Alan Carr says Sir Bruce Forsyth once boosted his confidence as he now follows in his footsteps

Alan Carr launches his Epic Gameshow this weekend and he has now discussed how legendary entertainer Sir Bruce Forsyth had a huge impact on his career

Alan Carr is looking forward to following in Sir Bruce Forsyth’s footsteps after Brucie boosted his confidence on his chat debut.

The comic will host Brucie’s old show Play Your Cards Right tonight in his new ITV series Alan Carr’s Epic Gameshow.

Alan said: "Play Your Cards Right and Price Is Right make me feel all cosy and fuzzy inside because that’s when the Carrs would sit down on a Saturday night and watch TV together. I was a huge fan of Brucie.

"He was my first guest ever on Chatty Man and was an absolute star.

"He invited me to his house and I went to tell him about this new chat show I was doing.

"After it aired, my phone rang and I didn’t pick up as I didn’t recognise the number.

"It was Brucie telling me how much he enjoyed being a guest and that he thought I had a big hit on my hands.

"It was the loveliest message to receive, especially from TV royalty.

"On Chatty Man I took the Mick about how rubbish his jokes were on Strictly. He told a joke on there which bombed, and he said, quick as a flash, ‘Alan Carr told me that’! Cheeky sod."

Alan will host five famous game shows for the series and, after a celeb charity special this week, contestants will aim to win cash or other prizes.

To prepare, Alan has been watching clips of the shows including Strike It Lucky and Bullseye – but he won’t try to mimic the original hosts.

He said: "I’ll just be me – you can’t replace these presenters."

Alan also recently made a surprise appearance on The Graham Norton Show where he joined his old friend Graham and Hollywood star Dakota Johnson for a short skit.

Alan can also be seen as a judge alongside Graham on RuPaul's Drag Race UK, which is now available on BBC iPlaye r.

Alan Carr’s Epic Gameshow starts on Saturday at 8.15pm on ITV.

Will you be watching Alan Carr's new series this wekend? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.