Welcome to Gold Star, the Daily Star’s new premium subscription service, bringing you closer to the biggest stories than ever before. In our new weekly feature, ‘7 at 7’, we will be grilling top stars with seven of the weirdest, wildest and most wonderful questions you’ve ever read.
Joining the team this week is iconic TV star and fox about town Basil Brush. In an unforgettable exclusive chat, Basil repeatedly mentions his love of Brian Cox, discusses the prospect of alien life and names the legendary singer he harbours a passion for.
He also reveals who’d he’d want to join him for a reboot of the Basil Brush show.
1. Do you believe in aliens and UFOs and have you seen any?
BASIL: The answer is yes, I do believe in aliens. Have I ever seen one? No. And there is a reason, you see. After billions of years of this universe, I’m darn certain there are other forms of life out there.
I mean, actually, I love the fact that if they were 65 million light years away from us, they’d be looking at dinosaurs now, and in 65 million years’ time they might be hearing me answering these questions.
But I’ve never actually seen an alien except on ET or Close Encounters of the Third Kind
But there is a reason why we’ve never seen an alien or a UFO. Doctor Brian Cox explains it ever so cleverly.
The Fox and Cox, we should have our own podcast there. It’s the Fermi paradox.
I couldn’t possibly repeat it to you, but it explains beautifully why we’ve never seen an alien, except on television or at the Odeon cinema.
2. What’s the most interesting conspiracy theory you’ve heard, and why?
BASIL: Well, as a fox who grew up in the 70s, I remember watching man land on the moon for the first time, and we saw them all bouncing on the moon.
Then, I watched the film Capricorn One. Well, that put the cat amongst the pigeons.
Was it real? How could we check? Why were there no stars? Why was the flag actually fluttering when there’s no wind? Why were the shadows pointing in a certain direction? What a great conspiracy theory.
There is also a conspiracy theory actually, that myself, Basil Brush, I’m not a real live talking fox. Now that’s gonna put the cat among the pigeons.
3. Which classic TV show would you bring back?
BASIL: Oh my own, the Basil Brush Show, of course, cause I’d be in it. I’ve got to pay the bills.
All celebrity guests. I’d do a podcast with Doctor Brian Cox talking about the Fermi paradox.
We’d have sketches, brilliant stories. Maybe Morecambe and Wise could be on after me, who, although they’re not still around, but we’ve got some people who do a very good impression of them. Total entertainment and escapism. The Basil Brush show returns.
4. What is the biggest threat to the world at the moment?
BASIL: I hate to say this as a fox, but I’m afraid it’s you lot, man. You are the biggest threat to yourself, and AI possibly.
Yes, I, I’ve got a feeling it’d be yourselves and AI that will bring about the demise of the world. Well, actually, no, not the world. You’ll be bringing about the demise of man.
The world can take care of itself. After the demise of man that you will all bring about, the world will reset. It’ll become a beautiful Garden of Eden again, and all the things we think that are really important at the moment won’t matter at all.
That reminds me, I must go and put the bins out.
5. Do you believe in ghosts and who would you haunt?
BASIL: I love to think that there might be something after, you know, when we’re no longer here, it’d be great to hang around and watch everybody, but then I thought, that if every single person that had ever lived now is in fact a ghost, there’d be about 50 billion ghosts floating around already.
That’d create quite a housing crisis. Where would they all sleep?
I’d make a great ghost haunting all my showbiz pals and friends, floating like this. I’d probably haunt Sooty and sweep, yeah, if I scared Sooty, no one would hear him scream.
6. Who is your guilty crush?
BASIL: That’s a great question, Kylie Minogue. Always has been. Always will be.
We’re both the same size, so we could share clothes, and I’ve got to say I’ve got her Netflix documentary on repeat play.
Oh yes, she could spin me around any day and do the locomotion with me, whatever she fancies, and I certainly fit into her hot pants.
I did meet her at Glastonbury, so, the crush continues from the Brush.
7. Have you ever killed an animal?
BASIL: Of course not. I’m an animal myself. I love animals. I’m even a vegetarian fox after eating at No Bones Jones at the Glastonbury Festival.
Yes, I’ve got to say, eating vegetarian food, very good for the environment, good quality emissions. Pardon me, silent but deadly. But not deadly to animals.
How to see Basil
As a little extra, Basil also told us exactly where fans will be able to see him.
He said: “If you do get a chance to catch me on tour, you can always find me at the Butlin’s 80s Weekends, at various places, whether it be Skegness, Minehead, or down in Bognor. Later in the year, you’ll see me at the Plumpton Festival in Reading, and also look for me at the Rewind Festival as well.”