The Scottish Asian rtine McCutcheon. ake that, thank you
Dea who’ll be dressed as Pug, Traffic Cone, Badger, Bagpipes, Panda and Unicorn but.. Sanjeev’s joy to be guest judge on live show
shopkeeper Navid in Still Game, had to pinch himself after being invited to be the guest judge on the Scottish leg of the live show’s UK tour.
He said: “I had a look at the other guest judges they’ve got for different shows elsewhere and it’s folk like Jonathan Ross and Martine McCutcheon. I’m like, ‘ Is that how I’m seen? Am I the Scottish Asian Martine McCutcheon? I’ll take that.’
“Perhaps the people behind the show are massive Still Game fans – maybe they want me to bring some of Navid’ss sarcasm. I’m not suree what they expect. I wass flattered to be asked.”
Sanjeev, who also starss as AJ Jandhu in soap Riverer City, said his head hasas been spinning over whoho may be invited to don the newly commissioned character costumes that have been speciallyy made for the live tour.
Space Pug is among the new outfits likely to be added with favourites Traffic Cone, Dragon, Badger, Panda and Unicorn.
Scottish-themed character Bagpipe is also expected to make an appearance.
Sanjeev said: “I’m doing my best to keep a very open mind. I love that the singers could genuinely be anyone, from any kind of field. I remember footballer Glen Hoddle surprised everyone with how well he sang. I love when you see someone who isn’t known for being a singer giving it a go and totally nailing it.
“I would like to see a real hard guy, a true hatchet man of Scottish football, giving it a shot. Terry Butcher would maybe be totally up for it. I can imagine him singing New York, New York or some other Frank Sinatra number.
“If JJohn McGinn was less busy, I’d like to see him do it. It’s the middle of the fofootball season so sadly I can’t imagineimag him going to Steven Gerrard and saying,s ‘Boss, I need to take a few days off,’ and Steven asking if it’s for a family funeral – then John havingha to say, ‘I can’t tell you what it is but you’ll find out soon.’
“Cou ld you imagineim Steven’s facefac if he saw John dressed as a singingsingi Hotdog? So it probprobably can’t be current fofootballers.” Sanjeev said also on his mental list of potential singers are famous faces from the world of science and politics. He said: “They might have asked Professor Jason Leitch. I’m pretty sure he could carry a tune and I can imagine him belting one out. “Hopefully things will be easing off slightly with Covid and he’ll maybe have a bit of time on his hands. He certainly doesn’t have to do daily press conferences any more.
“From the world of pol itics, imagine i f we had Scot t ish Conservative leader Douglas Ross.
Is he not a big Atomic Kitten fan? Did he not quote lyrics from one of their songs in a speech. If it’s an Atomic Kitten tune, I’ll know it’s Douglas.
“I ’ m sure former Scot t ish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson used to be in a band. And I met SNP MP Mhairi Black at a Bruce Springsteen concert, so I know she likes her music.”
While Sanjeev is still to be introduced to show host Joel Dommett and fellow judge, former JLS singer Aston, he previously worked with Denise in 1999.
He said: “I met her very briefly when I used to write for The Big Breakfast 23 years ago. She was presenting the show with Johnny Vaughan and they used to rotate writers so I was on an eight-week contract.
“I was in a room with a few other writers, in a production office – we weren’t even in the house they filmed the show in.
“Some guy would come in and tell us, ‘Tenn Batman puns needed. On my last day I askedd to go along and see what the house was like..
“Denise won’t remember but I said helloo to her in the passing. I must have been aboutt the 50th writer she met that year. If only I’dd said, ‘In 23 years we will work together onn a show with celebrities dressed as trafficc cones.’ She would have called security.” The Masked Singer Live is at Glasgow’s OVO O Hydro on April 9. Visit themaskedsingerliveuk. . com for tickets.
Perhaps the people show behind the
Still massive are I was Game fans. to be flattered asked