Interior Design Masters star Ben Irurzun spills the tea about what it’s like to work with Alan Carr

Interior Design Masters star Ben Irurzun has opened up about “everything” in interior design being camp – and having a laugh with Alan Carr on set.

Irurzun, who made it to the semi-finals on series five of the hit BBC show, has opened up to PinkNews about the campness of the show and staying friends with Alan Carr.

Interior Design Masters follows contestants who are asked to make over venues, often in small teams and sometimes on their own. In 2023, the show was won by Monkia Charchula, who won over the hearts of viewers for being open about her ADHD. 

Irurzun, who lives in Wolverhampton, West Midlands with his partner Daniel, said “of course” interior design is camp.

The 33-year-old told PinkNews: “Of course it’s camp, it’s interior design.” It has timing, it has drama”, he said of his craft, adding that the editing of the show also heightened the campness.

“Have you ever seen a colour paint chart in B&Q and you see all of the butch builders going through the little chips? Oh darling, that’s like literally going to a little parlour to get your manicure done.” 

The former lingerie designer said: “None of it is butch. everything is camp-coded in interior design because at the end of the day it’s playful.” 

He added that in interior design “no one is going to judge you” until the end product is shown. 

What was it like filming with Alan Carr? 

Speaking of the show’s presenter, comedian and TV presenter Alan Carr, best known for hosting Alan Carr: Chatty Man, Irurzun said he hasn’t yet hosted the star for dinner, but the pair still “chat quite often through social media”. 

He described Carr as “so, so lovely”, adding: “He was a very big champion of all of us. Many people think that celebrities can be very cold and just keep themselves away… but Alan was not that at all. He’s so personable.” 

“I felt that the humour we brought to the place was like a tennis match,” he said of their relationship. 

He added that “you have to be there to pick up the jokes” as some humour went over the heads of other contestants. 

Irurzun believes the quick wit he holds is developed “mainly when you have been abused as a teenager”, as it’s a “way of answering back”. 

He also praised drag queens for being “so great with humour and so sharp”. 

Interior Design Masters series five is currently airing on BBC One, from Tuesday 12 March 2024 for eight weeks. Series six has already been commissioned for 2025.