And the nicest interviewee of 2018 so far is....
I've interviewed some lovely folk this year - and hardly any divas (ahem). But the loveliest of 2018 so far is unquestionably Sandi Toksvig. She's passionate about gender equality and this interview caused some ripples when she revealed funny women are edited out of certain panel shows. She's also super smart and funny. Is it just me or - should Sandi run for Prime Minister?
Nothing plastic fantastic about the cast of Age Before Beauty
The latest drama from Cutting It writer Debbie Horsfield swaps hair salons for the anti-ageing industry which is bliss for a journalist – it meant I got to grill the cast about plastic surgery and botox! None of them have had any work done but did allude to friends and colleagues who have. Annoyingly they were tight-lipped (as opposed to pillow-lipped, ha!) about the names. But it makes for an intriguing read... I also hosted the Q&A at Soho Hotel which was an absolute riot.
David Walliams: How I Found A Different Side To The Class Clown
It was a total pleasure to sit down with David Walliams recently and chat to him about comedy, talent, being a dad, writing, and the pressure of living life under the spotlight. It was quite a serious conversation - apart from the odd laugh, of course - and it was really lovely to see a different side to him than the comedian we normally see gooning around on telly. I was really pleased with the way this one turned out.
sarah lancashire: discovering a sweet and shy side to the heavyweight actress
Sarah Lancashire's always been prolific, but it's only relatively recently that she's been getting the meaty roles she's always craved. I interviewed her for Radio Times (and hosted an on-stage Q&A at the launch for C4 drama Kiri) and found her to be shy, thoughtful - and petrified of messing it up
Lesley manville: Oscar nominee and star of little-known BBC comedy 'Mum'
I'll let you into a sort-of secret that only a million or so people know: the best show on TV is Mum. This gentle, heart warming, beautifully written comedy will make you laugh and cry in equal measure. Its star Lesley Manville must be the only Oscar nominee who also stars in a low-budget TV comedy. I interviewed her for the Radio Times.
a rare bit of hollywood glamour for me
Much as I love telly - and I am PASSIONATE about British TV in particular - it's always a bit of a thrill to interview a proper, bona fide Hollywood star. Last year I got to chat to Renee Zellweger for the new Bridget Jones film. She was *very* Hollywood but that's not a bad thing. I also talked to her British co-stars, Sally Phillips and Sarah Solemani, who were smart, funny, and opinionated - I had a big girl crush on both.
Is ITV's new gameshow Cannonball even more dangerous than The Jump?
I was lucky enough to be flown to Malta to take part in ITV's new gameshow, Cannonball, this summer. Or WAS I lucky? Read my blog to find out exactly what happened when I was a guinea pig on the dreaded 'blob' game - complete with gory pictures of the aftermath....