‘He’s been through a lot of personal things’: Amanda Holden reveals she wanted to give Alan Carr a boost by teaming up with him for a new show after he was left behind in ‘Red’ after splitting from husband Paul Drayton
She will return to TV screens in 2023 alongside Alan Carr with a brand new BBC show in Sicily.
And Amanda Holden has revealed the show, titled The Italian Job, was born out of her desire to do something nice for her close friend Alan.
The 51-year-old presenter shared that she was hoping to give the Chatty Man star a project to help him get through his split from husband Paul Drayton earlier this year.
Cheering up: Amanda Holden has explained that her new BBC show with Alan Carr was built out of a desire to give the close friend a kind gesture following his split from husband Paul Drayton
Alan and his husband, Party Planner, announced their separation in January this year after 13 years together and three years of marriage.
And hoping to cheer him up during the trying time, his close friend Amanda decided to keep the comedian busy while giving him a sunny vacation.
Speaking to The Mirror, the BGT judge explained that on the show, which follows the renovation of a building, Alan will take on a project that is very similar to him, as it starts out as nothing and turns into something “beautiful”.
“He’s been through a lot of personal stuff. I want to give him a project that will start with something in ruins – much like him – and end up with this beautiful building,” she told the publication.
Bright idea: Hoping to cheer him up during this difficult time, his close friend Amanda decided to keep the comedian busy while giving him a sunny vacation
In a nutshell: The BGT judge explained that on the show, which follows a building renovation, Alan will take on a project that is very similar to him in that it starts out as nothing and turns into something “beautiful”.
Next: “And Alan too – he’s going to be mentally reshaped a bit. He may be a little more optimistic and hopeful about the future.”
The Italian job combines Amanda and Alan’s love of interior design and DIY as they take on a new property and repair it from the ground up – including challenges like plumbing, painting and plastering.
For the show, Amanda found two apartments in the medieval town of Salemi, about an hour from Sicily’s capital Palermo, and bought them for just €2 – with plans to bang them up.
And it wasn’t without its challenges, as the duo had to get their hands dirty for many of the comfort-zone-breaking tasks.
Tough: The Italian job combines Amanda and Alan’s love of interior design and DIY as they take on a new property and repair it from the ground up – including challenges like plumbing, painting and plastering
Despite the idea of taking Alan’s mind off the divorce, the TV personality admitted it was just as bad at times, joking, “It’s up there with death and divorce if you ask me. All Ds: Death, Divorce and DIY.’
But Amanda’s plan seemed to have worked, and the comedian went on to say the project had a positive impact on him.
“It comes at just the right time. Perfect. It’s hard work, but I wanted it to be hard work. We really found each other,” Alan concluded.
Alan and his former husband Paul announced their split with a joint statement, which read: “After 13 years as a couple and three years of marriage, Alan Carr and Paul Drayton would like to announce that they are separating.
“They made the difficult decision together and amicably to divorce and go their separate ways. We request that their privacy is respected at this sensitive time.’
Paul then posted on Instagram that he is currently in rehab for alcoholism after “a challenging couple of years” in which he pleaded guilty to drunk driving charges last November.
End: Alan and his husband Paul Drayton, the party planner, announced their split in January this year after 13 years together and three years of marriage (pictured 2019)