After a three year hiatus, the smash hit Saturday night entertainment spectacular, Michael McIntyre’s Big Show returns to BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

Filmed in front of a live audience at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane and hosted by the BAFTA award winning Michael McIntyre, the show is back with big stars, big laughs and even bigger surprises featuring returning favourites such as the hilarious Send to All, Celebrity Midnight Gameshow AND the Unexpected Star of the Show.  Plus brand new audience surprises and a host of outstanding new features.

Q&A with Michael McIntyre

Michael, for those who might watching for the first time, how would you describe Michael McIntyre’s Big Show?

I have a little slogan I say at the start of the show which is big stars, big laughs and big surprises and that is exactly what we are trying to do. In fact, sometimes I just say big... then the audience say the rest which is fun. And yes of course there are big stars this series. We have lots of big stars and have fun with them.  It’s old school pranking with hidden cameras, great performances and it’s also emotional at times.  It’s got heart, it’s emotive and hopefully hilarious. I have always thought that if you are watching something and you can laugh and cry at the same show for the right reasons then I think you are winning. You don’t want to be crying at the jokes and laughing at our attempts at sentimentality! Every show is different and I am hoping very entertaining.

How did it feel to be back filming in front of a live audience?

It’s amazing. I always get very excited by theatres. Performing stand-up is always better in the theatre as it just creates a better atmosphere and it felt great to be back, very natural.

Can you tell us who is playing Send to All in the new series and do you have a favourite?

Send to All is a big part of the show, where I take a celebrity’s phone and send a funny text to all of their contacts so that means a lot of humour and silliness. I take control of their phone, go through apps and pictures which is always hilarious.

It’s impossible for me to pick a favourite as I have favourites for different reasons.  Going through Alison Hammond’s phone was one of my favourites as she is so fun and silly. I think having Lewis Capaldi’s phone was my favourite for another reason, he is really cool, it was nice to have him there and he’s so naturally funny. Jonathan Ross was another favourite for the reason that his phone book was insane and we had a really good text for him. A lot of people texted back and he is a real icon. I think people will be excited by his phone and his contacts which is basically everyone. So for different reasons there is something in all of them that I really like.

Who are you waking up to play the Midnight Gameshow?

One Midnight Gameshow that was very memorable for me this series was Peter and Abbey Crouch. Abbey set him up and what’s amazing about that one is that they were on holiday!  So we went to their holiday home, Peter was not expecting that!  I mean no one is expecting me to come into their bedroom when you go to sleep at night, but you certainly don’t expect it when you are on holiday in Portugal!

Alexander Armstrong was wonderful because he has got a lovely house and he is so sweet and so funny.  There is some hilarious moments in his gameshow including a ‘posh-off’ with Jamie Laing, there are also two sheep in his bedroom!  We also have Chris and Rosie Ramsey who are an amazing podcasting sensation from Newcastle, love them. He is a big UFC fan so naturally we built a cage around his bed where he gets into various chokeholds while I quiz him about his wife, things like what’s Rosie’s maiden name whilst he’s in a hold shouting ‘Crawford!’.

Are there more audience surprises this series?

As well as the Midnight Gameshow we have some incredible surprises. One of them involves my other show, The Wheel. I also infiltrate the Antiques Roadshow to surprise an antiques collector which is one of the best things we have ever done and it’s hilarious. Maybe my absolute number one surprise of all time that we have done is with a football fan when he went to watch an Everton game and what happened to him was beyond his wildest dreams.

Finally, can you describe Michael McIntyre’s Big Show in three words?

The Big Show? I mean it’s quite well named.  Well…. Is feel-good one word? Funny,  Feel-good. So I have got one more word?  Funny, Family, Feel-good.