The irrepressible host and comic Michael McIntyre returns to Saturday nights for the fourth series of his Big Show
Show host Michael McIntyre is ready to inject more silly games, surprises and celebrity guests into your Saturday night as he returns with a fourth, extended series of Michael McIntyre's Big Show.
Filmed once again at London’s Theatre Royal Drury Lane, this week’s opener boasts all of the usual fan favourites.
Holly Willoughby gives her mobile phone to Michael for hilarious text game Send to All, Jane (pictured above with Michael) from the Wirral gets the surprise of her life in the Midnight Gameshow and 91-year-old David brings the house down as the show’s oldest Unexpected Star.
When it comes to variety, fun and surprises Michael certainly hits the spot!
TV Times rating: ****
Michael, 42, reveals the fun and games he has up his sleeves for the new series of Michael McIntyre's Big Show
We love Send to All! Who’s playing this time around?
First up, we’ve got Holly Willoughby, then Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford, Anton Du Beke, Bradley Walsh, Cheryl, and [songwriter and singer] Josh Groban, who’s our first American. It’s great to nose around people’s phones; you never know where the comedy is going to come from. This series Bradley has weather from about 15 places on phone.
What have you got planned for the Unexpected Stars?
We are doing more and more elaborate things. This series we have an actual aeroplane fuselage on stage and the Unexpected Star, who is a pilot, sits in a seat and the front of the plane falls down for him to find himself in the middle of the stage.
We also turned the theatre into a cinema and built an actual auditorium on the stage. Then the Unexpected Star sat in her seat with her popcorn and the screen fell down to reveal the packed Theatre Royal on their feet applauding her.
Has surprising the Unexpected Star ever gone wrong?
It almost went wrong in this week’s first show with our oldest star to date, 91-year-old David. He thought he was going to buy a new walking frame and Lionel Blair, who was part of the prank, called him by his name. David kept saying, ‘How does he know my name?’ Luckily, we got away with it!
What surprises are in store for the Midnight Gameshow?
We’re doing a new thing called, Who’s Singing in Your Shower? We’ve been getting people out of bed and taking them to their bathroom where there’s a popstar singing in their shower and they have to guess who it is.
We’re not sure we’d want you bursting into our bedroom…
There are so many layers of excitement; it’s about how people react. We had a guy in Wales who never really woke up – he didn’t have a clue what was going on, which made it very funny.
What musical guests have you got lined up this series?
We’ve got amazing performances from Nile Rodgers, Rita Ora, Kylie, George Ezra, Paloma Faith, Little Mix, Cheryl and Michael Bublé. I had a great moment with Michael where I asked him if he could teach me to sing like him and he said, ‘Why don’t we sing together?’ So we did!
When you first started this show, did you imagine you’d still be going for four series?
I initially made the show because I was watching TV with my kids on a Saturday night and I liked the dynamic of the whole family watching TV together. I found trying to create a show that everyone could enjoy together really appealing.
Michael McIntyre's Big Show is on BBC1.
