Stacey Solomon overhauled Stephen Mulhern’s wardrobe: ‘She might be taking it a bit too far’

The presenter is rolling in it with his new show (Picture: ITV/Metro.co.uk)

The TV host and magician, 44, on trolls, why Stacey Solomon is his wardrobe guru and never seeing Hollyoaks.

The first series of your arcade-based game-show Rolling In It aired on the hottest day last summer for 17 years. How optimistic were you that anyone would be at home watching?

Every time a new TV show comes on everyone goes, ‘Oh, let’s hope the weather’s bad.’

So when it was the hottest day for years everyone was in panic mode going, ‘That’s it. We’re done for.’ Then we got the ratings the following day and thank goodness it was a hit.

Do you stay in and watch it yourself just to do your bit for the ratings?

Yeah I always stay in for the first episode of the series. There is something about seeing it go out on ‘the real TV’.

People tell me you should never look at social media but I do because you can get a good gauge of what people’s general feeling is.

Obviously you get some idiots but then you get idiots everywhere.

Do you answer back to trolls?

I’ve been very, very lucky not to get much trolling but if I ever get a bad comment I actually thrive on it.

I love either muting someone so they don’t even know you’ve made the effort to respond or just ignoring them.

Rolling In It involves teams of celebs and contestants rolling giant coins down slots and answering questions, and 16-34 year olds have really gone for it. How come it has the same sort of demographic as Love Island?

I think it’s the excitement and the drama of the show. The thing I get from the 16-34 year olds is, ‘Oh, this show is brutal!’ At first I was like, ‘Is that a good thing?’ but now I know it is. It’s not a harsh show it’s just an exciting show.

Because of Covid restrictions the one problem I’ve had is that I can’t give the contestants a hug, which is a real shame.

Not that a hug is going to really help if you’ve just lost £25,000.

On Love Island if one of the Islanders wears an I Saw It First dress it will sell out in 30 minutes. What sort of response do you get to your natty suits?

I think people generally like the suits. As a presenter and a performer you do feel different in a suit, my body language changes.

I’m more upright. You are in show zone. ‘Here we go!’ The suit is really important. Bizarrely if I did this show without the tie it just wouldn’t feel right.

Stacey shared some organisation tips (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)

Are you a clothes hoarder? Have you still got that old jacket of Dec’s that he used to wear on SM:TV?

I will never get rid of Dec’s old jacket. No way. Oh my goodness though, during lockdown I decided I was going to go through everything. I tried every single thing on.

The amount of shirts I had in my wardrobe that were faded or didn’t fit anymore. It was madness.

I tell you who made me do it, Stacey Solomon. Seeing her do her stuff [with her recycling app] is phenomenal.

I think she might be taking it a bit too far when she’s hanging up packets of crisps on pegs but apart from that I think she’s genius.

I’ve even been looking at all my socks. I’ve got a drawer full of socks.

How many pairs of socks does any one person actually need? I’ve decided one per day and one extra pair just in case.

Rolling In It airs in other parts of the world. Do they get hosts that look like you to present the show?

In Germany they’ve got a new host to present it and if they think the German host looks like me they need to go to Specsavers.

If he is based on me I tell you I am doing something very wrong!

What happened when Kian the handbag market stall trader from Derby gave Martine McCutcheon, who was the celebrity he was paired with, a bit of an earful?

Oh. My. God. If I was Martine, I think I would have said something. The idea of Kian losing, he just wasn’t having any of it.

Martine would say something and he would literally shut her down. She was trying her hardest to help him.

Listen, Martine can look after herself but I did feel a tiny bit uncomfortable at points.

It’ll be interesting to see how he comes across on the show. It was quite intense. She had to calm him down.

Martine came head to head with a difficult contestant (Picture: S Meddle/ITV/Shutterstock)

You’ve got a soap special with Simon Gregson, Lisa Riley and Richard Blackwood. Which soap are you most into?

Corrie and Emmerdale I just love. I’ve got to tell you I have never seen an episode of Hollyoaks in my life. I didn’t say this to Richard.

Were there any questions that could have revealed your lack of Hollyoaks expertise?

There was one that asked what is the last instrument that you hear on the end credits of Hollyoaks? It’s a guitar. I know the theme tune. I’ve just never watched the show.

What will you be doing with the rest of your day today?

I’ve got to go and do some shopping. It’s a nice sunny day so I’m going to pop into town, which only takes me about 10/15 minutes.

I’m in Chiswick but I also have a little place on the front in Brighton, which I love. Then I will make something nice to eat tonight. I’ve got a new dish that I’m making, parma ham chicken pasta. That’s a bit fancy for me.

Rolling in It airs on Saturday evenings on ITV