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LAY DOWN THE LAW
Kate Lawler reveals she turned down huge reality show and the eight reasons she refuses to do I’m A Celebrity
She features in the new Taste of Cricket cookbook out today - see her full no meat lasagne recipe below
SHE'S fighting fit and has proved her mettle in the world of reality TV - but there's one show that terrifies Kate Lawler so much she turned it down.
The Big Brother legend and podcast host, 44, was offered the chance to take part in the most extreme programme on the box: Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins.
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But Kate declined on account of the whole premise leaving her terrified.
In an exclusive interview with The Sun to mark the release of the new , Kate explained which shows float her boat.
She said: "I'll tell you what, I did turn down Celebrity SAS. I went for a meeting, but I was just like, I'm too terrified, like it absolutely scares the sh*t out of me, that show, I cannot think of anything worse than being shouted at, and living in those gruelling conditions.
"I can't put myself through that. I think 10 years ago, when I was a bit more ballsy, I feel like I've become a bit of a wimp.
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"I don't have the mental strength or physical strength in me anymore, like I'm 44, I just don't see me like doing those, oh my god, like diving into the cold sea and being forced to swim out, or just being like thrown out of a helicopter."
With tears, hunger, sleep deprivation and nasty injuries all par for the course, it's hard to blame her.
This year's series saw just two contestants make it to the bitter end: Georgia Harrison and New Zealand rugby ace Lani Daniels.
And while ITV's big survival show - I'm A Celeb - isn't quite as dangerous or as physically demanding, it's still a hard no for Kate.
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The lure of lucrative career opportunities off the back of it isn't quite strong enough for the former Virgin Radio star to tackle her numerous fears.
She said: "My agent's like, 'do you want me to put you forward for it?', and I'm just like 'no', because I would be rubbish at everything.
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"I'm scared of my own shadow, I hate heights, you'd never get me in a helicopter, I can't swim very well, I don't eat meat, so all those eating challenges, no, so then I'd be forced to have a vomit, and all those disgusting shakes, I would projectile vomit as well.
"I hate being in closed spaces, I don't like creepy crawlies, there is nothing fun about that show, apart from the wipeout bit at the end, and I just think I'd be awful and I couldn't imagine being away from my family that long."
On the other end of the spectrum is Strictly, with its sequins, warm feelgood factor and intense dance tuition - it's a prospect that appeals to Kate, who is currently putting her broadcasting talents to good use in her podcast with husband Boj.
Then there's Race Across The World, which Kate loves, Logistically trekking far flung corners of the globe with a partner just isn't suitable.
She said: "There's been shows where I'm like, 'oh I would have loved to have done that', like Race Across The World, but I can't be away from my husband, and my daughter, and my dogs for that amount of time.
"I'm obsessed with that show. I was watching the celebrity version this year, and I was just like 'I wish I would have been able to do that', that just wouldn't work for me where I am right now."
"Strictly obviously is the dream," she continued. "You're learning dance, and you get to go home and sleep in a nice warm bed, in a house with central heating, and wake up and eat a proper meal for breakfast, you know what I mean, that's the dream."
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FOOD GLORIOUS FOOD
Family is at the heart of Kate's life decisions and she's been able to pay homage to her dad's love of cricket in a fun new project celebrating the game and its culinary links around the world.
Released today, Taste of Cricket is a celebration of diversity in the game and features a selection of delicious recipes that represent the sport.
Some notable names crop up among its pages including Ainsley Harriott and his Jamaican beef patties, Stephen Fry's maple and cinnamon buns and of course, Kate, whose vegetarian lasagne sounds stunning.
Speaking of her involvement, she said: "From a young age, because my dad used to play, not professionally, he wishes, but he used to have his own cricket team and they were called Lewisham Wanderers, and they used to like travel around South London and Kent and play different teams, so we'd visit a different cricket ground every Saturday or Sunday during the summer.
"Whether we were playing it, watching my dad play, or you know, just watching anything on telly, it was just a huge passion of my dad's.
"My brother actually then got into it and played for Kent Youth and it was just a huge part of my childhood to the point where I just love watching it, I love taking my dad to Lords or the Oval whenever I can."
When choosing a dish to grace the pages, she borrowed from husband Martin 'Boj' Bojtos.
She said: "My husband, who's a really good cook, he does like no-meat recipes for us, and it was actually his recipe, and he's like furious that he hasn't got mentioned in the book.
"I think it's really funny, because that's actually my recipe now, I'm like, come on mate, just chill, you get enough mentions, but it's a really delicious dish, and you can obviously substitute the vegetarian mince for beef mince, if you want.
"The recipe works just as well if you are a carnivore and you want to eat meat, that you can do the straight switch."
Though Boj missed out on a mention in the book, his cooking skills are honoured on the couple's new podcast, which is titled .
It follows previous releases that documented their decision to try for a child, with the result their three-year-old daughter Noa.
Kate said: "It's really fun, it's a completely different vibe, this podcast, because it's all about food, and just our lives in general.
"Before it was a very specific topic, and that was the debate about whether or not to stay child free by choice, or to procreate, but no, I love him, and he loves me, and we're good friends as well, so we like being in each other's company, which is good.
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"I just thought doing a podcast that involves cooking is a really good idea, because everyone loves food, we love food, and he loves to cook, so it's good for me, he cooks for me every week, I get to eat the food, and then we just talk about it."
To purchase the cookbook, visit the England & Wales Cricket Board’s store:
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Kate Lawler's No Meat Lasagne recipe
Prep: 2 hours
Cook: 2 hours
Serves: 6
KATE LAWLER’S NO-MEAT LASAGNE
“Cricket takes me back to my childhood. My dad is a huge fan and our summers were spent watching him play or playing ourselves in our back garden, as well as watching international matches on TV with him. I now enjoy taking dad to Lord’s or The Oval whenever I can. Lasagne was a hit in Casa Del Lawler growing up. My mum used to make it and we’d have it with garlic bread, watching A Question of Sport (when Ian Botham was captain) around the dining table. We’d all play along and for anything cricket related, we’d guess the answer, thanks to Dad”.
INGREDIENTS
1kg of frozen plant-based mince e.g. Beyond Meat Mince
Fresh and/or dried herbs to taste
2 shallots
2 sticks of celery
4 cloves of garlic
3 carrots
1 red pepper
60g tomato puree
500ml beef or vegetable stock
Glug of Worcestershire sauce
2 tins of chopped tomatoes
Large pack of dried lasagne sheets
1 tbsp olive oil
250g cheddar cheese
2 leeks
2 fresh bay leaves
4 tbsp plain flour
1 litre of milk of your choice
1 nutmeg, grated
Salt and black pepper, to taste
1. Heat olive oil in a large pan, add salt to prevent browning, finely dice the shallots and celery. Fry on medium heat until soft and translucent. Peel and chop the carrots and pepper into 1cm pieces and add to the pan, cooking for 7-8 minutes. Crush garlic cloves and cook for 90 seconds, add tomato puree, herbs, stirring until well coated.
2. Add frozen mince and stir for 3-4 minutes. Pour in 2 tins of tomatoes, 500ml of beef stock, and Worcestershire sauce, and mix. Bring to a boil, then simmer on medium-low for 30-minutes until sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. For the bechamel sauce use a saucepan, dice the leeks and cook with olive oil, bay leaves and ground pepper for 30-minutes, adding water to prevent sticking. Add flour, then slowly add the milk, stirring to avoid lumps. Once you’ve added all the milk, bring to a boil, then simmer for 7-10 minutes, stirring constantly. Once done, use a food processor to blend everything, then stir in half the grated cheese and nutmeg.
4. Layer the lasagne in an ovenproof dish: start with an even layer of the mince, then the same amount of bechamel, and top with lasagne sheets. Repeat layers 3-4 times, finishing with white sauce. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and bake at 180°C for 45 minutes, checking after 35 to avoid burning. Let rest for 10 minutes.
5. Serve with a dressed salad.
Credit: Taste of Cricket
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