TV interview
Tissues at the ready – it’s Pride of Britain time again!
It’s one of the most emotional nights in the TV calendar and this year the Pride of Britain Awards promises to be every bit as tear-jerking and inspirational as always.
Hosts Carol Vorderman and Ashley Banjo will be joined by a star-studded audience from TV, film, sport, and music, including David Beckham, Mel B, Dame Joan Collins, Sir Mo Farah, Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne, and Lionesses captain Leah Williamson. We will hear awe-inspiring stories of bravery, selflessness and phenomenal fundraising feats, from ordinary members of the public who have done truly extraordinary things. There will also be plenty of surprises and emotional moments in store. We caught up with Carol, 61, and Ashley, 34, to find out more.
Why is hosting the Pride of Britain Awards so important to you?
C: In 1999, I hosted the very first Pride of Britain for the Daily Mirror. It wasn’t televised and there were all sorts of different awards – Sportsman of the Year, Politician of the Year, Business Person of the Year. But in the middle of it were these very, very important awards, and the room went silent. It was full of famous people and I was on this tiny stage looking down at Cherie Blair, Mick Hucknall, Cilla Black, Paul McCartney. Everyone was silent and in tears because of these stories. We went straight to ITV and said we should make these awards into a TV show. Twenty or so years later, they are still happening. It fills me with a huge amount of pride to be working on this extraordinary programme for so long. I still remember all the people who won. It’s not just a television show I get to present; it’s very important to me.
A: I think that it is just an incredibly inspiring and important thing to be a part of, especially in the world we live in. I think to recognise and celebrate incredible people is a really important thing to do.
What do you think makes these awards so special?
A: It is eye opening, humbling and a little bit recalibrating in a way because we are all guilty of thinking what a hard day you’ve had, or I’m tired or that’s difficult. But we see some of the stories and some of the issues that these families, and especially the children, overcome. It just puts things into perspective.
C: I’ve been a guest to quite a few awards shows, and what makes this stand out is it’s about the unsung heroes. It’s wonderful that there are celebrities there doing
Tissues at theready– it’s Prideof Britain time again! theirthing and that’s very important because they have a greater voice. But there’s a purity about it and I think it’s that which gets people. Year after year, it’s one of the biggest events of the calendar. People don’t get paid to
