Celebrity Specials Celebrity Come Dine With Me: Biggins spills the beans

Date Published:

09/02/2009

The last time Christopher Biggins was on our TV screens tucking into a meal, it was on I’m a Celebrity and the food consisted of witchetty grubs, crocodile feet and kangaroo testicles. That sounds bad but was he prepared for Come Dine With Me?

Congratulations on your recent 60th birthday

Thank you very much.

How did that landmark feel?

Well, you know 60 is the new 40. It felt very good. To quote Noel Coward, "I went to a marvellous party". It was my own, and I adored it.

Did you always want to act?

Yes. Growing up, there were three things I wanted to be. One was a vicar, one was a chef, and one was an actor. I’m quite a good cook I've played many, many vicars, so all I’ve got to do is crack the acting now and I’ve done it all.

How did you get started off in the business?

Well, I was at primary school, and I had elocution lessons, and it was my elocution mistress who got me involved in drama.

You then went off to drama school, where you became great friends with none other than Jeremy Irons

Yes, I was his best man at his first weddings. We became very good friends.

Looking back over your career, what roles have you been most proud of?

Oh, there are so many. I Claudius, Porridge, things like Surprise, Surprise with Cilla Black, Poldark, quite a few things.

Panto has played a significant part in your life too. Why do you enjoy that form of entertainment so much?

The audience. The audience participation, and being able to communicate with them. It's magical.

Your level of fame rose to a new level when you did I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here. What made you want to do the show in the first place?

I just felt that they’d asked me to do it so many times, and I just thought that the timing was right at last, and it would be a good thing to do.

Did you know what you were letting yourself in for?

Of course I did, except that you never know quite how bad it’s going to be. In fact, I loved every minute of it, and wouldn’t have missed it for the world, and I’d never do it again. It’s extremely tough!

Are you still in touch with any of your fellow jungle stars?

Yes, nearly everybody. Except for Janice Dickinson, and John Burton Race, who I didn’t like. Everybody else was great, and I still see them, and quite a few came to my birthday. It was a great experience, and for all our problems and all our misgivings, we had a wonderful time in the jungle.

Were you prepared for the media whirlwind when you came back?

No. When you’re in there, you have no idea what’s going on. So the whirlwind was just too extraordinary for words, it really was. I just couldn’t believe it - it felt like the whole nation had been behind me. It was a very difficult thing to explain, it was so special. Everyone was so nice and complimentary, it was wonderful.

Now you’ve taken part in Come Dine With Me. You say you’re a good cook, so that must have put you at an advantage

Well, except that I haven’t cooked for a long time, because I need a long time to cook, and I find it difficult to find the time. And also my partner Neil is a very good cook, and he sort of takes over. He does most of the cooking. I hadn’t actually cooked on my own for a long time. I found it really exhilarating, actually. It’s definitely inspired me to start having people round for dinner again.

Do you and Neil do much entertaining?

We do. We've just had the house all redone and decorated, and it’s looking fantastic, so we will do a lot more. We’ve got a lovely garden, which is tiny, but enough to have people for dinner in, and it’s really nice.

What are your signature dishes?

Well, I suppose you could say the one that I used in the competition, my winter stew which was, even though I say so myself, absolutely delicious! It contained very, very good beef, a bottle of Margaux 2000 wine, which was very extravagant, but really did set the dish apart, and carrots, onions, seasoning, bay leaves, tomato paste. Funnily enough, the girlfriend who gave it to me told me later you could put anchovies in it as well, and I didn't, and I wish I had. Next time I make it I definitely will.