Alan Carr on his new show, I Don't Like Mondays

Tell us about I Don’t Like Mondays

It’s a game show that not only promises you a year off work but it pays your wages for a year as well - not bad eh? The catch is, in order to get the year off and the money you have to resign to your boss on the show.

What attracted you to it?

It was just such a unique idea, I hadn’t really fancied doing a game show - but it was such a good idea I just had to say yes - especially as I have had the worst jobs going so I knew it was a prize that would excite the people in the audience. And the viewers at home hopefully!

What would you do with a year off work?

Catch up with friends and family - I’ve just had the busiest year and I keep missing birthdays and celebrations so it would be great if I could be there in person rather than sending a bunch of flowers or a grovelling apology by text.

What were some of the more memorable options given for the years off?

It really was the whole gamut. One person wanted to build a school in their native Sierra Leone, one person wanted to party around the Greek islands and one woman wanted a Kim Kardashian bum lift.

It was interesting because you realise how prejudiced you are when it comes to people’s jobs. Your heart naturally went out to the nurses and the carers and you were sort of willing them to win, whereas the vivisectionist and abattoir worker, maybe not so much.

Did you ever have a job when you were younger that would have made you apply for the series?

How long have you got? I swept up in factories, packed shampoo, worked in call centres, been a driver’s mate. Believe me, I would have been a regular on I Don’t Like Mondays.

Tell us about the celebrity guests in the three episodes, and what you got up to?

I bubble wrap Sumo wrestle (don’t ask) with Jonathan Ross, I do a water cooler ski-jump with Amanda Holden and on one show, due to my back fat, I got stuck in a cement mixer. I think even people in the audience were saying ‘I think I’ll stick with MY job’.

What does a typical Monday morning look like for Alan Carr?

My weekends are normally busy with work so Mondays is my day off. So I’m probably one of the few people whose face lights up when the alarm goes off Monday morning. If I set my alarm at all - now I’m just rubbing it in aren’t I?!!

If you weren’t in the entertainment industry, what would you be doing?

Something to do with death: pathologist, or maybe an embalmer.

•  I Don’t Like Mondays starts on Channel 4  next Friday, April 6,at 8pm

Published: 26 Mar 2018