Having a track record of outstanding telly success has just one downside for Harry Hill… sky-high expectations.
He’s been narrating You’ve Been Framed for the past 15 years and had a decade and more of his TV Burp show as well as numerous other projects.
Now he’s back with his Alien Fun Capsule, returning to ITV on Saturday nights for the next few weeks.
“You’re constantly chasing your own reputation,” Harry told The Sunday Post.
“With Alien Fun Capsule I know people tuning in will be comparing it to TV Burp.
“It’s a bit like Paul McCartney forming Wings after being in The Beatles.
“But you just have to get on with it and the main thing is to try to enjoy what you do. If you enjoy it then I think that’s largely communicated to the audience.”
Alison Hammond, Martine McCutcheon, Les Dennis and Tom Courtenay are in the first show, with Kevin Whately, Bill Roache, Pam Ferris, The Krankies and Samantha Womack among the upcoming guests.
“It’s basically a show without a format,” smiles Harry. “A lot of it is taking the mickey out of the guests, often with clips from their past followed by a sketch or a game.”
Harry may be self-deprecating about the structure of the show, but came up with the idea and is totally hands-on.
“ITV have been really good and have indulged me over the years,” said Harry.
“Out of all the channels they are the most ratings-driven and they need immediate success.
“The first series scraped in with enough viewers for them to think there was something in it, the second got more and hopefully this series will do the same.
“I spend a lot of time on the shows and really care about them. I never let anything go out that I’m not happy with.”
Harry, who switched to comedy from his career as a doctor, got a huge early breakthrough at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
He won the Perrier Award for Best Newcomer back in 1992 and still has huge affection for Scotland’s capital city.
“Some of the gigs I’ve enjoyed most have been in Glasgow and Edinburgh,” said Harry. “When you’re a young comic starting out, there isn’t anywhere else where you can do so many gigs as the Fringe.
“The Perrier was a big thing and it certainly set me off. I went to Edinburgh for the Book Festival, last year and was shocked at how much bigger things are.”
Harry Hill’s Alien Fun Capsule, ITV, Sat, 7.30pm
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