Lou Sanders interview as she returns in Mel Giedroyc's Unforgivable

Lou Sanders returns as the trusty sidekick on Mel Giedroyc's panel show Unforgivable next week. Here she talks about the show, and some of the stories she's heard...

What makes a perfect Unforgivable guest?

Someone with no morals! No, it is actually good to have a real mix of people, but I think the perfect guests are people who have no shame or who are just very honest.

Maybe someone who has had a bang to the head so doesn’t edit themselves too much!

Actually, saying that, I do like nice people, we don’t actually want someone on the show like Boris [Johnson], so I guess it is someone who’s done some terrible or very silly things but isn’t inherently a complete psychopath. We’ve all got a shady side or made mistakes, so it’s about owning those errors and with distance, laughing at them. It’s a very human show.

Do people try to tell you their appalling stories when you are out and about?

Not enough. I tell them mine and then I think, ‘Oh no, I’ve shared too much.’ I am always trying to be an agony aunt for people, but they are not interested. I don’t know why. I’m often in the aisles at Sainsbury’s barking advice at passers-by, and you know what? The word ‘ungrateful;’ springs to mind.

Are there any Unforgivable stories you wish you could un-hear?

When I went out to record the videos on the street a couple of men said they don’t go down on women. That made me really sad for the women of the UK. 

But I was quite pleased with how nice people were as well. A lot of men were really quite sweet. You know what fellas?? A lot of you are absolute sweetie pies!

Is there any bad behaviour you would like to fess up to since the last series?

Dear God I’ve spilled all my load every time. I’m running out of stories. I need to go and create some more. Every series I say horrible things I’ve done. 

It’s weird because sweet angel Mel is now coming out with stuff in series four where I’m saying, ‘Why have you never said this before?’ Like she took drugs to school. She’s only just said that.

And she went out with a load of friends to a restaurant, and they phoned up and said there was a bomb scare and then when everyone was evacuated, they all did a runner. That’s mad, isn’t it, to come out with that in series four?! 

Oh, and she shot a guy.

Is there anything surprising you have learned about each other making series 4?

Yeah, Mel’s just got tattoos. Who is she? We’re changing roles.

What other bizarre vox pops have you done over the years?

I did a thing for a live show where I took a baby in to get Botox to see if they would do it. They said no. I said, ‘It’s preventative.’ I mean I wouldn’t have gone ahead with it. It was my friend’s baby I was borrowing. You can imagine - it was just a sassy wry take on the beauty industry!

Which guests should viewers be particularly excited to see this series?

I love Carol Vorderman so much. She is just no-nonsense. She sticks by her guns. She does life her own way. She doesn’t suffer from shame. She is just very comfortable about who she is. She is a cool lady and that’s how I want to live my life when I am her age.

 Rylan was also good to have on. He told us he had a massive party and didn’t provide any food and that to me is unforgivable.

One of your most confessional guests last series was Joel Dommett, who returns this series. Anyone come close to matching him this series?

Shirley Ballas is fantastic. She had loads of stories. Bloody hell. She has a really emotional bit in her show, which we’ve never had before. A genuinely emotional story. 

Her ex-partner was in the booth, and she had some stuff she really wanted to say to him that she had never said before. She had tears in her eyes. I said to her, ‘Why have you never said it?’ She said she had always been too embarrassed, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to tell him what she thought. 

She was really welling up. It was really sweet, but you can’t get tears out of everyone, despite me trying.

Charlotte Church revealed she nicked some cutlery from The White House.

Is there anyone from your past that you would welcome the chance to apologise to as the mystery guest?

Everyone I know. She said sincerely.

What have you learned about life, celebrities or yourselves from making this series?

That we are all mucky pigs trying our best.

• Mel Giedroyc Unforgivable returns to Dave at 2pm next Tuesday, March 12, at 10pm.

» Read an interview with Mel here

Published: 4 Mar 2024