Hotel Inspector Alex Polizzi on her new BBC2 series 'The Fixer'

Having taken a break from inspecting hotels, Alex Polizzi is back for a brand new series of Alex Polizzi: The Fixer, in which she takes her no-nonsense business approach around the UK to turn round the fortunes of flagging family businesses.

Calling for our 9.30am chat the second the clock ticks over, it’s clear that Alex means business. The honcho of hospitality is fired up and raring to go, serving up a trademark dose of jaw-dropping honesty and politely-refined sass before my first burst of caffeine has even set in.

Here, I chat to the guru of guesthouses about how she fared waging a one-woman campaign to save the Britain’s small-businesses, which of the owners drove her up the wall, and whether the sexy fanmail she gets is down to her being a bit of a ‘MILF’.

What have you got in store for us on the new series of Alex Polizzi: The Fixer?
“My God, well I think I’ve lost my temper more than I ever have before! I think it’s been a really hard bunch of businesses to work with – and there’s enormous variety again. I mean, we’re talking everything from a sausage-making family in Yorkshire to a tea room in Torquay to a soft play centre. So it was very varied and with quite different problems. I must say, they do cast them so I don’t get bored! Haha! There’s never the same solution for any of them.”

How tough was it to try to turn their fortunes around this time?
“I think it’s very much a make do and mend scenario, but in a way that suits me – I’m very much a back to basics person. I mean obviously there were more complicated solutions, and the events company – which was called, believe it or not, Balloonin’ Marvellous – had really got behind the curve in the sense of trends. The other thing is that there are always hungry new people on the block with fresher, better ideas. None of it is rocket science; it’s just patience. It’s trying to unpick what the real problems are and see what we can realistically do to tackle them.”

How much of a problem are family dynamics when it comes to sorting out these businesses?
“Well, that’s always the tricky bit! Haha! That’s my least favourite bit in a way because it’s so difficult. It’s so complicated and they all have their own loyalties, so you kind of interfere at your peril. But I do find it interesting how usually there’s one bit of the family that’s a real driver for change and one bit that’s actively dragging its feet. It’s trying to get those two sides to pull in the same direction that takes up most of my time!”

Just how frustrating is that?
“I got so cross with one of the owners that I actually had to apologise – that was a first! I was ashamed because it was very unprofessional of me. But he’d been such a pain in the arse from the beginning and I’d already threatened that I was just going to walk away if he couldn’t keep his meddling little fingers out of it. Having asked favours from people to try and help his business, he had been literally impossible to work with. I was embarrassed! I’d asked all these people to help me and he was just impossible. Ugh. It’s just so frustrating. So frustrating. The rage! I had the red mist come down.”

Do you keep in touch with the families afterwards?
“The ones I like! I will definitely keep in touch with the brewery, I loved them and I loved their attitude and their honesty. It’s incredibly rewarding working with people like that. I loved Jo at Balloonin’ Marvellous. I hope she’s going to do OK, my poor Jo. And I ended up being quite fond of the sausage people. You know, I very much doubt I’ll be in touch with anyone else, just because I don’t like them. You know, having done my contracted duty, they made it very difficult for me to do my job – which I still see as trying to help their business! Seeing as they were so unwilling to accept the help that they’d asked for, what more can I do for them?!”

And they have to stand on their own two feet at some point…
“Well, the man at The Singing Kettle in Torquay – actually I may have a Hotel Inspector in Torquay this next series and if there is, I’ll probably pop in on him, I bear no grudges – but he said to me, ‘We’ll see whether all this mess actually makes a difference to our bottom line!’ I can bloody guarantee it’ll make a difference to your bottom line you twerp! But I’d like to go there and have him tell me that! Haha!”

You always seem to follow up a brutally honest comment with a ‘darling’ though: does that help take the edge off?
“Hahaha! Well I try don’t try to be wounding! I understand how difficult the whole process is for anybody. But I know that we don’t have much time together and there’s no time to waste. I try and be polite whilst giving this advice. The ‘darling’… I don’t know, I’ve been doing it for so long, does it sound affected? Because it isn’t, it’s completely innate. Even when I’m very cross with my clients I feel very sympathetic for them and that’s the reality. My politeness has slipped a couple of times though; with Lester at the soft play area and obviously at The Singing Kettle I really did lose it.”

Are you as formidable when it comes to running your own businesses?
“Well, you know what, my husband runs Millers bakery and he’s so on top of that, so I don’t really need to worry about Millers. There’s lots of strategic planning which I try to help him with but the day-to-day stuff, which is the tough stuff – all the bollocks about staff or someone turning up drunk for work – all that stuff passes me by completely. The hotel businesses are chugging along OK, and I’m doing a bit more than I was. But I’m glad I’m in television and not running the hotels anymore, I’m glad I’m not in the position of my manager. I think the constant drain of hiring and firing does get to you after a while, and I really don’t miss that bit.”

Speaking of hotels, will be seeing more of The Hotel Inspector in the near future?
“I’m afraid so! I’m about to launch into a new series, and it’s going to be a bit different this time. I’m quite excited because we’re shaking it all up a bit. We felt like it had become a bit formulaic and so we’re doing a few different things. I’m really looking forward to it. I love The Hotel Inspector, but my line in the sand is ‘No more Blackpool!’ Haha! I just refuse. I’m just not doing it anymore.”

Surely they’ve run out places for you to sort out there by now?!
“Oh darling, there’s something unbelievable like 300 hotels per square mile in Blackpool. There’s a rich vein to mine but I just refuse to do it. I just can’t face it anymore!”

Much like Supernanny or Kirstie Allsopp, you’ve developed a bit of a sex symbol status among men of a certain age…
“Have I?! One of those MILF sex symbols? Hahaha! Is it the bossiness? That’s the only thing we’ve all got in common I’d like to think! Hahaha!”

Do you think your sternness is part of the appeal?
“Well I don’t know – I thought it was all about tits frankly! Hahaha! I don’t know, I really don’t know. I get some quite sexy fan mail, believe it or not. I always chuckle and say to my husband ‘See! I’ve still got it!’ I think probably you’re right, but I think it’s character rather than anything else. It’s kind of weird – I must keep going to the gym!”

Alex Polizzi: The Fixer starts on Monday (September 1) at 9pm on BBC Two.

Hotel Inspector Alex Polizzi on her new BBC2 series ‘The Fixer’

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