Carr

Alan Carr is back with a new series of Changing Ends – however, he may be following in the footsteps of his Celebrity Traitors co-star Claudia Winkleman as Strictly’s new host

The job offers haven’t stopped rolling in for Alan Carr since his momentous Celebrity Traitors win, with the comedian even tipped to take over hosting duties on BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing. While he’s back with a new series of his hit comedy Changing Ends, the 49-year-old admits he’s unsure whether he could handle the challenge of stepping into Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly’s sparkly shoes.

“My name is in the hat,” he says. “What an honour. It’s a bit like when my name got bandied about for Britain’s Got Talent and The Great British Bake Off – I’m always on the periphery.

“I don’t know how serious it is. No one has approached me. People are so passionate about it and you saw me sweating in the castle when I was a Traitor, imagine me doing live telly with how many million people watching!”

READ MORE: BBC Celebrity Traitors star admits ‘one thing dawned on me early on’READ MORE: Celebrity Traitors finalist says ‘this is what Claudia Winkleman was really like’

Although, after a star turn on The Celebrity Traitors, he knows how to convincingly lie – and that could come in handy on Strictly. “If someone’s cha-cha-cha is a bit s**t, I’ve got the poker face!” he jokes.

“So many things have come from The Celebrity Traitors – so many job offers coming in – I’d be flattered but I don’t know if I could do it [Strictly] justice. I just don’t want to ruin it for people.”

Alan is back on more familiar ground with Changing Ends – the semi-autobiographical sitcom about his childhood in 1980s Northampton. Series three follows teenage Alan (played by Bafta nominee Oliver Savell) as he navigates obstacles such as stressful swimming lessons, and, more importantly, his first big crush – young Alan is smitten with Jake, the Saturday boy at the charity shop.

“I really got into charity shopping,” Alan smiles. “I used to go in there every Saturday and flick through the posters to catch his eye. I must have stunk like an old woman because I would get flares, I wore my dad’s sheepskin and we didn’t have dry cleaning like we do these days.

“I just wanted to be in love really. It still hasn’t happened!” With Alan now single after divorcing ex-husband Paul Drayton back in 2022, is he hoping his teenage crush will reach the real-life inspiration behind Jake?

“The boy knew then because I was just as unsubtle as I am now,” he laughs. “When I went back to Northampton, I saw him queuing up at a cash point. My knees went to jelly and I thought, ‘Oh my God, there he is.’ But I didn’t want to say hi.

“There’s still something there, but I don’t want a Surprise Surprise moment. He had his chance and he missed it! He could be dating a national treasure now.”

Fans will already know that Alan’s father Graham was famous himself – having been a professional footballer in the 1960s who went on to manage Northampton Town among other clubs. However, the new series also sees Alan’s mother Christine embracing life as a local WAG.

“We would drop my brother [Gary] off at Beavers and me and mum would sit in the Tesco café for an hour with a cup of tea and a Chelsea bun,” he says. “I remember this woman coming over in the canteen to ask for an autograph – I mean, it was funny.

“It sounds weird but in Northampton, my dad was famous – people would stop him. My mum didn’t get the same standard as my dad, but it was funny. She was stopped a few times and people whispered, ‘That’s Graham Carr’s wife.’ Now she gets, ‘That’s Alan Carr’s mum – that’s the Traitor’s mum!’”

Christine isn’t always pleased with how Alan portrays his childhood, with Nancy Sullivan and Shaun Dooley playing his long-suffering parents. “My mum goes, ‘Oh Alan, it wasn’t that obvious you were gay when you were a child.’ My mum, bless her – she’s still that she-wolf who goes up the school. ‘Don’t you pick on my Alan, he does fancy girls!’ I don’t think she realises how camp I am, she just loves me.”

Both his parents visited the show’s “surreal” set in Enfield, north London, which completely recreates his childhood home. “My poor dad walked up the stairs and nearly fell to his death because he thought the bedroom was upstairs,” he says. “How weird is that? It’s identical to the house. To have it decompartmentalised in a warehouse is so strange.”

As for whether we can expect more episodes of Changing Ends in the future, Alan says that it’s up to the fans. “I like the stage it’s at – that weird puberty stage,” he says. “If people are watching and they want it to come back, I’ll think about writing some more.

“But when it gets to the call centre years at 18 and when I started packing shampoo and dog food, I think I’m going to run out of stories because that was a really bleak time. It could be like The Office and be called The Warehouse!”

Although, after managing to make it all the way to the very end of The Celebrity Traitors without being found out as a Traitor, Alan is concerned that viewers won’t trust him any more. “I want it to be really authentic, but I worry now after doing The Celebrity Traitors people aren’t going to believe a word of Changing Ends!” he laughs.

Changing Ends airs Sunday at 10:05pm on ITV1 and ITVX.

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Alan Carr has shared a huge update on replacing Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman as the presenter of Strictly Come Dancing following his victory on Celebrity Traitors

The job offers haven’t stopped rolling in for Alan Carr since his momentous Celebrity Traitors win, with the comedian even tipped to take over hosting duties on BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing.

While he’s back with a new series of his hit comedy Changing Ends, the 49-year-old admits he’s unsure whether he could handle the challenge of stepping into Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly’s sparkly shoes.

“My name is in the hat,” he says. “What an honour. It’s a bit like when my name got bandied about for Britain’s Got Talent and The Great British Bake Off – I’m always on the periphery.

“I don’t know how serious it is. No one has approached me. People are so passionate about it and you saw me sweating in the castle when I was a Traitor, imagine me doing live telly with how many million people watching!”

Although after a star turn on The Celebrity Traitors, he knows how to convincingly lie – and that could come in handy on Strictly. If someone’s cha-cha-cha is a bit s**t, I’ve got the poker face!” he jokes.

“So many things have come from The Celebrity Traitors – so many job offers coming in – I’d be flattered, but I don’t know if I could do it [Strictly] justice. I just don’t want to ruin it for people.”

Alan is back on more familiar ground with Changing Ends – the semi-autobiographical sitcom about his childhood in 1980s Northampton.

Series three follows teenage Alan (played by Bafta nominee Oliver Savell) as he navigates obstacles such as stressful swimming lessons, and, more importantly, his first big crush – young Alan is smitten with Jake, the Saturday boy at the charity shop.

“I really got into charity shopping,” Alan smiles. “I used to go in there every Saturday and flick through the posters to catch his eye. I must have stunk like an old woman because I would get flares, I wore my dad’s sheepskin and we didn’t have dry cleaning like we do these days.

“I just wanted to be in love really. It still hasn’t happened!” With Alan now single after divorcing ex-husband Paul Drayton back in 2022, is he hoping his teenage crush will reach the real-life inspiration behind Jake?

“The boy knew then because I was just as unsubtle as I am now,” he laughs. “When I went back to Northampton, I saw him queuing up at a cash point. My knees went to jelly and I thought, ‘Oh my God, there he is.’ But I didn’t want to say hi.

“There’s still something there, but I don’t want a Surprise Surprise moment. He had his chance and he missed it! He could be dating a national treasure now.”

Fans will already know that Alan’s father Graham was famous himself – having been a professional footballer in the 1960s who went on to manage Northampton Town among other clubs. However, the new series also sees Alan’s mother Christine embracing life as a local WAG.

“We would drop my brother [Gary] off at Beavers and me and mum would sit in the Tesco café for an hour with a cup of tea and a Chelsea bun,” he says. “I remember this woman coming over in the canteen to ask for an autograph – I mean, it was funny.

“It sounds weird, but in Northampton, my dad was famous – people would stop him. My mum didn’t get the same standard as my dad, but it was funny. She was stopped a few times and people whispered, ‘That’s Graham Carr’s wife.’ Now she gets, ‘That’s Alan Carr’s mum – that’s the Traitor’s mum!’”

Christine isn’t always pleased with how Alan portrays his childhood, with Nancy Sullivan and Shaun Dooley playing his long-suffering parents.

“My mum goes, ‘Oh Alan, it wasn’t that obvious you were gay when you were a child.’ My mum, bless her – she’s still that she-wolf who goes up the school. ‘Don’t you pick on my Alan, he does fancy girls!’ I don’t think she realises how camp I am, she just loves me.”

Both his parents visited the show’s “surreal” set in Enfield, north London, which completely recreates his childhood home. “My poor dad walked up the stairs and nearly fell to his death because he thought the bedroom was upstairs,” he says. “How weird is that? It’s identical to the house. To have it decompartmentalised in a warehouse is so strange.”

As for whether we can expect more episodes of Changing Ends in the future, Alan says that it’s up to the fans.

“I like the stage it’s at – that weird puberty stage,” he says. “If people are watching and they want it to come back, I’ll think about writing some more.

“But when it gets to the call centre years at 18 and when I started packing shampoo and dog food, I think I’m going to run out of stories because that was a really bleak time. It could be like The Office and be called The Warehouse!”

Although, after managing to make it all the way to the very end of The Celebrity Traitors without being found out as a Traitor, Alan is concerned that viewers won’t trust him any more.

“I want it to be really authentic, but I worry now after doing The Celebrity Traitors people aren’t going to believe a word of Changing Ends!” he laughs.

Changing Ends, Sunday 23 November, 10.05pm, ITV1 and ITVX

Alan Carr has been spotted charging down the street in his Celebrity Traitors cloak whilst brandishing a lantern on a night out in London following his victory on the BBC show

Alan Carr has been spotted charging down the street in his Celebrity Traitors cloak whilst brandishing a lantern. The comedian, 49, was chosen as a Traitor by Claudia Winkleman and then emerged victorious as the winner of the recent BBC series after weeks of lying to his co-stars, managing to walk off with the grand prize, all in the name of charity.

Just days after his final scenes in the Scottish castle aired, the Changing Ends star was seen in a TikTok video wearing his famous costume from the series on a night out in London and yelled to his fans: “F*****g Faithfuls!”

Once the video was posted onto social media, he received approval from big name brands like Sky, Next, Specsavers and Asda in the comments section, before fans of the former Chatty Man host all piled in with their reactions. One said: “How is he not Sir Alan Carr yet?”

READ MORE: BBC Celebrity Traitors star admits he lied to wife after filmingREAD MORE: Alan Carr lined up for two major TV roles after Celebrity Traitors win

Another wrote: “A true icon,” whilst a third added: “It’s Alan’s world we’re just living in it!” It all comes just days after nearly 12 million viewers watched the funnyman con Nick Mohammed and David Olusoga into believing he was a Faithful in the programme’s hotly-anticipated finale.

The finale was filled with shocks, first with Traitor Cat Burns being voted off thanks to a change of heart from Joe Marler, and then Joe also being shown the door after Nick Mohammed got cold feet about him at the last minute.

Viewers saw Alan burst into tears as he won the prize, telling them: “I’m so sorry, it’s been tearing me apart.” Speaking afterwards the comic, 49, said he couldn’t help the outpouring of emotion at the very end as he was revealed as a traitor to losing faithful Nick and David Olusoga.

“I think all the deceit, the lying, the murdering of Paloma and Celia had all taken its toll and then I think it dawned on me that I had won such a huge amount for my charity, Neuroblastoma UK,” he explained. “Hopefully when people see how upset I was they won’t feel so bad that I killed all those national treasures.”

He said that when he told the charity the good news about his £87,500 win they were overwhelmed. “I told one person at the charity and they started crying, so that gives you some idea of how important this money will be to them. Neuroblastoma is such a cruel disease, and this money will literally save lives. It’s a charity and disease that no one has really heard of so with the viewing figures being what they are it’s going to be so good for the charity.”

He said that his non-stop comedy was behind his win. “Humour was my secret weapon in the castle,” he declared. “I would often deflect scrutiny and make a gag about something which would then throw everyone off the scent. My sense of humour was probably more useful to me than a shield.”

And Alan admitted that he couldn’t believe he got away with two murders in plain sight – first Paloma Faith and then Celia Imrie. “Spouting Shakespeare at the dinner party was so not me that I thought it would’ve been a red flag to the faithful – but at breakfast no one mentioned it,” he laughed. Alan said he’d also loved the reaction of the audience since the show began last month. “The memes have been so funny, I’ve loved them all. Someone did a song which included all my Traitors quotes – it’s quite catchy actually and I think it should be entered for Eurovision.”

In terms of advice for future players, Alan confessed he had no idea what his game strategy had been. “Although I won, I don’t know if I was a really good Traitor or if the Faithfuls were just useless.”

Singer and TikTok star Cat, 25, claimed her downfall came about because she was the last woman standing – and the others believed there would be a female among the traitors. “In hindsight, I think if we didn’t banish Kate (Garraway) before, I probably would have had a chance as there would have been two women left,” she told BBC Breakfast.

Alan spent eight years interviewing A-Listers like Britney Spears, Kylie Minogue and Lindsay Lohan amongst a whole host of others on his Channel 4 show Chatty Man, which ended in 2016. At the time he said this was due to the difficulty of securing three guests an episode across a 30-week run, while competing with ITV’s Jonathan Ross and BBC1’s Graham Norton. He also said that Channel 4’s decision to shift it from Friday to Thursday had sounded the death knell.

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Alan Carr won The Celebrity Traitors in a tense series finale on Thursday and, overcome with emotion, the comedian told viewers: “I am and have always been a traitor”

Alan Carr is tipped to become one of the new presenters of Strictly Come Dancing after his The Celebrity Traitors triumph.

The comedian, 49, burst into tears when he was crowned the winner of the reality TV programme last night. Alan declared the prize money, which amounted to £87,500, will go to the children’s charity Neuroblastoma UK, a sum he said would “change lives”.

But his own career is now set to change, with The Celebrity Traitors thought to act as a springboard for more success. An insider has even said Alan is being considered for Strictly, as Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman are set to leave. They added: “He has got to be up there with the BBC to get a huge new role… Wink, wink, nudge, nudge, Strictly.”

And a BBC source said: “Alan has always been a star – but it’s amazing what a month in a Scottish castle can do to elevate your career. He’s ours now.”

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The Mirror had reported how chatter linked Alan to one of the Strictly vacancies, but now his triumph in the Scottish castle is said to have firmed his bid to take the Saturday night gig. The presenter had been praised for “super competitive streak” and charisma during his time on The Celebrity Traitors, which began at the start of October.

A source on The Celebrity Traitors said “people just love Alan”. The BBC believes viewers “loved him and [think] he has been the star of the Traitors,” one insider told the Daily Mail.

Alan, snubbed for a potential role as a judge on Britain’s Got Talent in 2023, was hoping for nothing more than a bit of a giggle when he signed up for the BBC show. He got off to a difficult start as fellow traitor Jonathan Ross worried Alan, born in Weymouth, Dorset, might give himself away.

But Alan showed the resilience and courage to thrive and eventually beat former England rugby star Joe Marler and his fellow Traitor Cat Burns. Bursting into tears when he was declared the winner, the comedian said: “I am and have always been a traitor… I’m so sorry, it’s been tearing me apart.” He told host Claudia Winkleman: “All that lying, all that treachery was worth it, wasn’t it?”

Nick Mohammed covered his mouth in shock when Alan revealed the other traitors. The Ted Lasso star said: “Not Joe!” He added: “Alan Carr. He played an absolute blinder.” Alan said: “What a rollercoaster, how did this happen? I was awful at lying and had a terrible poker face and here I am, the winner.”

Alan Carr will tomorrow night battle to win The Celebrity Traitors, which ends on BBC One after a pulsating few weeks which has seen the likes of Sir Stephen Fry and Celia Imrie tease viewers

The Celebrity Traitors’ star Alan Carr has filmed a pilot episode for a new BBC quiz show, it is reported.

The comedian has been described as “the hottest man on TV right now” amid his stint on the popular reality TV show, the final of which airs on Thursday. It is understood Alan, 49, worked abroad for BBC Studios at the end of last month for the new primetime, celebrity-led format.

“Unquestionably, Alan is the hottest man on TV right now. Everyone wants a piece of him. But the BBC have acted quickly and last week he was jetted out to a swanky European city for a day of filming a pilot,” a source said.

Alan has also been linked with one of the Strictly Come Dancing roles, we reported last week. He has been praised for his charisma and competitive attitude, traits said to be admired by Strictly bosses.

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But first, if the pilot is successful, it is understood Alan will get a bumper deal to front the new game show. It will be one of the first regular shows Alan has presented solo since Chatty Man on Channel 4, which ended on Christmas Day 2017 after an eight-year stint. He did, though, host Picture Slam, which returns next week.

And the pilot is indeed believed to have been well-received by bosses at the Beeb. Speaking to The Sun, the source added: “It went well and now it’s just a matter of when, not if, this gets green-lit.” However, details of the exact nature of the show are top secret for now, the insider stressed.

READ MORE: Big Brother’s AJ Odudu faces unexpected setback after BBC blunder despite high hopes

Some 15 million viewers are expected to tune in to see who wins tomorrow’s Celebrity Traitors final, featuring Alan’s fellow Traitor, singer Cat Burns, with Faithfuls ex-rugby star Joe Marler, comedian Nick Mohammed and historian David Olusoga. Joe has also impressed in the smash-hit series, so much so there is speculation he, too, could have his own programme. The 35-year-old former rugby player has even been rumoured to become the next James Bond.

Jonathan Ross, who was banished last week, has been given a one-year contract extension with ITV amid the success of The Celebrity Traitors. However, if Alan gets a new chat show, the funnyman could well go head to head with his fellow former Traitor.

The source, again talking to The Sun, continued: “There is also talk of bringing back a version of Chatty Man, as Alan has incredible contacts and would get some brilliant guests.”

Alan Carr has fled the UK ahead of the final of The Celebrity Traitors, as he’s convinced he’s the ‘most hated man in the country’ after killing off his co-stars

Alan Carr has fled the country before The Celebrity Traitors finale, declaring: “I’m the most hated man in the UK.” The comedian brutally eliminated beloved actress Celia Imrie in full view during Thursday night’s episode, and revealed his backstabbing antics on the programme have left him deeply unpopular.

Nevertheless, the 49-year-old confesses he reckons his fellow celebrities are “thick” for failing to spot his obvious eliminations. Chatting whilst taking his nephew and niece to Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida, Alan said: “That’s why I’m in America.

“I’m the most hated man in the UK. I’ve had to come here to Orlando to get away from it all – everyone hates me. My Christmas card list is getting smaller and smaller.”, reports the Daily Star.

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Yet he reckons his showbiz mates should have spotted his blatant murders – particularly as he struggles to hide his reactions. Speaking to Heart radio in Orlando, Alan – who also eliminated his mate Paloma Faith on the programme – added: “I’ve got loads of celebrity friends, but are they thick?

“I’m giggling when people are murdered. When they don’t come down for breakfast, I just stick cheese in my mouth.” He went on: “It’s stressful murdering every day… I’m getting a taste for it.”

Fellow Traitor Cat Burns, 25, confesses the spotlight is all “a bit mad” and revealed she is managing it by “mainly just staying at home”. Meanwhile, recently eliminated star Kate Garraway has backed Alan to triumph in the competition.

The Good Morning Britain host declared: “I think he’s going to win. I don’t know. I’m going to say it now.” She revealed that his strategy has been to burst into fits of laughter during loyalty challenges, particularly whilst playing a round where contestants had to share two truths and one falsehood.

She explained: “The flaw in the plan was everybody slightly flickered, their eyes changed so when you say ‘are you a mother of five’ they just go yes because they’re relaxed about that. But on every single one Alan looked guilty, even on the ones that were true.

“So therefore I think his thing is that he looks guilty and the more he mucks up and the more he sweats and the more he can’t get out loud ‘I’m a Faithful’, then the more it plays in to ‘Alan’s just being Alan’. And I think that’s going to be the genius.”

The Celebrity Traitors finale broadcasts on Thursday at 9pm on BBC One.

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Comedian Alan Carr has quickly become an unlikely favourite to win Celebrity Traitors, which draws to a close BBC One on Thursday, and his popularity has rocketed

Alan Carr — teasing millions of The Celebrity Traitors viewers — has been tipped to become a new presenter of Strictly Come Dancing.

The comedian, 49, is vying to win the reality TV series, which draws to a close on Thursday night on BBC One. PR experts say his stint on the programme, a spin-off from the civilians’ version, has helped further boost Alan’s popularity, following previous success with his own titular show on Channel 4.

And now the broadcaster is being touted to step in to host Strictly Come Dancing next year, following the departures of Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly. One insider said: “More people are watching Alan than are watching Strictly right now. He’s been catapulted to the A-list. The star dust is practically dripping off him.”

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It is said Alan, the son of a former professional footballer, thought he would have been the first kicked off The Celebrity Traitors, but he has survived to reach the final five contestants. His antics alongside the likes of Sir Stephen Fry, Kate Garraway, Clare Balding and Celia Imrie have had millions of Brits hooked since October 8.

Alan, who won a BAFTA for Alan Carr: Chatty Man in 2013, was praised for displaying his “super competitive streak” and charisma, traits insiders believe make him an ideal match for Strictly. A source told the Daily Mail: “He’s an old-fashioned showbiz pro who would be just perfect hosting Strictly. If he does manage to win Traitors it will be a sign to the BBC that he has the star quality to present its flagship show.”

The search is on to replace Claudia and Tess, who have both been associated with Strictly and its spin-off programmes for more than 20 years. Former Strictly performer, Vincent Simone, had said the hosts need to be replaced by “familiar faces that the audience already trusts”.

He said: “It’s hard to predict. I think the BBC should go for people who are already well-known and experienced – not newcomers. Familiar faces that the audience already trusts, like Paddy McGuinness or even Noel Edmonds. If you bring in big names the public already loves, they’ll go along with the change more easily.”

Alan, a comedian for nearly three decades, has been ruthless throughout his time on The Celebrity Traitors, dispatching his close friend Paloma Faith, and similarly, actress Celia Imrie on Thursday night. The source continued: “His public persona is one of being a bit of a giggle, a bit of a pushover, but that is definitely not the case at all.”

After graduating from university, Alan moved to Manchester, with his sights on a career in comedy. He worked in a call centre for five years, while treading the boards in his spare time on the stand-up comedy circuit, winning awards and a huge following along the way.