Capital's Summertime Ball: Dave Berry, George Shelley and Lilah Parsons talk keeping Zayn Malik away from Perrie Edwards

The Capital Breakfast team prove three certainly isn't a crowd as they talk oversharing, on-air blunders and why celebrities aren't safe around Parsons
Emma Powell10 June 2016
The Weekender

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Breakfast radio favourites Dave Berry, George Shelley and Lilah Parsons are gearing up for this year's star-studded Capital Summertime Ball.

They will take to the stage at Wembley Stadium to welcome a string of artists including Ariana Grande, Tinie Tempah, Zara Larsson, Craig David, Little Mix and Zayn Malik.

Standard Online caught up with the trio to talk securing the former One Direction singer, on-air blunders and why celebrities aren't safe around Parsons.

It's the Capital Summertime Ball on Saturday - are you all in the know?

Berry: There are certain clues that drip in in the run up to the Ball. You’ll suddenly notice there is a guest booking with a certain artist or a certain tune will make it onto the playlist. We get a sense of build up like the audience. There's always a surprise - but we don't know it.

You've managed to bag Zayn Malik for what will be his first UK performance. How excited are you to see him?

Parsons: I want to know what he’s going to be like on stage. Is he going to be moving around loads like when he was in One Direction or is he going to be static?

Berry: The other thing is – and this is me being a salacious gossip – Little Mix are booked aswell so we’ve got Zayn and Little Mix on the same bill.

Parsons: And Zayn and Gigi [Hadid] just broke up...

Shelley: I don’t want Perrie’s heart to be broken. I’m going to be keeping them apart.

George, you've performed at the Capital Summertime Ball, but this is your first time as a presenter. Are you nervous?

Shelley: It’s going to be so weird going up on stage because doing it from a performing point of view you have a nerve build up and it goes so quickly because you’re building yourself up to play in front of 80,000 people. Now I’ll be able to take a step back and think ‘This is incredible’.

Berry: The thing I’ve said to the guys is that not many people are afforded the opportunity to utter one of the most famous lines in the history of mankind: ‘Hello Wembley’ - but I'm the f****** 'Hello Wembley' guy.

Who are you all most excited to see?

Shelley: Little Mix smash it every time.

Berry: I’m a Tinie Tempah fan. I think there’s something nice about being a Londoner and being able to host on stage at Wembley and I think the same goes for Tinie performing - and he’s got the tunes for the event.

Parsons: Stateside I think Ariana [Grande] is going to be amazing - but talking of londoners I want to see Craig David. I think he's going to be brilliant.

Shelley: He's going to bring back some throwbacks - hashtag 'Capital throwback'

Newcomers: George Shelley and Lilah Parsons will host the ball for the first time alongside Dave Berry

You guys have been working together since January - how's it all going?

Shelley: I have so much fun that when I leave I’m set up for the best day. I'm so motivated.

Berry: We do have good fun and effectively we both celebrate and gently mock the world of celebrity and because of everyone sharing everything it’s an easy thing to do. If you can leave your place of work at midday and know that you’ve had some fun at the expense of Justin Bieber, you can feel good about yourself.

Parsons: Celebrities aren't safe! They can put something on Snapchat at 7pm and I will listen to it and think: ‘We need to save this for future reference’.

You guys work together all week - do you ever get fed up with each other?

Parsons: We spend more time together than we spend with our family and friends! It’s like six hours a day six days a week. It’s quite weird. We all overshare massively.

Shelley: Lilah and I get the tube home together sometimes.

Berry: In fact there is a chance that Lilah is going to live with George for a little bit, and to be a part of it I said I’ll come and stay for a night. We can all share a cab in to work the next morning!

You've welcomed a string of big names into the studio - but how easy is it to get celebs to play along with games on air?

Parsons: Some need a bit more warming up, but then some just give you everything in the first 10 seconds.

Berry: Charlie Puth came in here and he was so brutally honest. He was playing stuff out of his phone and showing us private messages. People like that are an absolute godsend.

What have been your best moments on the show so far?

Shelley: I go home every night and I watch the highlights from the show. I can never decide which bit is the best.

Berry: Weirdly we interviewed Justin Timberlake, we had a great idea for him and it went viral but it was an hour after that when George got sent a Harry Potter wand and it broke on air. That’s what I’ll take away from the day.

Parsons: Or when Lilah did the travel naked – but she wasn’t actually naked it was just the computer covering her top.

Berry: “Sometimes I think to myself ‘Do I need to grow up?’ then I think ‘no’. Lilah saying the 'm-elemon' instead of the 'M11' in a travel update is funny for me and it just will be funny forever. I must make it perfectly clear that we’re not just three people d*****g around on the radio – we sometimes bring out big words.”

Capital London Breakfast show with Dave, George and Lilah weekdays 6-10am.

Capital's Summertime Ball with Vodafone is at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.

Follow @StandardShowbiz for more entertainment news.

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