Telly talk: Mel Giedroyc, plus what’s on the box
Mel Giedroyc is back after landing her first solo Saturday night entertainment show on BBC1, Pitch Battle. Here Mel, 49, who lives in London with her husband, Ben, and their two children, tells us more...
Hey Mel! So why Pitch Battle? Any show that has music as the backbone gets the thumbs up for me. It’s been a year of shows like that and I feel so fortunate, I have never had a year like it. And when Deke Sharon [musical director on the movie Pitch Perfect] got on board, well that was brilliant.
What’s the show all about? It’s a non-brutal singing competition. We’ve got lots of different singers from soul, to country, beatboxers and rock, who perform against each other. Then at the end, the guest judge picks the winner by going up on stage and singing with the winning group. That’s a real goosebump moment!
Who are the guest judges? We’ve got guests like Seal, Will Young and Chaka Khan.
So what’s it really like being on your own? It’s so much fun. I am not going to lie, it’s the first show where I have gone, ‘Ooh, where is my comedy wife?’ but at the same time, I am rather enjoying the full spotlight of attention!
Does it make you want to be in a choir? Definitely. I’ve actually got some mates in a rock choir near where I live and I’d love to join them. Choirs are great for stress and loneliness.
You’ve been so busy since quitting Bake Off. What’s next? I am ready for a break!
What advice do you have for your friend and successor on Bake Off, Noel Fielding? Pack some elasticated trousers. I’d be disappointed if he didn’t eat a lot of cake!