Maureen Lipman talks DNA Journey, Celebrity Gogglebox and TV habits

This interview was originally published in Radio Times magazine.

What’s the view from your sofa?

At the moment I don’t really have a sofa. That’s between me and Sofology... but I have a chair and I have a fake fire, and like to sit there with a glass of wine.

And what do you watch?

I’ll watch what’s on Sky Arts and then I’ll scroll down and if there’s something like Countryfile on I’ll watch that: it gives me some peace. I don’t care whodunnit. Not for me. What I’m really enjoying is This Is Going to Hurt. It’s wonderful. Beautifully acted, very funny, but also hard and dark. I believe it.

What won’t you watch?

I hate cookery programmes. The other night, the news from the Ukraine was absolutely heinous and then the television changed from the new... and it’s Nigella. Obviously, this isn’t Nigella’s fault, but there she is saying, “I like steak. I like to do it with double cream...” And I’m just thinking, “This is so inappropriate.”

You’re in the new series of ITV’s DNA Journey with Rula Lenska. Why did you want to do it?

I didn’t really want to do it because I’m prejudiced against what I call weeping documentaries. Even The Repair Shop, which I used to love, has gone completely lachrymose. And also because I knew that Rula was a Countess, whereas I was from some dismal shtetl. As it happened, it turned out to be one of the nicest things I’ve ever done.

You make a great couple…

I didn’t really know her until we were both on Corrie. It was great when she was on because I had someone else like me – if you could describe her as like me. She’s a bit more glamorous. We were the elderly crumpets. Well, she was the elderly crumpet. I’m just elderly. But I think if you’re at this age, and you’re not a couple – I lost my partner [Guido Castro, to COVID-related complications] in January last year – then you do rely on friends. Because, my God, even with my life, which would seem on the surface to be very busy, you do spend a lot of nights sitting in front of the cathode ray thinking, “I don’t want to be here.”

We miss seeing you on Celebrity Gogglebox with Gyles Brandreth. Is that all done?

It is from my point of view. I’m sure they’ll put someone else with Gyles. I went into Gogglebox imagining that they wanted me for my wit and my brain. Of course, they just want to show you willies and for you to be shocked. Honestly, we were really funny together, but none of that was used. And if they don’t want to use what we gave them, f**k them.

You were involved in a couple of public spats about cancel culture and Helen Mirren playing Golda Meir. Do you regret putting your head above the parapet?

My kids would like me to rein it in. I don’t mean to be provocative, but if you are an opinionated person or if you care about injustice, then you do tend to speak out. I don’t think it’s made me very popular to be anti-Corbyn or indeed to take Ed Miliband on about his attitude to Israel. I’m not on the BAFTA list any more, or the Evening Standard Theatre Awards. Those days have gone. But criticism always hurts whatever age you are. I don’t feel “released” to be a cantankerous old bag, even if I am one. I like things to be nice as well.

You can read the full interview with Dame Maureen Lipman in this week's issue of Radio Times magazine. Subscribe now to get each issue delivered to your door. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey.

DNA Journey with Dame Maureen Lipman and Rula Lenska airs on Tuesday 12th April at 9pm on ITV and ITV Hub. Find something to watch tonight with our TV Guide.