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00:00Pantopads.
00:01You'd be a tree.
00:03On the talking tree.
00:04I didn't even say talking.
00:06And wild wind.
00:08The big burp from Bex, yes, that was unexpected.
00:11As five celebrity pan-pushers compete to win £1,000 for charity.
00:17I don't know how I feel about a hardened criminal being let loose.
00:21It's just to watch Only Films and Horses.
00:43MUSIC PLAYS
00:48It's day four of the Christmas cooking competition
00:50and the turn of former Hollyoaks and Emmerdale actor Alex Carter
00:54to host a festive evening for his fellow celebrities.
00:57I think I'm a good host. We'll find out, won't we?
01:00But I think if you keep everyone's glasses full
01:02and the plates come in thick and fast,
01:05I think they're quite easily pleased, this lot.
01:08Well, gold medallist Rebecca Adlington is, if it's festive enough...
01:11I love Christmas. It is, like, my favourite time of year.
01:16..a point proved on her own evening.
01:19I like to scream Christmas and taste it of Christmas as well.
01:22..which was the polar opposite to ex-Crime Watch presenter Rav Wilding,
01:26who had his own alternative take on Christmas.
01:29ARRIVA!
01:31I think my food was OK. Everyone ate the food.
01:34I've never had tacos near or around Christmas.
01:38I didn't have a complete disaster on my night.
01:42So, between a festive explosion and a yuletide-free zone,
01:45the field was left open for last night's host,
01:47stage and screen actress Jennifer Ellison,
01:49to show everyone just how to throw a perfect Christmas party.
01:54Last night was brilliant.
01:56Jen really pulled out all the stops.
01:58The food quality was just absolutely incredible.
02:01Great entertainment.
02:03CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
02:06I feel like I have done myself proud.
02:08I feel like I've put on a great night, everybody enjoys it,
02:11and there was lots of good food.
02:14And your guests couldn't agree more as they gave you a near-perfect 38,
02:18which has clearly concerned final host Mrs Moneypenny.
02:22I think after last night the bar has been set very, very high
02:27for both Alex and for me.
02:29Well, indeed it has.
02:30And short of Alex inviting Santa round himself...
02:33You're not free, are you? No.
02:35Today's host Alex really has his seasonal work cut out for him.
02:39My menu's not festive at all, really.
02:41Oh, dear.
02:42I get a bit bored of Christmas because it goes on too long.
02:45Which is a shame because this is a Christmas special
02:47and Rebecca is not letting anybody forget it.
02:50I'm being very strict with everyone this week
02:52on how Christmassy their nights are.
02:54Tonight is just like what I do when I have my friends round.
02:57It's going to be quite relaxed and, yeah,
02:58so hopefully it's going to be a good night.
03:00I'm fairly optimistic.
03:01I'm not expecting the spectacular presentation
03:05that we had from Jen.
03:07I'm expecting much more of a lad's evening.
03:09I wouldn't be surprised if we're all sitting
03:12eating take-out curry on the floor.
03:14Well, it's funny you should say that
03:16as Alex kicks off with his main, a trio of curries.
03:19Prawn, dobiasa, pea and cauliflower curry and a sag paneer.
03:23It's an Indian theme, which is kind of the food that I love.
03:26And, yeah, hopefully everyone will enjoy it
03:28and have a nice, relaxed, good time.
03:31Please.
03:32Now, I don't like food that hurts to eat.
03:36I don't see the point.
03:38I don't enjoy it.
03:40And he's got three of them here.
03:42If he'd got any sense at all,
03:43he would have outsourced this to a curry house.
03:46If he phones it in, I'm going to kill him.
03:49Luckily for Alex, he didn't have a local takeaway number,
03:52so he's making it all himself, starting with the prawn dobiasa.
03:55Alex fries off onions.
03:57There we go.
03:59Then chops chillies and garlic.
04:01Don't forget to wash your hands.
04:03You've been chopping a chilli.
04:04You need the toilet, because otherwise you'll get a chilli.
04:08He adds chopped ginger, tinned tomatoes and a teaspoon of turmeric
04:11and gives it a good stir.
04:14Not massively Christmas for me.
04:16I'm a traditional Christmas type of girl.
04:19We know.
04:19It's actually nice to be going somewhere where there's...
04:23It's not traditional food, so the Indian theme I'm liking.
04:28In goes some mixed spices.
04:29Doesn't that look lovely?
04:31If you say so.
04:32Yeah.
04:33Alex adds vegetable stock and leaves to simmer.
04:37Having Blitz's curry base,
04:39Alex drops in a good blob of runny honey.
04:43Are you enjoying that?
04:46Is that good?
04:49No.
04:50I hope it's better when I put the butter and the Indians in.
04:52Oh, yes, I'm sure it'll taste better then.
04:54Probably the worst curry that I've made.
04:56That's something.
04:57Ever.
04:58So I just ho, ho, hope they forgive me.
05:00Well, it can't be as bad as that joke.
05:02Alex will add the prawns, butter and onions when his guests arrive.
05:06One curry down, two to go.
05:08The sag paneer and the pea and cauliflower curry.
05:13If you, like Alex, fancy treating your loved ones to curry at Christmas,
05:17then head to the Channel 4 website
05:18where you can download his and other more festive recipes
05:21into your own online scrapbook.
05:24Thumbs up.
05:25Oh, yeah, lovely.
05:26And so it's straight on to the starter.
05:28Crab samosas.
05:30Oh, my God.
05:31I like crab and I like samosas.
05:33Don't like fish.
05:34Love crab and I love samosas.
05:37I've never had crab samosa before.
05:39I probably won't be eating the starter at all.
05:42That's off to Alex for giving that a go.
05:44I wouldn't have a clue where to start.
05:46Thankfully, Alex does.
05:48He commences his snappy starter by peeling and chopping red onions.
05:53You don't cry from red onions, do you?
05:56Well...
05:57I can't see.
05:59That answers that, then.
06:00Are these onions finely chopped?
06:03They look all right to me.
06:04Right.
06:05Onion's ready.
06:07It's been emotional.
06:09Put these in and then I can mix in the crab and the spices.
06:14I was going to get the fresh crab, but I don't think Mrs Moneypenny would approve,
06:19so I've gone for the tinned stuff.
06:21I'm not so sure she's even happy about that.
06:23Crab samosa?
06:25Sounds very expensive to me.
06:27It doesn't really appeal to my super-scrimping nature.
06:30To his extravagant mix, Alex adds turmeric, ground cumin and then fries.
06:36First going to chuck in the chilli and the george.
06:39That's ginger to you and me.
06:41Next in go the spring onions.
06:43Spring onions, yeah.
06:45If you insist.
06:46The whole lot goes into a bowl, to which he adds coriander, plenty of salt and lemon.
06:53How's that, then?
06:57Too salty and too lemony.
06:58Well, you shouldn't have put all that salt and lemon in, then.
07:01With the filling done, Alex cracks on with the samosa casing, for which he needs some
07:05food glue.
07:06It's just flour and a bit of water that is going to help stick the samosas together.
07:13And you just rub a bit there.
07:16Alex makes tiny parcels out of shop-bought spring roll pastry, then packs in the crab filling.
07:21She's taking shape now, actually, isn't she?
07:24Oh, she looks like a lovely little elf pillow.
07:26Yeah, ho ho ho.
07:27It's just nice to be able to give three ladies crabs in one sitting, isn't it?
07:31Not Rebecca.
07:32She doesn't like fish.
07:33Yeah.
07:34Not good.
07:34No.
07:35So it's straight on with dessert, then.
07:38Gulab jamun.
07:40I don't even know how you pronounce that dessert.
07:43Gulab dessert.
07:44It says gulab jamun.
07:47To be honest, I'm the kind of person who, when she goes to an Indian restaurant, doesn't
07:50usually have a dessert.
07:51So I'd be very interested to try an Indian dessert.
07:53No, will you?
07:55Never it is a bit.
07:56I haven't got a clue what it is.
07:57Who knows what that is?
07:59And I don't think I want to know with it being Alex.
08:01Oh, it can't be that bad.
08:02Basically, they're just deep-fried balls.
08:04Ouch.
08:05Gulab jamun is made by combining Indian milk powder, baking soda and flour.
08:10Even easier than that, it's actually come in a bit of a mix.
08:12This is normally three ingredients.
08:14So you're cheating.
08:14But it's not a cheat because it's just basically three ingredients in one pack.
08:19So I could have just...
08:21So it's a cheat.
08:21It is a cheat.
08:23Yeah, it is a bit of a cheat.
08:24It just saves a bit of time, doesn't it?
08:25A bit of effort.
08:26Alex empties his packet into a bowl.
08:28Yeah.
08:29Adds a splash of water and thoroughly mixes.
08:32It smells good.
08:33It smells really sweet, actually.
08:35Well, that's quite handy for a dessert.
08:37I've got to make 40 balls from this.
08:40Good luck with that.
08:41I am worried that my balls are too small,
08:43but, like anything, put them on heat and they expand.
08:48Jolly good.
08:49With his dough balls formed, Alex heats up some oil,
08:52then turns his attention to the accompanying syrup.
08:54He adds rose water to sugar and water, then heats.
08:57The oil's OK now and the syrup's bubbling away,
09:01so I'm just going to drop four balls in for the first batch.
09:04Alex fries his balls for three minutes.
09:07Yeah!
09:08Not bad for a first batch.
09:10Then transfers them to a large serving dish
09:13and covers in the rose water syrup.
09:15That was my ball earlier, and then I've dipped them in syrup,
09:18hot syrup, and my balls have expanded.
09:20You must be absolutely cock-a-hoop.
09:22Alex will reheat the gulab jamoon when his guests arrive.
09:26Well, that's been done now, so I just need a shower,
09:29cos I absolutely stink.
09:30Charming.
09:30And, er, yeah, I'm going to go and get changed.
09:36Let's hope it's a merry Christmas and a happy new paneer.
09:40Oh, you will have none of that round here, thank you.
09:43First to arrive at the house Alex has had to borrow for the night,
09:46he's not from around these parts, you know,
09:47it's the one to beat Jen.
09:49Nice pyjamas.
09:51Hey!
09:54Hey!
09:56You all right?
09:57I just love the fact that Jen's arrived in a onesie,
09:59a low-cut onesie as well.
10:00Easy, Tiger.
10:01Here we go.
10:03Cheers!
10:04Cheers!
10:05Next up, it's the festive Mexican himself, Rav.
10:09Evening.
10:09It's freezing out, yeah?
10:10Evening, officer.
10:12Ta-da!
10:13How you doing?
10:14You all right, love?
10:16Good to see you.
10:16Looking good.
10:17I've got you a mango lassie.
10:18Do you want a...
10:19Mango what?
10:19It's milk.
10:21Mango.
10:22Sugar.
10:23Looks like a glass of custard to me.
10:25Third in and expecting a takeaway, it's Mrs Moneypenny.
10:29I can see the orange hat.
10:33Merry Christmas.
10:34After you.
10:36Good to see you, looking lovely.
10:37And last to arrive, it's the fish-hating Christmas fanatic,
10:40Rebecca.
10:42You're late!
10:44Ado!
10:45There she is.
10:46Have a nice, big, creamy...
10:48Cheers!
10:50Cheers!
10:51Woo!
10:51Charming up, criminal confessions.
10:53If someone was Nick because he was wanted on,
10:55Warren would let him out.
10:57Jobless tribes.
10:58I've never had a job.
11:00You disgust me.
11:02And jumbo japes.
11:04Woo!
11:05I'm an endangered species!
11:07Get off me, you mad one!
11:08It was the most bizarre game ever.
11:12It's the penultimate night of the celebrity Christmas cook-off
11:15and the turn of ex-Hollyoaks star Alex Carter
11:18to try and win £1,000 for charity with his festive curry night.
11:22I feel much more comfortable now people are here.
11:24Everything's prepared.
11:26So there's only like a limited, limited room for everything to go wrong.
11:30Alex fries off his samosas.
11:32Ha-ha!
11:33Hot, hot, hot.
11:34Yes, you've got way too much oil in there, I'm afraid.
11:37And he's even got a special treat for fish-hating Rebecca Adlington.
11:40I've found out that Rebecca doesn't like fish.
11:42I've got her a mince samosa.
11:44Is it mince pie?
11:45In a samosa.
11:47It's a mince samosa.
11:48Doesn't sound right, does it?
11:49No, it doesn't.
11:50Good luck with the first of your non-traditional Christmas dishes,
11:53crab samosas.
11:54Maybe they had Santa Claus.
11:56I'm so sorry.
11:57Here we go.
11:58Excuse me.
11:58There you go, Mrs M.
12:01Short notice, but I attempted something.
12:03It's sweet, not savoury, so I hope that doesn't put you off.
12:06Ooh, what is it?
12:08It's a mince pie.
12:10Oh!
12:11My starter was interesting, seeing as I had mince pies,
12:15and it's sweet, but I really, really do appreciate the effort.
12:19Going nice with the mango chutney.
12:22You made this yourself?
12:24Yeah.
12:25I thought we'd outsource as well, actually.
12:26I did think, Alex being a bit of a lat,
12:29he might have outsourced it all to an Indian takeaway,
12:31but no, he'd made it all himself.
12:33I'm, you know, good credit to him.
12:34Don't really, yeah.
12:35Mine are delicious.
12:37I love crab, and I love samosas,
12:39and he'd made them himself, which I was impressed with,
12:42and really well cooked.
12:44What does the festive fanatic make of her Christmas Indian, then?
12:47I can honestly say it was quite festive,
12:49because I had mince pie.
12:51To be fair, it's one of the best mince pies I've ever had.
12:53In a samosa?
12:55Back at the table, ex-copperav is explaining
12:57what it's like to spend Christmas in the nick.
12:59How cheery.
13:00The cells were normally quite quiet over at Christmas,
13:03and if someone was Nick because he was wanted on warrant,
13:06but it wasn't a particularly bad one or something,
13:08we'd let them out.
13:09Let them out?!
13:10And they could sit and walk around guzzly,
13:12watch a few films and...
13:13Are you kidding?
13:14Yeah, we'd let them just chill out of us.
13:15I applaud the idea of, you know, a bit of festivity.
13:20I don't think, I don't know how I feel about a hardened criminal being let loose.
13:24Even if it is just to watch Only Films and Horses.
13:26You know, Christmas is a time for goodwill at the end of the day,
13:29so if you are in the cells at a police station,
13:32and you've got someone that's found themselves arrested
13:34and can't go to court for three days until they reopen,
13:37I don't have a problem with letting them out
13:39and having a cup of tea with you and watching a bit of TV.
13:42Thankfully, Mrs. Emma has a sweeter Christmas tale.
13:45Actually, it's my 25th wedding anniversary is Christmas as well.
13:47Awww!
13:49Well, when did you get married?
13:50Congratulations!
13:5125 years ago.
13:52I tried to get married at Christmas,
13:54but the 25th, nobody would marry us.
13:57The 26th was a public holiday and nobody would marry us.
14:01The 27th, Mr. Emma had a key cricket match that he would not cancel.
14:05Crikey, he must really love you. Loves you.
14:09And so he agreed to marry me on the 28th of December.
14:11That sounds of it, Mrs. Emma's marriage sounded a lot more difficult
14:13than it should be.
14:15It sounded like someone was against it.
14:17Now then, Alex!
14:18Not sure if I've actually married the guy, but she did,
14:22and 25 years later, she's still going strong.
14:26So...
14:27I think my crabs went down well.
14:29So they're buying into your anti-Christmas dinner, then?
14:32I'm not anti-Cri... I'm not about humbug, but...
14:35You don't have to do turkey, do you?
14:37Well, no, I suppose not, but curry is hardly festive.
14:40I did toy with doing a turkey curry, actually,
14:43but I chickened out.
14:45It doesn't really make sense.
14:47Neither does curry at Christmas, but that didn't stop you.
14:50Thrice yes to curry.
14:52Oh, crikey.
14:52Thrice, no, not stir this one.
14:55Let's not forget about these little prawns.
14:57Oh, yes.
15:01A bit sweet.
15:03That needs a little bit of finesse, a bit of class.
15:08Delicately placed over everything to give it some flavour!
15:13Yeah.
15:15Yeah, it's good.
15:17And there it is, a trio of curries.
15:20Ho, ho, ho!
15:21And rice.
15:23It looked absolutely delicious!
15:28Yeah, get it stuck in.
15:28I've got the chillies there.
15:30The main was a trio of curries.
15:31Very nice.
15:32Prawn curry.
15:33There was a vegetable curry,
15:35and there was a very nice spinach and cheese curry.
15:37I tried two of them, seeing as one of them was of the fish variety,
15:41and I'm not going to eat my own kind.
15:44What, you're a fish?
15:45I don't really like peas, I don't really like cauliflower,
15:48and there was loads of onion in there, which I don't really like.
15:51It was just lots of things I didn't really like.
15:53It's actually not very spicy at all, is it?
15:56It all tasted really, really nice.
15:58Back at the table, talk turns to employment.
16:02What was your worst job you've ever had?
16:04Car washing.
16:05In a big...
16:06Do you like that?
16:07..a big American car wash that we had,
16:09with the song Car Wash on Repeat,
16:11from eight in the morning until half five at night.
16:13Yeah!
16:14This taking you back, Rav?
16:15I had red dungarees.
16:17Did you really?
16:18Yeah.
16:19And a red baseball cap.
16:20Yeah!
16:22Imagine driving through the car wash,
16:24and seeing Rav in his red dungarees.
16:27I'd rather not.
16:28I'd pay Rav to wash my car, don't I?
16:31I think Rav would be a very fetching car wash attendant,
16:34and I'd probably take my car to be washed quite a lot there.
16:36What's the worst job you've ever had?
16:38I've never had a job.
16:40Really?
16:41Never.
16:42You disgust me.
16:45The amount we've all paid in taxes to fund your...
16:50Excursion.
16:50Since I was, like, 11,
16:52I've been getting up at, like,
16:52quarter to five in the morning,
16:54swim two hours,
16:55then school,
16:56swim another two hours after school,
16:58every day.
16:59My mum used to make me, like, clean my room.
17:01I was like...
17:02Oh, no!
17:03She used to give me, like, a pound if I cleaned my room.
17:06Oh, my God!
17:06Do I paid for it?
17:07Who have you?
17:08Like, only for...
17:08No, like, you don't understand.
17:10Don't backtrack.
17:14Don't backtrack.
17:14She's the best person ever.
17:15She's obviously had one overriding and abiding job,
17:19which is to swim competitively,
17:22and she's put more hours into that job
17:24than most people do in so-called normal jobs.
17:27You know, she's won two Olympic gold medals,
17:30so...
17:31she doesn't need a job.
17:34With the jobs chat knocking the festive edge off things,
17:37Alex changes tack.
17:39Casting panto looking round this table.
17:41Sorry to give myself the best part,
17:43but I think I'd be buttons.
17:44What are you going to cast rabbits?
17:46You'd be a tree or something big, wouldn't it?
17:50I'm the talking tree.
17:51I wanted to be the ruddy talking tree!
17:53If you ever look at the next pantomime poster
17:56and you see Anne starring as the talking tree,
18:00Ralph Wilding,
18:00then you know that it's because of Becky Adlington's suggestion.
18:04I didn't even say talking, I just said a tree.
18:06He added the talking.
18:10I'll cast it.
18:11The Prince,
18:12Cinderella,
18:13Ugly Sisters,
18:14Buttons.
18:16Well, that's one way of changing the subject.
18:19The big burp from Bex,
18:20yes, that was unexpected.
18:22She belched out a triple curry
18:25right towards my face.
18:29Now that is a sign of appreciation, isn't it?
18:33I enjoyed my meal.
18:35Thank you, Alex.
18:37You can't tell whether people are being genuine or not,
18:39but I think they seemed all right.
18:40Sounded pretty genuine to me.
18:42Funny thing is,
18:42if I'd gone for something simple like a turkey dinner
18:44and nailed it,
18:46gobble, gobble,
18:47I might have done better, but...
18:51I'm not going to cry about it.
18:53Perhaps a party game will cheer you up.
18:54Oh!
18:57Goodness gracious me.
19:00I'm not having a nervous brain down.
19:02I'm Alex,
19:03the Indian Christmas elephant.
19:05Who fancies playing a game?
19:07Yeah!
19:08You're going to have to pin the tail on this elephant slash donkey.
19:13Not something I've ever played with my family at Christmas.
19:17I'm not going to lie.
19:18Why doesn't that surprise me?
19:25It's the most bizarre game ever.
19:30Okay.
19:32It was very Alex, that entertainment,
19:35because it was very juvenile.
19:36How many days of species?
19:46Oh, he's a doctor.
19:48I won.
19:50Again.
19:51Merry Christmas.
19:54I beat the Olympic athletes twice.
19:56Oh my God,
19:57it's a Christmas puttin' house.
20:01Oh my goodness.
20:03That game went on far too long.
20:05Team shower, yes?
20:06At least we've not all had spicy food as well.
20:09Oh my goodness.
20:10Too much curry, Mrs M.
20:12I think you'd better get your put out, fella.
20:13Woo-hoo-hoo!
20:14Alex loads his dessert glasses with ice cream,
20:17then drops in his fried balls.
20:19And there it is, gulab jamuun!
20:21Woo!
20:23Here we go.
20:24Nice hat.
20:25Ladies first, ladies first.
20:26You look great in my hat.
20:28Sorry, you don't mind, dear.
20:30No.
20:30Obviously, you're very taken with my hat.
20:32Yes, I'm taken with you as a person.
20:33What's it called?
20:35Gulab jamuun.
20:36Gulab jamuun.
20:37Yeah.
20:38Well done, Alex.
20:40I love you, too.
20:41Just like a mini doughnut.
20:42Yeah.
20:43That's kind of what it is, really.
20:44Adders.
20:45No one's ever called me Adders, apart from you guys.
20:47You kidding?
20:48What'd you get called, then?
20:49Becky.
20:51Funnily enough, my name.
20:53You don't have a nickname ever, no?
20:55No.
20:56Becky.
20:56You've never had a job.
20:58You've never had a nickname.
20:59All right.
21:0124.
21:01Not lived.
21:02Anyone else?
21:03My last couple of years, before I left the police, I was doing a little bit of TV stuff.
21:08Everyone in the police called me Nelly, and it was actually short for Ravanelly Man on the
21:12Telly.
21:14Brilliant.
21:14Well, now you're Ravanaxi Man in a Taxi.
21:17Dessert was actually nice, which was great, because I didn't really enjoy the main course.
21:22So, yeah, made up for it there.
21:24Dessert was lovely.
21:26It was like a little doughnut with a bit of syrup and some ice cream.
21:28I had no clue what it was at all when I read the menu earlier, so it was a pleasant
21:34surprise.
21:35I enjoyed it.
21:36It was nice.
21:36A little bit like doughnuts, which was good.
21:38Posh way of saying doughnuts, I think.
21:41Alex exceeded my expectations tonight.
21:43I have to tell you, the expectations were pretty low in the first place.
21:45Tonight was more fun, totally different, and was new experiences for myself, so I'm giving
21:52Alex an eight.
21:54Tonight, I'm going to give Alex a seven.
21:58It was a great night, great entertainment.
22:00I love Alex to bits, but for me, the main just wasn't meaty enough for me.
22:05So, for that reason, I'm giving him a seven.
22:09Tonight, I'm going to give Alex an Indian elephant eight.
22:16It must have been the curry.
22:18So, Alex's chilled-out approach to Christmas went down better than expected, as he got 30,
22:24putting him in second place.
22:26It's funny, the pressure you put yourself under, because you want people to have a good time.
22:32I just want to go back to having, like, you know, just one course in the evening, and maybe a
22:37chocolate bar.
22:40Next time!
22:42Follow me!
22:43Food fears!
22:44Never had venison before.
22:46Refused to eat it.
22:47Christmas carols!
22:48All-blown Christmas carol service.
22:52And a special surprise!
22:53Jen!
22:55It's me!
22:56It's me!
22:56want to make it 10! All
22:56make it easy. Yes, 2
22:56Go! Why?