Paddy McGuinness is returning to our screens as the presenter of brand new tea-time gameshow Benchmark (Channel 4, Monday, June 1), so we caught up with him to ask what the new show was all about and whether Joey Essex will be making an appearance…
How does Benchmark work, Paddy?
"Every day we have one contestant and a group of ‘Benchmarkers’. The Benchmarkers must answer a series of tricky numerical general knowledge questions and then their answers set the benchmark. All the contestant has to do is decide whether the correct answer is higher or lower. As well as helping, and hopefully not hindering, the contestant – the ‘Benchmarkers’ are also in their own battle to be top of the leaderboard to play for cash on the next show!"
What is it about the show that made you want to be involved?
"I have to turn down about 70 per cent of the stuff I get offered nowadays and I’ve only ever done stuff that I could do something with. I love this show because although it’s very different to Take Me Out, it’s a similar vibe because I’m chatting to people. It’s always great if you have members of the public because of the stuff they come out with!"
You’ll be doing some celebrity specials as well. Which famous faces will you have on the show?
"We have lots of comedians, which is always a good laugh. Jimmy Carr, John Thompson and David Baddiel are on. We also have Joey Essex, which will be brilliant. I think he’ll be really good at Benchmark!"
Has working on this been a change from Take Me Out?
"I absolutely love doing Take Me Out, but the girls on that are all younger than me! We have girls and guys of all ages on Benchmark, so it’s been nice to meet some people who don’t make me feel so old!"
Have you enjoyed meeting the contestants?
"They’ve been brilliant. You build up a rapport with them over the week and get to know what they’re like, where they go out drinking and what their hobbies are. Then when they do get on and play for the money I’m rooting for them even more. The producers won’t tell me any of the answers because they’re scared I’ll give the contestants clues!"
Do you get nervous for them when people are playing for cash?
"I do especially when it’s someone who you’ve bonded with. I always want them to win money. When someone goes home with nothing it’s a real heartbreaker. We had this one very sweet old lady who lives on her own and my stomach was turning every time she answered a question because you really want them to win."
