Apocalypse Wow | Interview with AJ Odudu (The Host)

Tell us about Apocalypse Wow. What’s the premise of the show? What can viewers expect from the series?

I mean how to put it into words! It’s basically a celebrity game show where celebrities are put through their paces in a series of ridiculous and funny challenges in order to win money for their chosen charities. It’s a one in one out policy though so as soon as one person is banished from the Torture Dome another celebrity enters and plays on for their charities. It’s hosted by myself and Donna Preston who plays The Mistress. I love it! It’s essentially absolutely wacky but really fun, really physical, it’s all the things that I love about television and it involves all of our favourite celebrities.

You and Donna preside over the mayhem of the torture dome. Tell us about your role as the host.

I kick off proceedings, I welcome all of our celebs, I welcome Donna as The Mistress, and I am really guiding the viewers through this mayhem, essentially. I am the straight one, so to speak, and chaos ensues around me. Imagine me being the sensible one in all of this!

Why did you want to host the series?

I just thought it’s right up my street, I love a challenge based show so anything which involves anything physical is the type of show that I’d enjoy partaking in. So as soon as the opportunity came, I was just like ‘Yes! 100%!’ Also, it’s in a massive studio and I’ve always wanted to present a big shiny studio show. In addition to the fact, I love anything celebrity where you get to see celebrities in a different light. I mean honestly, what’s not to love? It’s challenge based, celebrities, lots of fun! Honestly it was a no brainer.

If you had to go up against one of the Superhuman Bosses, who would it be and why?

There was this guy called Hot Slippy Jesus and he essentially wrestles, he’s a wrestler basically. He is legit the UK’s no 1 gravy wrestler. I didn’t think that was a thing until I met him, he wrestles some of our celebs in a massive pool of lube, it’s basically unbelievable scenes and he’s the person I’d love to go up against because… what a challenge! Wrestling anyway, I mean mental! But wrestling slippy substances, I’m just like why? And how? I wanna try! It’s mental! The Superhuman Bosses…. I don’t know how they found them? Like Master Enormo is one of the world’s strongest man and I’d go up against him now, it’s like running around a dome with him chasing you and pushing you around and stuff. It’s a really fun game of ‘the floor is lava’ and musical chairs but in a dome with a giant man hurling a huge wrecking ball at you. There’s this actual real life mermaid who can hold her breath underwater for literal minutes. It’s definitely the type of show viewers will watch and want to have a go at, but don’t try this at home! It’s a weird Total Wipeout.

Which Superhuman boss do you think the celebrities found most challenging going up against and why?

Pole Cat! Essentially, a professional pole dancer, the celebs have to climb up and down this pole fully clothed and take a load of golden tickets and put them in a bucket. They all have to race against Pole Cat and honestly, I’ve never seen a woman work a pole like it! It was unbelievable. Even Pussycat Doll Kimberley Wyatt was like ‘she’s next level!’

Was there a particular celeb who really stood out to you in terms of their ability?

Watching Kimberley Wyatt is like watching a real life superhero. She is Wonder Woman. She is physically good at everything, it’s a damn joke. I just don’t understand. I’m like how are you so fit? And flexible? And agile? And good at everything? But at the same time, like everyone who partook, brought something to the table and was really surprising in their own way. Who knew that Bobby Norris would be good at wrestling a man in a tub full of lube? Scarlett Mofatt was just gold, in her own unique way. Really good for team morale, really good for one liners and absolutely hilarious. Everyone really did shine!

The Superhuman Bosses possess weird and wonderful talents. Do you have a special talent you’re proud of?

My special talent actually is the ability to tidy up in seconds. I don’t know about you but I’m the sort of person where someone will be coming around and the place is a shit tip and I’m like ‘It’s fine, I’ve got plenty of time!’ and then about 10 minutes before they arrive I’m like ‘Quick, get the vacuum out, load the dishwasher, put all the clothes away!’ I can literally clean my house in a speedy time.

What was your favourite moment from filming the series?

It sounds really mean but my favourite moment was seeing Bobby Norris, hoisted up into the centre of this dome, dressed as a giant piñata getting bashed by other celebrities. It was so funny! Also watching Jordan Davies in the giant piñata outfit, and he just fell over. That was hilarious too! I had so much fun filming it.