Armchair Detectives
Strictly star Susan Calman hosts a new detective quiz
Q Susan, your daytime quiz is like a murder-mystery party, as three contestants try to solve a killing committed in the fictional town of Mortcliff. Could you tell us about it?
A It’s very different to a standard quiz show! It’s a wonderful mix of crime drama and game show, the ultimate series for people who love watching Agatha Christie mysteries and working out whodunit. Q You already host two very popular quizzes, how is this different to the others? A It has a more discursive and chatty style where one question needs to be answered: ‘Whodunit?’ Along the way, the theories develop and the characters of the contestants, or ‘Armchair Detectives’ as we call them, start to come through, too. Q Were any contestants particularly sharp, when it came to spotting clues? A Each of the detectives has their own quirks. Some like an outlandish theory, some stick to the evidence. There are a couple who have been or are police officers! Q You filmed this quiz while training for Strictly – were you tempted to turn it down because you were so busy?
A I love hosting TV shows and I am a huge fan of crime fiction so this was a perfect fit. I always think that a show people can play along with at home is a winner. Q Could you spot the killer if you were a contestant? A I don’t know who the murderer is –I asked not to know the answer. It means I can play along. I got it right sometimes and wrong more often!
Q You spent years as a corporate lawyer before becoming a comedian. Did that give you an advantage? A It didn’t help a lot! I sometimes spot details that might be missed. Q Your partner in this year’s Strictly is Kevin Clifton. What’s next for you? A I wanted to stay in the competition as long as I could! After Strictly I have lots of projects on the go. I’ll be around for a while! n