Singing – it’s even better than baking
Mel Giedroyc lives out her musical aspirations vicariously as the host of new singing show Pitch Battle. She tells SUSAN GRIFFIN why it’s even better than baking
AS a self-proclaimed “wannabee” singing sensation, Mel Giedroyc is in her element hosting Pitch Battle, a new Saturday night show inspired by the Pitch Perfect films.
“I’m a wannabee musical star, have been all my life so to just be on the edges, it’s amazing,” confesses Mel, 49.
“I’m obsessed with musical theatre and choirs and it’s been a year of that. I did Let It Shine with Take That, straight into Let’s Sing And Dance (For Comic Relief )], and now Pitch Battle.”
In the opening episode tonight, six choirs and vocal groups of all different sizes and musical genres battle it out for a place in the Grand Final.
To progress, and be in with a chance of winning the £50,000 cash prize, the groups must impress the panel of musical judges – the nation’s favourite choirmaster Gareth Malone, former choirgirl turned international recording artist Kelis and the first of the show’s superstar guest judges, singer songwriter Bebe Rexha. Others will include Will Young, Seal and Chaka Khan.
“The genius inspiration behind the Pitch Perfect films is a man called Deke Sharon, and he basically brought acapella and choirs to America. He was in charge of the resurgence,” explains Mel.
“So very cleverly they (the BBC) asked Deke to be part of our show and he’s our musical director, an amazing guy.”
The TV schedules might be saturated with talent shows but Mel believes “there’s a singular joy and warmth” to Pitch Battle.
“There’s something about singing as part of a group that automatically gives you something very different compared to those other shows where people are coming on singularly,” she notes.
Is it kinder? “Yes, it definitely is. I think these days we’re going to cling to kind things a lot more actually, so for me it’s absolutely definitely something I wanted to be part of.”
In 2014, Mel took part in an all-star choir, formed by Gareth, in aid of Children In Need and still has every intention of joining one herself.
“I swear to god there’s nothing that’s going to make you feel as good. It’s even better than baking! You feel all the stresses and strains just go,” she exclaims. Ah yes, the b-word. Last year, Mel, along with Sue Perkins and Mary Berry announced they were stepping down from The Great British Bake Off after news broke the show would be leaving the BBC for Channel 4.
Paul Hollywood was the only one of the original quartet who decided to move its new home and will appear alongside Noel Fielding, Sandi Toksvig, and Prue Leith.
The new series is filming right now and although Mel misses “the gang”, she has no regrets.
“The right decision was made, absolutely,” she says, not missing a beat.
And there are no hard feelings towards Hollywood who is “always on the end of a text”.
“And always on the end of a baking query,” she quips. “I love texting him at some ungodly hour to say, ‘Why is my Parkin bake lopsided? It really p***es him off, it’s great.”
The news of the show’s move was a shock to fans and Mel reveals they didn’t know too much of what was going on either.
“We knew something was rumbling but didn’t know the details. It seems like a million years ago. Life’s moved on,” says the presenter who recently met up with Sue, who she met at Cambridge University, to discuss future projects.
“There will be something definitely,” she reveals. “There’s a high chance I would say it would be BBC. We love working together and it sounds really lame but just (want) to hang out and be with people. That’s our favourite thing.”
Aside from TV projects, Mel has plans to put pen to paper again very soon.
“I’ve got a novel on the brew, that’s something I’ve always wanted to do,” says the mum-of-two.
“I wrote two books when I was pregnant and first had my daughter, mainly because I wanted to keep the old brain cells going but I always
thought I’d love to write a proper novel.”
She won’t divulge details but reveals it will be “an epic family tale”.
“I’ve got it in there,” she says pointing to her head, “and I’m supposedly going to start it in the summer holidays”.
Time is a factor as this has been one of her busiest years professionally. She credits her husband, Ben Morris, for his support.
“He does 50%. I couldn’t do my job if he didn’t,” she states.
“I’m never going to sit down and say to you it’s really easy, it’s not. You make sacrifices.
“I have a very, very understanding partner and we juggle like fury between the two of us. (But) The kids are older; they’re 13 and 15, so we’re at a different stage of our lives.”
Next year, Mel turns 50 but says, “I really don’t mind getting older”.
“I could do without the jowls but it just gets better I think. It’s your attitude towards to it. If you’re very worried, for example, about the way you look then it must be dreadful.”
It wasn’t that long ago that the BBC came under fire for its ageist approach to women in the industry.
“Yeah they did but I think they had to address that and I think they are,” she remarks.
“Yes, Claudia (Winkleman) and Tess (Daly) are a bit younger than me but we’re all in our forties. Angela Rippon’s still doing stuff and Julia Somerville...Mary Berry for pete’s sake!”
As Mel notes: “We’ve got stuff to say, we’ve got experience, we feel comfortable and that’s quite priceless in a way.”
Pitch Battle begins on BBC1 tonight, 7.30pm.
Mel Giedroyc is supporting Marie Curie’s Blooming Great Tea Party this June. Visit mariecurie.org.uk/teaparty