It was funny seeing 400 people scream ‘£19.99’ about a spiraliser that makes courgetti spaghetti
Alan Carr is a busy bee this weekend with The Price is Right and his boozy New Year Specstacular. He chats to
You’re presenting one of the all-time great game shows on Channel 4 this Christmas, The Price is Right. Why did you want to bring it back?
WELL, I love the way you think I’ve got all this power. “I want to bring this back!” And Alan gets what he wants!
No, they asked me if I wanted to present it, and I loved the show. When I was there on the set, it actually felt quite emotional for me, seeing all the games like Plinko, and Cliffhanger. It was funny how much they’d stuck in my head. It was a no-brainer for me, and like I said at the time, it was proper bucket-list stuff. It was something I’d watched as a kid growing up, with Bruce Forsyth and Leslie Crowther. When they asked, I jumped at the chance.
Explain, for the uninitiated, what the concept of the show is
EXPLAINING The Price Is Right is probably going to make it sound like the most moronic show ever.
I invite people out of the audience to guess the price of a series of household objects. It’s a bit like when you try and explain Deal or No Deal, isn’t it? “Well, there are 15 people, and all of them open a box, and it’s got a number inside.”
It’s one of those things we all like to do – guess the price of things – and I think now it’s very fitting to do it at Christmas. Everyone will have had rubbish presents from their family and be thinking “How much did they pay for this?” so we’ll all be in the right frame of mind.
But I was so nervous doing it, it’s been so long since it was on telly, and I worried if there was still an appetite for it. But as soon as I came through those doors, and experienced the genuine excitement of the audience, it was amazing. I got to the ‘c’ of ‘Come on Down!’ and they were screaming and shouting.
The audience are pretty bonkers, aren’t they?
YEAH, I know! It was funny seeing 400 Mancs screaming “£19.99” about a spiraliser that makes courgetti spaghetti. That’s one of the joys of filming up in Manchester. You get the
best audiences up there.
In the run up to the show, did you watch old episodes? Was there a particular presenter whose style you liked?
OBVIOUSLY I loved Sir Bruce. But the thing is, I not only watched the English version, the production company sent me the Spanish one, the American one, and the French one. It’s funny how they all do it differently. But I definitely think Brucie was the master of it all. He got the tone just right. He died just after I made the show – I’d have liked him to have seen it, I hope I did him proud.
Do you think part of the attraction of The Price Is Right is that the concept is so simple?
YEAH, that’s it! It was part of the golden age of game shows, along with The Generation Game and Blankety Blank. They work.
Do you have all the same games as the old show, or do you have new ones?
THERE’S one new game, and a lot of the old favourites. The American one, they chop and change
He [Bruce Forsyth] died just after I made the show. I’d have liked him to have seen it... I hope I did him proud. On the late Generation Game host’s legacy
them every time. You don’t get the same games on every show.
We went for the classics – Cliffhanger, Plinko and stuff, the ones all the fans will remember.
Are you a fan of game shows in general? What have been your favourites over the years?
I WANTED to do Challenge Alan Carr, like Challenge Anneka – I’m in a helicopter, doing clues all over. But I think, budget wise, I’d end up doing it on a Megabus.
I know David Walliams did Blankety Blank, and when he did that I was so jealous. I would have loved to have done that. It’s sort of my sense of humour.
You’ve also got a New Year’s Eve Specstacular. What can viewers expect from that?
THE New Year’s Specstacular is just party central. We’ve got music and special guests, madness, mayhem, your favourite celebs getting trolleyed.
Is it as much fun to film as it looks?
WELL, the thing is, I get a bit of survivor’s guilt when I do it, because you’re basically stepping over drunk celebrities by the end. I always treat myself; I always have my first drink in part three. There are eight parts to it. I was a bit of an idiot when I first did it; I was so leathered by the end. But now I’ve learned to pace myself, because of my age. It’s a laugh.
Have you filmed any of the skits that you’ll be performing?
YES, I was Theresa May as Blunderwoman, and I filmed that the other day. I was dressed as Wonder Woman, running through a field of wheat. This field next to the M4, getting lots of lorry drivers honking me and shouting abuse.
And also a pastiche of The Handmaid’s Tale. So something a little more highbrow if people haven’t seen Love Island. But don’t worry, I drag it down to my level.
Did you treat it as an audition for series two of the drama?
YES! I have instructed my agent to put it on my showreel, so fingers crossed.
The Price is Right, tonight at 8pm on Channel 4; Alan Carr’s New Year Specstacular 2017, tomorrow, 9pm, Channel 4