Michael McIntyre: 'I'm obsessed with ratings, but I can't control whether people love things'

This season, the Bafta-winning comedian returns to BBC One with not one but two of his knockout game shows in Michael McIntyre's Big Show and The Wheel.

The concept for the latter, he says, is centred on an idea he came up with before the Covid-19 pandemic took hold - although he was unsure if "people would like the randomness of it".

Packed with huge stars, edge-of-your seat jeopardy and big laughs, its premise is simple: each week, three contestants hope to answer their way to a cash fortune, guided by seven celebrities who are suitably strapped to the circumference of a dizzying, spinning wheel.

Random, maybe, but McIntyre's hit concept was quickly named the highest new BBC entertainment launch in a decade when it first aired in 2020, with episode one drawing in a huge 6.8 million viewers.

"The ratings have been amazing," admits the 46-year-old Londoner, who initially worked hard with his design team to ensure the set adhered to stringent social distancing measures.

"We benefitted at the beginning because in lockdown people weren't legally allowed to leave their house - I can't tell you what a positive impression that leaves on ratings," he quips. "I was looking out the window, seeing people walking around and wondering if I should call the police and tell them to go home and watch The Wheel?"

"But I've always got an eye on the other channels," he adds. "I'm obsessed with ratings, but I can't control whether people love things."

McIntyre needn't worry, as much like all of his work (from his early Comedy Roadshow days until now), The Wheel has been a resounding success.

It's now set to return with a third series, complete with a stellar line up of willing and ready celebrities, including Tony Blackburn, Anton Du Beke, Josie Gibsn, Kadeena Cox and Emma Barnet.

"We make sure we have a lot of different generations," he explains. "We've had a lot of YouTubers who are a huge success, much more popular than I am, and they're in the mix with older people like Tony Blackburn," McIntyre reveals.

"We also had Yung Filly on the other day which was brilliant, and we've had Sidemen on."

It means there's a wide variety of expertise, he reasons, because each celebrity decides on a category which they deem themselves to be clued up on - although it's at the mercy of the wheel as to whether they get to answer on their own subject or not.

"Dermot (O'Leary) started on World War Two, then he went to Jaws, now last week he did fish," reveals McIntyre, smirking. "We didn't have comedians on the first series much, but when they came on they added a lot.

"When you get down to it, you need to mix it up with people who are of a more entertainment mindset. Joel Dommett came on and did heavy metal. Katherine Ryan did The Kardashians. We had Josh Widdecombe and he did CBeebies - and last week he did Neighbours. It's fun to see what people are into outside of what you know them for."

The format certainly makes for memorable moments, he argues. Like when "Big Nastie attempted to name a green fruit or vegetable and selected 'orange'. Or when Peter Andre tried to name all the Seven Dwarfs and went for 'Dec' from Ant and Dec.

"There's lots of amazing moments and they're all very natural as well," McIntyre continues. "That's what I like: that nothing's forced. Silliness comes out of questions; it comes out of personalities. There are people that wouldn't normally be together. Sometimes I go into the dressing rooms and meet the experts and I'm like, 'What a hilarious mix of people this is'.

"They would never, under other circumstances, work together but they have to come together for this."

Are there any dream guests he'd like to take for a spin?

"There are international A-listers, but I don't know if we would necessarily work with them," he jokes.

"I'm really happy with everybody who does it. And I also think that having people come back, who've done other series before, so they know the show, has really helped. I think we get a really good cross-section."

Loved by participants and audiences alike, McIntyre's brainchild has since been picked up by a host of different countries, each wanting their own slice of The Wheel.

"It's in lots of other countries - we even did it in America," notes the father-of-two, who is not only executive producer of the NBC version stateside but hosts it as well.

"If you want to have some fun, look up the hosts, because I think the Germans have just decided to cast a host that looks just like me. There is a heavy-set bouffe gentleman bouncing around The Wheel with a German accent who isn't me."

McIntyre confesses he "didn't expect" to host the US version. "I was more than happy not to," he says of the 10-episode run. "It hasn't been broadcast so it could yet be a disaster and I will regret doing it but it looks good. It was really fun."

As for the Americans' approach to game shows, "they're so full-on," McIntyre compares. "The contestants give you so much, the experts give you so much. It was very full-on, which gave me more to work with.

"The other difference is we had a smaller wheel, for six people, because there are adverts. But I quite like the ads, because it's nice to be able to have a little break. I like setting the game up and giving high drama going into breaks."

He follows: "I don't know if it's going to land, I don't know if people are going to take to it. They might find me really annoying, I just have no idea. Obviously, I would love it to work just to do new things and do shows out there and tour out there and start again. It's quite fun to do that."

Is a move across the pond on the cards?

"I wouldn't move there. I don't want to tempt fate, I don't know," McIntyre answers. "I'm completely unknown in America. I was around a lot of people there and nobody knew (who I was). Somebody asked me for a photo - but they wanted me to take a photo of them," he remembers, chuckling.

"Being recognised in America... that is what I dream about. I dream about them using my catchphrase in my face: 'It's a one in three!'.

"We'll see if that plays out. A lot of people have had success over there but they're very different to us. We'll see if it works. If not, we'll just keep going."

The Wheel, BBC1, 5.40pm.