Once you’ve got a paper crown on your head, everything’s fine
Alexander Armstrong loves Christmas, and, as he gears up for the festivities, he tells GEMMA DUNN about his latest presenting role, and reflects on his own family festivities
THERE’S nothing bah humbug about Alexander Armstrong – he can’t wait for all things Christmas. While others may reel from the stresses of the festive season, the Pointless host, 48, admits he’s “sort of elf-like in my adoration of the yule”.
“I’m a singer as well, and for singers – for choral singers – Christmas is like Christmas! It’s amazing,” explains the star, who admittedly loves nothing more than a celebratory sing-song with his wife and four young sons.
“There’s so much music. Everything about it should be cherished.”
It’s this unrelenting enthusiasm that understandably puts Alexander – who came to fame as one half of a comedy duo with Ben Miller – in pole position to present ITV’s Best Christmas Ever.
A one-off, fabulously festive offering that will see him joined by a host of celebrity guests, each on mission to find out what – aptly – makes the best Christmas ever!
There will be fun, chat and live music as the famous faces go head-to-head to get their favourite bits voted ‘the best’ by the studio audience.
So what’s the secret to conquering Christmas time, you ask? We find out more from Alexander himself.
ON THE FESTIVE SPECIAL
THE main function of the show is to wallow in all the things that we love about Christmas. Christmas is one of those things that just gathers customs and traditions.
If something happens twice, then it’s a tradition! So I think we are trying to find what the quintessence of ‘Christmas’ is.
The things that we fall back on are generally music, good company, booze, films, games and the many little flavours that we genuinely love.
So it’s time to shake the tree to see what’s still hanging on and find out what we really cleave to at this time of year.
ON THE PROSPECT OF SPECIAL CELEBRITY GUESTS
I’M hoping people will bring some interesting traditions – and share some good tips because we all need some priceless tips between now and Christmas. Any little cunning short cuts.
I can tell you one of our guests will be the wonderful Prue Leith. So we are desperate to get some good cooking tips from her.
I hope this is the kind of show that you watch with a pen and paper, so you can make a note of some of the hot tips we’ll be passing out.
ON HIS OWN CULINARY EXPERTISE AT CHRISTMAS
MY wife and I tend to divide and conquer. We try to do as much as we can in advance, but I’ve never been a fan of lessening the workload on the day. So yes, you can parboil your potatoes and your sprouts till you’re blue in the face, but you’ve still got to cook the b **** rs on the day.
The thing that always happens is everything’s ready apart from the roast potatoes. So everyone’s p **** d by the time you sit down anyway and it’s practically dark, but who cares? As soon as you’ve got a paper crown on your head, everything’s fine.
ON FAMILY CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS
WE have various Christmas traditions and sometimes families have their own slightly mad ones. For example, our one is that we stand on the stairs and sing ‘O Come, All Ye Faithful’ at teatime on Christmas Eve. I don’t know why, it’s just what we do! Every year, it’s got a bit more elaborate. Last year someone decided to light candles and turn the lights off.
ON WHETHER HE’LL BE SINGING ON THE SHOW
OH GOD, they’ll be fighting me off the stage! Yes, I will be singing. I promise not to sing too much but we have a fabulous house band and I think it’s fair to say that everyone will be singing.
Song is going to be a big part of our Best Christmas Ever. All comers will be involved in the music.
ON HIS FAVOURITE CHRISTMAS FOOD, SONG AND FILM
NOW here is a controversial one, I absolutely love Brussels sprouts. I have a sprout recipe that I would challenge anyone not to like.
Favourite Christmas film? Obviously It’s A Wonderful Life, we know that. But I’m probably going to take Trading Places. That’s a film I love.
Christmas music? That’s difficult, I have a lot of classical music in my Christmas repertoire, but I’ll go for Smith & Burrows – When the Thames Froze.
ON ENJOYING THE BIG DAY WITH HIS FOUR YOUNG SONS
THERE’S quite a lot of management of expectation going on – as well as running around looking for batteries. If there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s just to buy a massive bag of every single possible size of battery you could possibly need.
But yes, there’s high spirits mixed with everyone getting overtired and lots of children running around the house, which is lovely.
God, I’ll miss it when the children reach the next stage of family life.
ON THE EXCITEMENT OF BEING ON TELEVISION AT CHRISTMAS
IT’S THE most exciting thing. Partly because like all people of my generation, the first thing we would do at the beginning of the Christmas holidays is to sit down with the Radio Times and the TV Times and circle everything we wanted to watch.
We would plan all our Christmas viewing! You see, so much of the spirit of Christmas is involved in getting together as a family around the television.
ON HIS ALL-IMPORTANT NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS
I SPENT some time working with my lovely old friend Ben Miller, hosting Prince Charles 70th birthday. Professionally, I would love to do more stuff with Ben because I really loved that.
Personally, I’m going to try and give up sugar! I’m going to try and get out of the habit of thinking I need sugar. I’ve got to break that habit or I’m going to be enormous, if I’m not careful.
■ BEST Christmas Ever with Alexander Armstrong is on ITV, tomorrow, at 9pm