst of identifying his favourite moments from the forthcoming series of Sky One’s There’s Something About Movies.
“What about E.T., that look... I was on my knees for, like, 10 hours, shuffling,” recounts Alan, 44.
“Normally the outfits are really amazing, but it looked like my head coming out of a cat’s a**e.”
Entering its third series, the hit comedy show sees Alan joined by his two returning team captains, screenwriter and Absolutely Fabulous star Jennifer Saunders and Bad Omens actor Michael Sheen.
“Oh my God, E.T... that was honestly tragic,” interjects Jennifer,
62. “It was like someone had skinned a Teletubby.”
Between the show’s witty sketches and celebrity panellists, There’s Something About Movies has cemented itself as a comedy staple, bound together with the assistance of British comedian Tom Allen.
But as the hit series returns to our screens, there’s no escaping the impact Covid has had on the show’s forthcoming instalment.
“It is all health and safety,” remarks Alan. “They genuinely do check you with a two-metre stick so we are toeing the line when it comes to Covid... The desks have been made so large.”
“There is a lot of, ‘What did you say?’ It’s like the whispering gallery at St Paul’s. I can hear Tom slagging me off to Jennifer, but I can’t hear her answers.”
It’s a laugh-a-minute line-up that makes light work of additional safety measures, despite the intrusive nature of regular swab testing.
“Every second show, a very heavy-handed girl does stick a swab up your nose – and you’ve had it, Jennifer, you cried – and then they swab the back of your tongue,” recounts Alan.
“It’s not a swab though, is it?” interjects Jennifer.
“They pretend it’s a swab. It’s a small Brillo pad on the end of a stick. Like a little scrubbing brush, it’s not a plain swab. Scouring of your nostrils.”
Blending classic film trivia with dramatic comedy re-enactments of some of cinema’s greatest scenes – including The Wizard Of Oz, The Wolf Of Wall Street and Toy Story – the show’s upbeat absurdity is precisely what a pandemic calls for.
“Although going to the cinema seems like a distant memory, we will be doing our best to recreate some of the movie magic that we’ve all been missing this summer,” says Alan optimistically.
And with a host of renowned names joining the panel for series three, you can expect appearances from Gemma Arterton, Stephen Graham, Nick Frost, Mo Gilligan and Rob Beckett, to name but a few.
“Everyone’s been brilliant. They’ve all told great stories,” says Michael,
51.
“I quite enjoyed Gemma Arterton talking about her kiss with Jake Gyllenhaal,” continues Alan.
“The great thing about this show is that you get comedy but then you also get these cracking... You know, Stephen Graham will talk about Robert De Niro and filming The Irishman and Al Pacino, Garcia and stuff.
“So you get laughs and you get these amazing A-list stories that sometimes you don’t hear on a chat show,” says Alan.
One such A-list story involves series three panellist and Shaun Of The Dead star Nick Frost.
“Nick Frost’s story. Oh, my God. One of the most extraordinary stories I think anyone has ever heard,” declares Michael triumphantly.
“I think it must have been for Spaced – or Hot Fuzz? He didn’t say that, but I think it was Spaced.”
“He wanted to be able to put a gun together, blindfolded,” continues Tom, “and so, he took the prop gun home to practise but not realising that – well, I don’t know if I should spoil the story...”
Spoilers aside, there’s plenty for viewers to look forward to in the new series of There’s Something About Movies, including a thoroughly festive Christmas Special, which marks a first for the comedy show.
Fans will also witness an
Absolutely Fabulous reunion (of sorts), as actress Joanna Lumley makes a memorable guest debut in the final episode of the series.
“Jennifer’s story about going through an airport with Joanna Lumley – that was, I think, the highlight,” recounts Michael.
“Men in hats coming up to Joanna Lumley all the time...” elaborates Tom.
The tale the pair are referring to involves the level of recognition Joanna receives when out in public and the grace with which she deals with being accosted by complete strangers.
“I swear to God it happens every time you’re with her – an old gentleman will come out of the woodwork anywhere in the world... Always in red cords, a blazer and a panama hat!” continues Jennifer.
“‘Joanna, how are you, my dear?”’ projects Jennifer in a mocking voice.
“And then of course she’s never met them in her life, never. There are hundreds, just lying in wait wherever she goes.”
The ease with which the quartet jest and chat is a key part of There’s Something About Movies’ allure.
And now, without a live studio audience to interact with due to social distancing restrictions, the comedians’ on-screen chemistry is more important than ever.
“We’re always gonna laugh at each other because we find each other funny,” says Alan of the show.
“I know some shows have really suffered not having an audience but we do genuinely get on. So, we create a really warm, lovely vibe. And I’m sort of hoping that they carry on without the audience, I just love it.
“And do you know what – when you think we’ve all been away with lockdown, this is just the perfect show to ease yourself in because it’s a lot of fun, it’s dressing up, it’s being silly.”
There’s Something About Movies returns to Sky One and NOW TV on Wednesday, October 21, at 9pm