Our Unlikely Friendship

Stephanie Beacham and Syd Little on how heading to India for The Real Marigold Hotel was enlightening…

- Hannah Davies

Even after two series of BBC travelogue The Real Marigold Hotel, we still can’t get enough of seeing celebrities of a certain age being tested to the limit as they immerse themselves in the colour, vibrancy and challenges of India.

Happily, the heart-warming show is back this week with nine new star pensioners, including Dynasty legend Stephanie Beacham and comedian Syd Little, tackling everything from near-misses with speeding tuk-tuks to spiritual enlightenment in one of Rajasthan’s most famous ashrams.

Here, in an exclusive interview with TV Times, Stephanie, 71, and Syd, 75, tell us all about their thrilling four-week experience in the beautiful city of Udaipur…

Have you ever been on a group holiday like this before?

Stephanie: No! It was a bit like Big Brother on tour because you’ve got so many personalities. There were rather a lot of people to take into consideration, which is the trouble with a group that large!

Syd: I must admit I felt a bit daunted and starstruck at the airport when I found out who else was going because there were all these mega stars and then little old me. But luckily I’d known The Krankies for more than 50 years, so that helped me settle in.

What were you hoping to get from the experience?