Gareth Malone: “I’m not busting a gut to do Strictly”

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What’s the view from your sofa?

I was trying to find a middle ground between my wish for a huge TV and my wife Becky’s preference for something more sensible. I have some good speakers, and I’ve jokingly (but firmly!) warned the kids – Esther, Gilbert, and Dvora – that they need to be careful not to knock them over!

Who controls the remote?

It’s a bit cliché, but I always want to be the one with the remote. However, most of what we watch actually comes from recommendations – friends telling us about shows. We don’t often watch things live with everyone else, except for popular shows like The Traitors, Race Across the World, and Gladiators.

What have you been enjoying recently?

I really enjoy watching Couples Therapy – it’s cleverly edited to make you feel for both people involved. The therapist, Orna Guralnik, is captivating on screen. And, I find What We Do in the Shadows absolutely hilarious – it’s so funny that I sometimes find myself randomly yelling ‘Bat!’ while walking around north London.

Are you ever still surprised by your TV career?

I vividly remember my wife and I discussing how ‘The Choir’ could be a turning point, while we were living in our small, rented apartment in West Hampstead. We didn’t know exactly what that would entail – the publicity, the new possibilities, or the difficulties ahead – but we decided to take the chance. The show quickly became hugely popular, and suddenly I was having lunch at the BBC – it’s a really bizarre feeling looking back.

The last time you spoke to RT, you talked about burnout. Do you watch out for that now?

It’s a pretty common story, really. I became well-known around age 30, before having kids, and I was able to go to the gym and film projects a couple of days a week. Then I had three children, and my work commitments grew, so I stopped going to the gym. Late last year, I realized I needed to prioritize my health and start feeling better. I started taking vitamin D and doing hot yoga, and I’m feeling fantastic now.

You’re about to go on tour with Sing-along-a-Gareth. How have you prepared for that?

I’m making a real effort to prioritize exercise and get enough sleep on tour. It’s easy to fall into a nocturnal pattern when you’re constantly performing, and it starts to feel unhealthy. For the show, I understand what audiences expect, but this tour is also a celebration of my 50th birthday and the 50th anniversary of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody,’ so we’re planning something really special.

Why is communal singing important?

While leading a choir for the London Symphony Orchestra, one singer shared something deeply moving with me. After our first performance, they told me that they’d lost their father earlier that term and that being in the choir had been incredibly helpful in coping with their grief. That moment was a revelation – it made me realize the profound impact singing could have on people, and it continued to inspire me throughout the series of documentaries, ‘The Choir’. I’m now firmly convinced of the spiritual and emotional benefits of singing.

You’ll be spending your 50th (9 November) on stage at the Warwick Arts Centre – dream birthday?

Anything else you’d like to accomplish?

I’m really happy to still be working! I’m not pushing myself too hard to do shows like ‘Strictly Come Dancing.’ While ‘The Masked Dancer’ was enjoyable, I was mostly excited to get back to my music afterwards and have a more relaxed schedule.

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2025-10-21 02:56