Gyles Brandreth reveals his wife's brutal response when he appears on This Morning
This Morning contributor Gyles Brandreth has revealed how his wife Michele keeps him grounded.
Gyles Brandreth admits his wife mutes the television when he's on.
The 78-year-old broadcaster is a regular contributor on This Morning, but he has revealed his wife Michele isn't fussed about his appearance on the ITV daytime staple.
He told Woman's Weekly magazine: "My wife, Michele, definitely keeps me in my place. She doesn't take all this too seriously.
"She came with me to This Morning and sat in the green room reading the newspaper. I said, 'I'm on television!'
"She doesn't watch me at home, and she didn't watch me there. She said, 'When I watch you at home, I have to watch you with the sound turned down.' "
And Gyles admitted despite her best efforts, Queen Camilla hasn't been able to convince King Charles to watch his programmes.
He added: "Once, Queen Camilla did tell me that she tried to persuade the King to watch me on the canal series I did with Dame Sheila Hancock.
"Whether he did or not, though, I doubt it. He's not a very keen TV viewer, but that doesn't bother me. It's ok!"
The former Conservative politician has also appeared on the likes of Channel 4 show Countdown, and BBC Radio 4's Just a Minute, and he's keen to keep taking on any opportunities that come his way.
He explained: "I will turn 80 in a few years' time, and I've been very lucky in that I've really done everything that I've wanted to do.
"You never know quite what's coming along, and I think of something I want to do, I tend to just get on with it."
That includes writing last year's Christopher Robin biography to celebrate Winnie The Pooh's 100th birthday, and Gyles was glad to throw himself in having known the real Christopher Robin Milne.
While it was daunting to pen a book, he compared the process to his decision to go sober.
He said: "It was the same with giving up alcohol; I just got on with it.
"I gave it up for three months, then I had a drink and it gave me a bit of a headache, and I said, 'Oh well, I'll stop.' I now drink sparkling tea."
