‘It’s nice to get away from news and do something unrelentingly positive’
All Around Britain is a new show celebrating life across the country. Hosts Alex Beresford and Ranvir Singh talk to Georgia Humphreys
With so 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 to air its 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,” says Bristolian Beresford, 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 Singh, 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,” says Singh, 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
0 Ranvir Singh and Alex Beresford
my call with Beresford and Singh; they’re both outgoing, lively and amusing.
“My favourite thing is, if I see Alex in the morning in the corridors at GMB or in the studio, we have a lot of mickey-taking banter,” says Singh. “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 Beresford.
“I’ve been upset and cross about certain things and Alex has seen me in those moments,” adds Singh. “We’ve seen each other in a lot of different emotions.”
“And we both have sons a similar age, 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,” Beresford chimes in. “So I’m going to be on a bit of a mission to be as fit and healthy as possible.”
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.
“Obviously there will be some tough days, it will be quite gruelling at times – but
I know having Ranvir by my side will make it doable,” says Beresford.
“It’s going to be very enjoyable because we will just laugh our way through it. If everything else fails, just laugh.”
How have they both coped during the Covid-19 lockdown?
“I’m alright now; I did struggle very much at the beginning,” says Singh. “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. And, actually, I’ve still got quite a bit of weight to lose; lots of people put weight on in lockdown, but I certainly have, and I’m not finding that very easy or comfortable.”
The presenter also brings up their GMB colleague, 53-yearold 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?”
● All Around Britain begins on STV on Sunday at 11:20am