Alex Polizzi 'Fixer' Q&A: 'I have to deal with bloody awful people'

Hotel Inspector star and business expert Alex Polizzi has made the move from Channel 5 to BBC Two and is launching a new Fixer TV series.

Polizzi has toured the UK offering her no-nonsense verdicts and advice to struggling family businesses, banging heads together and putting family matriarchs on the straight and narrow when needed.

Digital Spy caught up with Polizzi to get the lowdown on the new series.



Are you excited or nervous about leaving behind The Hotel Inspector and Channel 5?
"A bit of both, as usual. Nothing is complete pleasure. It's rather nerve-wracking. I was very comfortable and happy with Channel 5, I just desperately needed a break from looking at hotels to tell you the truth. I've done it a lot in recent years and I've found it depressing and quite hard to find new things to say all the time. You don't want to repeat yourself a thousand times and you want to tread new ground occasionally. I think the show will give me the chance to do that."

Your new show The Fixer is about family businesses. How successful have you been at helping them?
"I had a lot less resistance. All these families wanted to be successful more than anything else. They took my criticisms on the chin far better than hoteliers do. That's not to say it was plain-sailing and I had it all my own way, but I do think I made a real difference in at least four of the businesses I visited. That's far better than I achieved in many of the Hotel Inspectors.

"I definitely think I'm an expert in family businesses. And luckily that belief was borne out. Most of the lessons I was teaching were applicable across the board. Ultimately, I gave a lot of similar advice to the families whether it was a garage in Manchester or a bridal shop in Kettering."

Why do you think shows like this, The Hotel Inspector, Mary Portas and Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares appeal to people?
"The British as a nation like small business. Everyone has that dream of doing something themselves and maybe it appeals to that side of things. We all think we'd do so much better than the next person and I think that's why it's fascinating seeing other people's mistakes. Hopefully when we watch these shows we do learn from them as well and we don't repeat them!"

Do you think people genuinely watch these shows for educational reasons or is just nosiness?
"I know that The Hotel Inspector, lots of hoteliers watched it. I found that nerve-wracking and very flattering in equal measure. I think they watched it to judge themselves by other people's standards. Lots of them wrote to me, congratulating me and thanking me for putting people on the straight and narrow. Most businesses could do with advice or outside help and I'm a good way of getting it."

Watch the trailer for The Fixer:



Did you discover any reluctant families on The Fixer?
"One of the most difficult was a bakery. Our aims were so enormous and the family was quite difficult. They talked a lot and didn't do very much. That was annoying. I had my moments with all of them, but that was the one where I was despairing. I had to butt-heads with lots of the families though. So many of them were so emotional, it was difficult to speak rationally with them."

Working with my family sounds like a hellish idea. Can it ever work well in business?
"I don't know darling, it depends on your family! I've always worked with my family and I've loved it. Especially with my mother, I've had a very productive relationship with her all my life. I've also worked with my uncle. When it works, it's amazing. When it doesn't, it's hell-on-earth. It's bad enough having business difficulties, but throwing in family emotions and adding that to the mix makes it even worse.

"It's very hard to not revert to family type and to respond differently in difficult positions. But if it goes well, you are sharing an amazing experience with people you care about deeply. It doesn't get any better."

Are you one of the few people in the country actually benefiting from the recession?
"I'm in business myself. So when I'm on TV I'm losing time in my own business. Nobody wants the recession to carry on and be bad. I have a bakery and I have a luxury hotel. A luxury hotel in the countryside! And believe me, that isn't winning any prizes at the moment. It's fine at Christmas, it's fine at New Year, but the rest of the time, people don't have any spare cash. So it's hitting me, like it's hitting everyone."

The Hotel Inspector was a huge success. Do you consider yourself a celebrity now?
"Of course not. Don't insult me! I'm a business person, not a celebrity. I have no interest in being a celebrity at all. I hope that what I do is informative enough that it can be applied wider beyond the people on the show. But ultimately, I think of myself as a business person, rather than a celebrity."

You always come across as pretty stern on TV. Are you like that off camera?
"I take business very seriously. But I don't think I'm a stern person. I think you have to take life with a large pinch of salt and I tend to be very positive about everything. I actually don't think I come across as stern at all, considering some of the bloody awful people that I have to put up with. They have terrible problems and bloody refuse to deal with them, so the only way sometimes is to be a bit stern!"

Alex Polizzi: The Fixer starts on Tuesday, January 31 at 8pm on BBC Two