THIS IS MY HOUSE: INTERVIEW WITH STACEY DOOLEY (HOST)
The show sees four people all claim to be the same person and all own the same house. The catch - three of them are actors. At stake is a cash prize, and all the real homeowner has to do to win is tell the truth.
Hosted by Stacey Dooley, This Is MY House promises plenty of laugh-out-loud moments as each of the four opponents tries to prove that they are the real deal. It’s a fun show that challenges our prejudices and asks a simple question. Can the truth win? Below is a press interview with Stacey.
What is the premise of the show?
We go into people’s houses, where there are three imposters and one genuine homeowner, and our celebrity panel have to figure out who really lives there. If they guess correctly the homeowner wins £1,000, but if an imposter convinces them the homeowner goes home with nothing. It’s really daft and fun, it’s total escapism! I thoroughly enjoyed it and I think people will enjoy playing along at home.
Tell us about your role on the show.
I am the host on the show, so I spend time at the home with our imposters and the real homeowner, I probe them and ask them questions they should know the answer to, if it really is their house! My favourite part is when you meet the partner and they stay mute, but you have three strangers declaring their undying love for this person. It’s so awkward, the real homeowner has to watch these strangers tell their husband or wife how gorgeous they are!
What made you want to be a part of the show?
This is the first time I have done a pure entertainment show, I just feel there is such an appetite for total escapism at the moment. We’ve all had such a hellish time and everyone has had such an unbearable year, and this show is just such a laugh. You find yourself playing along, trying to suss everyone out, which is really fun.
We’re all wired with these prejudices and unconscious biases, and find ourselves automatically judging people, so I love the fact the show breaks down those boundaries and it goes against the grain. At the end of filming, when the actors broke character, it was so interesting hearing about their real selves. So I love how the show goes against everything you know.
Did you find yourself playing along, did you often guess correctly?
Right at the start, when I signed up, I said I didn’t want to know who the homeowner was or who the actors were, so I could play along as we filmed. Sometimes I cottoned on really quickly, but there was a couple where for a few hours I was convinced it was one of the actors' homes.
The tell-tale signs for me were how they moved around the home, the way they opened drawers, answered the phone and little things like that. There was one episode, I was certain it was one of the imposters and he slipped up on one of the questions, and then there was a boomerang of doubt.
Was there any competitiveness or rivalry between the contributors?
It really differed from home to home, sometimes they were so desperate to win and really going for it with no holds barred. But others were super chilled which sometimes made it harder to spot the actors. But at the end of filming they had all bonded after spending the day together, a lot of them have Whatsapp groups now.
Were there any surprises during filming?
The biggest surprise is when you think you have it right, and then something changes and you realise you’re barking up the wrong tree. But I really liked that, that was part of the fun for me.
Tell us about the celebrity panel, who do you think had the best eye for honesty?
Emily is a total sweetheart, I have never worked with her before so that was lovely; Judi is a scream, she is so funny; Bill is the kindest man in television, he bought me a cake on the last day of filming, and Jamali reminds me of the lads I grew up with which was really lovely. They worked so well as team which was so nice to watch.
Jamali had the best eye for honesty though, nothing got past him, he is so sharp. But I loved watching them debating, and it was fun to see them have a different train of thought to me.
What can viewers expect from the show?
It’s a great easy watch for viewers at home, I think it will bring people joy and it really is such a fun show. It’s a little bit Gogglebox, a little bit Through The Keyhole with a bit of Would I Lie To You? as well. I think viewers will feel included and part of the panel as they find themselves guessing along at home.
This Is MY House begins Wednesday 24th March at 9pm on BBC One.