TV&REVIEWS
Our pick of what to watch this week, plus the best podcasts and new books…
Paddy Mcguinness presents an all-star series of BBC1’S energetic game show Catchpoint, which will see celebrity pairs playing to win money for charity. All they need to do is to answer a question correctly in order to catch balls of various sizes that drop from above. Here, the host reveals more…
Can you tell us some of the celebrities who will be appearing in the new series? We’ve got Denise Van Outen and Fred Sirieix, H and Faye from Steps, Judi Love and Charlene White from Loose Women, weather presenters Owain Wyn Evans and Clare Nasir, and BBC Breakfast’s Mike Bushell and Louise Minchin. It’s a nice mixed bag and everyone who’s been on the show has really loved it and got into it.
Who would you like to see on the show? It would be nice to see my Top Gear pals Freddie Flintoff and Chris Harris on as a double act, because of their sheer difference in size! Fred will be able to more or less put his hand up and catch the ball but Chris will probably have to run around a bit!
Would you like to be a contestant? Watching it being played is quite different to doing it yourself. It looks simple but when you’re looking up to catch the ball with all the lasers and music, it’s not that easy. The celebs are playing for charity and they are genuinely gutted if they don’t catch the balls. I like the luxury of not putting myself under that kind of pressure and just reading the questions.
Are some of the celebrities more competitive than others?
We had former England goalkeeper David James on the show and he was really worried about missing the ball! It’s the ex-sports stars who really double down and get serious, especially if their sport involved catching a ball!
✱ Celebrity Catchpoint
is on BBC1
by Ellery Lloyd (£14.99, Pan Macmillan, HB) It’s another mysterious whodunnit from the husband and wife writing duo that brought us People Like Her. This time we’re on an exclusive island for the rich and famous. The Home Group is a collection of ultra-exclusive private members’ clubs, and its newest project is a forgotten island transformed into the height of luxury. But the three-day launch party takes a sinister turn – and not everyone will get out alive. In an exclusive world where everyone has a secret to hide, the A-listers will do anything to keep theirs hidden. A twisty, fresh take on the suspenseful thriller.