Gavin & Stacey’s James Corden scores with a new panel show that combines his gift for comedy with his love of sport. Just don’t expect him to be a strict referee!

Are you a walking sports encyclopaedia?
No I’m not, and I think that’s the beauty of the show. At no point does it move into the kind of sporting trivia that you need to study.

Do you find yourself getting comedy competitive?
I tell you, that is the nicest thing about this show, that competitive edge isn't there. I’ve been on panel shows where I’ve felt like that but for some reason that doesn’t seem to be there on this show. Everyone seems to want to make the show very warm and friendly as opposed to who can be the funniest.

Are you a strict presenter?
I don’t know really, I’ve never thought of myself as strict. I just want the show to be warm and fun, rather than it be about which team is going to win.

Is there a scoring system?
Each game ends in a quick-fire round, but mostly I just want to have a laugh.

Is it harder to find entertaining sportsmen and women?
I don’t think so, once you get past all the people around them. I’ve just been lucky enough to do a sketch with Sport Relief with quite a few of these guys, and to a person, they were all lovely and warm with a great sense of humour.

Was your Sport Relief sketch with David Beckham?
Yeah, Becks has done a bit on it, Andy Murray is in it.

Andy Murray seems so dour.
I tell you, he is one of the nicest, friendliest and funny guys I’ve met.

You wouldn’t know that.
You wouldn’t, but that’s because we’ve almost made our athletes behave this way because you can’t be honest in an interview anymore. The minute you say something, it’s taken and twisted and turned into something else, which is all over the back pages. So you learn to say nothing and then you look grumpy, which he isn’t at all. I really warmed to him.

Do you prefer working in a team?
I think everything in life is a lot more fun if you share it with other people, isn’t it? I don’t see why or how work should be any different.

As a West Ham fan, do you think that West Ham should bring back the Hammerettes?
I do miss them, I’ve got to be honest. I thought they brought a nice energy to the stadium.

Should they wear the Katy Perry West Ham MTV number?
That would be terrific. I think the club asked if they could borrow that from Russell Brand but he said it’s not really in a particularly good state.

David Sullivan and David Gold bought a 50% stake in West Ham and have talked about opening up the other 50% to investors — would you be interested?
I don’t have nearly enough money to burn it in that way, sorry.

Have you been approached?
No, I think they’re looking for someone with a lot more money than me!

By Linda Gibson