Sunday Brunch host Simon Rimmer has revealed he and co-host Tim Lovejoy love being compared to another TV double act – I’m A Celebrity’s Ant and Dec.
Speaking exclusively to Entertainment Daily, Simon revealed the duo are “often” compared to the Geordie presenters.
It’s something that Simon says is incredibly flattering.
However, he claimed himself and Tim are more like “Ant and Dec’s dads”.
What did Simon say about Ant and Dec?
Simon revealed: “People often compare us, [we’re] kind of like Ant and Dec’s dads.”
He added: “I quite like it. Ant and Dec are the best presenting duo in the UK. If we’re even mentioned in the same sentence as them then I’m dead happy with that.”
Simon said he thinks he and Tim have a lot in common with the I’m A Celebrity hosts.
Read more: Fans say Simon Rimmer looks like Will Young in throwback picture
Early on in their TV career, he said they decided to make sure their relationship was “very positive”.
People often compare us, [we’re] kind of like Ant and Dec’s dads. If we’re even mentioned in the same sentence as them then I’m dead happy with that.
“I think quite often when you get male groups on TV they tend to be quite competitive in an aggressive way. Things like the Top Gear guys, it’s a little bit on one-upmanship.
“We tend not to do that. Of course we take the Mickey out of each other but we try to always be very positive about each other and that’s what Ant and Dec do.
“I think people like that. You see that every bit of Mickey taking is tongue in cheek and they’re not trying to score points over each other,” he added.
‘We’re proper proper friends’
Simon and Tim also have something in common with another famous TV presenting duo.
Just like Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield, he and Tim go on holiday together.
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“We’re proper proper friends,” he said.
“We went to Miami a couple of New Years ago with our families and took the kids. It was just brilliant.”
The impact of coronavirus on the restaurant trade
One thing that isn’t great, though, is how the second lockdown is affecting his chain of restaurants and bars.
“It’s tough,” he told ED!. “There’s no two ways about it.”
He added: “One of the hard things is not knowing what happens on the other side of it. We don’t know when this ends.”
He also hit out at the government’s tiered lockdown and the reduced furlough that was initially offered to the north.
He said: “I like to think I’m a concerned employer – I don’t really want people to lose their jobs.
“One of the very frustrating and annoying things that happened prior to the announcement of the second lockdown was that when we were in tier three in Manchester, furlough payments were only 67%.
“And then when the whole of the country, ie the south got involved, suddenly we were back up to 80%.
“That genuinely saved some people’s jobs but I think it’s quite a disgrace that the value of people in the north was seen as being less valuable than people in the south.”
Fond memories of Strictly
Simon appeared on the BBC dance show back in 2017 and was partnered with Karen Hauer.
However, he admits this year he’s rooting for Bill Bailey because “as an old bloke myself, to see an old bloke win it would be incredible”.
Simon also revealed that he feels sorry for this year’s contestants because they aren’t getting the full Strictly experience due to COVID.
“The thing I find quite sad this year is you can see that all the contestants, I’m not saying they’re not having a great time because they will be because it’s a great show to do, but they’re not having the full Strictly experience.
“The joy of Strictly for me was the Friday rehearsal – it was always the best day. You’d all meet in the studio and you’d catch up with all the other people on it and you’d have lunch together, chat to the other pro dancers.
“But because they’re all in a bubble, you can’t do that any more and I think that’s a shame.”
Simon also revealed his favourite moment on the show – and how it’s still a hard watch for him.
“My favourite moment really has to be when I did the waltz to You’ll Never Walk Alone.
“As a massive Liverpool fan that properly brought tears to my eyes.
“Still now I actually struggle to watch it because it still makes me really emotional because of the significance of the song.”
Sunday Brunch airs on Channel 4 on Sundays at 9.30am.
Simon is brand ambassador for Hoover and recently took part in a cook-along to support Magic Breakfast, a charity which provides breakfasts for kids in need.
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