‘When you come from reality TV, people assume you don’t deserve it, so I wanted to show people that I was a grafter’
Presenter and reality star Rylan Clark-neal discusses internet trolls and the unique joy of proving people wrong. Luke Rix-standing reports
Often called the busiest man on television, Rylan Clark-neal must surely be the only Big Brother winner to have helped cover a general election for Channel 4.
The versatile presenter got his start on the X-factor, where he charmed viewers with his endless enthusiasm and larger-than-life personality, before promptly entering and winning the 11th series of Celebrity Big Brother.
The presenting gigs have flowed thick and fast ever since, from stints on ITV’S This Morning to the BBC’S You Are What You Wear, Channel 4’s Alternative Election Night and ITV’S Supermarket Sweep.
He took some time out to chat to us about his transition from unknown contestant to famous presenter, and tell us what lies behind his relentless work ethic…
How have you been affected by the pandemic?
“I was locked in my house the same as everybody else, but I’ve got no complaints because my house has a garden and I was eventually able to start working remotely. I did get a bit of cabin fever, but I’ve lived in
Big Brother, so maybe I’m a bit more versed in it.”
How have you found remote working?
“I’m probably shooting myself in the foot here, but I think it shows how much money we spend on stuff you can do on your phone. It’s a bit more difficult, but I’m quite a techy person and I’m a hermit, so it’s a double win for me. It’s just gutting for the make-up artists and people that really couldn’t work.”
What do you see as the highlight of your career?
“I always think back to winning Big Brother. I think after the X-factor it was an opportunity to show people that I’m actually quite normal. That was the start of what I do now, so I look back on it really fondly.”
What motivated you to get into showbiz in the first place?
“I think it was the drama of it all. I was a little bit obsessed, and I loved Big Brother from day one. Originally I wanted to sing but I quickly realised I wasn’t going to be the best singer, so let’s just have a bit of fun.”
How did reality TV square with your expectations?
“I think every job is different. Big Brother is exactly what I thought it would be and more – it’s amazing. X-factor is a massive machine and either you beat it, or you get eaten by it. Ultimately it’s something you’ve all chosen to do, and I’m very lucky that I did it.”
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
“It was from Barbara Windsor, of all people. I was in Selfridges buying underwear, and I bumped into her after meeting her on X-factor a few weeks before. Her husband Scott was there and I said, ‘Oh, nice to meet you’, and she said, ‘No darling, you’ve met him before’. She told me, ‘Always nice to see you, never nice to meet you, because you’ve probably met the b******.’ That’s got me out of so many scrapes – I think I’ve actually got jobs with it.”
What’s the main advice you’d give people now?
“Just be nice to people, because there’s no room for a***holes anymore. There’s a lot of them out there, but the only reason I do well at my job is that I’m nice to people. I don’t care if you’re my runner or my exec, I treat everyone the same. Especially be nice on the way up, because when you have a fall – and everyone has a fall – they won’t be there to pick you up if you aren’t.”
How do you feel about social media?
“From a business point of view, social media is great. From a personal point of view it can be great, but most of the time it’s quite jarring.”
You’ve been on the receiving end of trolling – how do you deal with that?
“I don’t care if you’re my runner or my exec, I treat everyone the same”
“When you do the job for so long, you get used to it. You still feel like s*** sometimes, but then I just check the bank balance. That usually cheers me up when someone tells me I’m terrible at my job.
“I am affected by criticism – everyone is – but I suppose I get off a bit on proving people wrong. I quite enjoy it.”
You said when you joined the BBC people underestimated
you because of your reality show past. Do you think they still do?
“Absolutely. Nowadays doing The One Show there are people who last saw me on X-factor. Every day is a prove yourself day.”
Do you get nervous before the cameras start rolling?
“No, it feels like second nature. I actually get more nervous for pre-recorded TV. On live TV I know if I f*** up I can own it and have a laugh about it, but if it’s pre-recorded I don’t know what’s going to make the edit, and anyone can edit you how they want.”
What’s your go-to for coping with stress?
“Tracksuit, Keeping Up Appearances and Birds of a Feather. That’s me all over.”
You get a lot of job offers, how do you choose?
“I’m very lucky – for every job I say yes to I probably say no to about five. People say I’m the busiest man on telly, but it’s usually just something I like.”
Do you ever worry about burnout?
“Yeah, it happened a couple of years ago. I was doing This Morning, Big Brother and bits in between so I was getting up at six, finishing at midnight and getting home at two. I was doing that for four or five years, and it did get too much but I still had a lot to prove. When you come from reality TV, people assume you don’t deserve it, so I wanted to show people that I was a grafter and I didn’t expect anything.”
You’re famous for interacting with fans – does fame ever get tiring?
“Lovely as it is, and I’m grateful for it, in some ways it is the hardest part of my job. Early on we all wanted the fame, but then when you get it, it’s a case of be careful what you wish for. Sometimes I might have had a bad day, but I’ve got to get out those pearly whites and smile. I’d never say no to someone.
“I’ll never forget the day my nan died – she was like my second mum. The day she died I hosted Big Brother, because that’s what I do. I know full well if my nan was around she’d have said go to work.”