best for CELEBRITY
Mel Giedroyc talks foul-mouthed national treasures, her surprising celebrity tattooist and why she’s a danger after a rum and Coke…
She made her name in a comedy double act with best pal Sue Perkins, before the duo found a new fan base as the original hosts of Bake Off. After leaving the tent in 2016, Mel’s numerous TV appearances have included hosting Children in Need and a hilarious turn on last year’s Eurovision Song Contest, playing a saucy Polish milkmaid! And since 2021, Mel, who’s 55, married to director and teacher Ben and mum to two 20-something daughters, has hosted Unforgiveable, alongside comedian Lou Sanders. On the show, currently back for a fourth series, stars reveal shocking lies and dark secrets. Here Mel dishes the dirt on their misdemeanours - and her own filthy habits!
Hi Mel. What makes a perfect Unforgivable guest?
My favourites, I have to say, are the ones with quite a few flying hours under their belt, AKA the slightly older ones. They don’t give a s***. I give you Shirley Ballas who I am now calling Shirley Badass!
Is it possible to overshare on this show?
I have shared stuff that I blatantly haven’t told my family. I’ve dobbed my brother in this series quite badly and my mum as well a couple of times. You can’t help it.
One surprising revelation is that you recently had a couple of tattoos done…
Neil Jones, one of the dancers on Strictly, moonlights as a tattoo artist. And he’s a great pal of mine. We did the Strictly Christmas show a few years ago. Neil was apprenticing at the time, so I put my faith in his hands. He did me a little seahorse on one arm and BFV on the other which stands for Ben, Floss and Vita, my family.
We bet Rylan is a fun guest?
The best thing that happened during the Rylan record was that the fire alarm went off.
I thought, ‘Is this a gag I’ve forgotten about?’ No, it was a real fire drill. Rylan turns to me and a few others and says, ‘I’ve got my credit card. Let’s go down the pub.’ So, we went down the pub for 45 minutes.
I had a Bacardi and coke and got absolutely smashed and then we went back in and continued the show.
That guy is quality.
Do people now try to tell you their appalling stories when you are out and about?
