Rob Beckett has named Conor Benn as the hardest guest he has interviewed on his Parenting Hell podcast, describing the boxer as "quite difficult". The 40-year-old comedian hosts the show with fellow comic Josh Widdicombe, who is also part of the new Strictly Come Dancing presenting line-up.
An Awkward Moment on the Podcast
Discussing the show on the Good Company with Jamie Laing podcast, Beckett explained what he enjoys about the joint project. "I love doing the podcast with Josh. We both really put the effort in because with anything like this is consistency."
"We've done two episodes a week now for six years non-stop pumping that out and I think you have to because the audience rely on it, like they get the hump if it's not there," he added. Asked by Jamie who was the "hardest" guest to interview, Beckett did not hesitate in naming Benn, recalling: "40 minutes in, he asked if we had kids. And I felt like [saying], 'What kind of perverts would have a parenting podcast without children?'"
Beckett has two daughters with his long-term wife Louise, while Widdicombe has a daughter and son with his wife Rose. The podcast has attracted big names including Robbie Williams, Katherine Ryan, Jimmy Carr and Stacey Dooley, with Beckett naming George Foreman as his favourite guest.
Views on Stanley Tucci
During the interview, Beckett also revealed why he would not jump at the chance to have Stanley Tucci as a guest on his new golf show. "I like Stanley," he began, "but he's a bit everywhere and he always looks like he's got the hump… he always looks like he's slightly annoyed with everyone."
Celebrity Traitors Line-Up Revealed
Beckett is one of 21 names signed up for this year's Celebrity Traitors, joining fellow contestants including Amol Rajan, Bella Ramsey, Hannah Fry, James Acaster, James Blunt, Jerry Hall, Joanne McNally, Joe Lycett, Julie Hesmondhalgh, King Kenny, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Maya Jama, Michael Sheen, Miranda Hart, Myha'la Herrold, Richard E Grant, Romesh Ranganathan, Ross Kemp, Sebastian Croft and Sharon Rooney.
Ahead of the first episode airing, BBC entertainment director Ed Havard teased that the new series will feature many unexpected twists, saying viewers will see moments "you didn't think could happen on Traitors and have never seen before". Host Claudia Winkleman also hinted at Beckett causing chaos, revealing one remark from him left her trying to keep it together. "Rob Beckett said something that made me hide in a bush until I composed myself," she said, adding that the cast threw themselves into the challenges and "excelled at the missions", determined to build the prize pot.
The Celebrity Traitors will air on Thursday and Friday nights at 8pm on BBC One.
