If there's one thing comedian Lou Sanders refuses to take too seriously, it's herself. The Taskmaster winner and Last One Laughing star has built a career on unfiltered humour – and our chat is no exception. When I meet the Kent-born comic, she's her usual lively (and hilarious) self, talking about everything from her unlikely friendship with Spice Girl Mel B to her dream of escaping to the countryside with her two cats, Bobert and Baby.
Catching Mel B's bouquet
When Lou caught Mel B's bouquet at the Spice Girl's stunning second wedding in Morocco in August, it wasn't quite the grand romantic moment you might expect. "I'd just come out of the toilet," Lou laughs. "I was wiping my hands down my dress and suddenly the bouquet fell into my arms effortlessly – Mel didn't even know I was there!"
It was, in fact, Lou's second attempt. "At the London wedding, she tried to throw it to me and missed completely," she recalls. It was fitting, then, that the second time happened by coincidence. "Any time you try and force things in life, they don't work," joked Lou. "But any time you think: 'If it's for me, I'll gracefully catch it.'" And this time, she did.
An unlikely but iconic friendship
Lou's friendship with Mel B began years earlier in the most showbiz of ways. "Mel came to see me support Katherine Ryan at Wyndham's Theatre," she explains. "Afterwards, she burst backstage and said: 'Right, when are you performing?' The next night, she turned up at my Soho Theatre show. My mum and stepdad were in the audience too – at my very personal show, with Mel B and her entourage. It was the weirdest thing."
Since then, the two have become great friends. In fact, during her latest tour, Mel B pitched in like any good pal would – front and centre at the merch stand. "She was bossing everyone about, folding up jumpers and putting them in bags for people, then barking at everyone to get in line. It was really funny," says Lou.
The joys of Last One Laughing
It's not just pop royalty who've backed Lou. Her infectious humour has made her one of Britain's most-loved comics, appearing on Live at the Apollo, 8 Out of 10 Cats and Would I Lie to You?. After winning Taskmaster in 2019, Lou became a fan favourite once again on Prime Video's Last One Laughing, hosted by Jimmy Carr. "It was a dream job," she says. "I didn't have a strategy but instinct kicked in. I think I just went on the attack, because if you're resting, you're in trouble! The danger, of course, is you make yourself laugh."
Lou made it to the final four, until she was bested by fellow comedians Bob Mortimer, Richard Ayoade and Rob Beckett. Among the next batch of contestants is her good friend Mel Giedroyc. "I love them all," she says of the line-up, "but I do hope Mel does well – I love seeing her little chuckle."
Reflecting on both Taskmaster and Last One Laughing, Lou says: "Both were amazing shows and both career-defining, real pinch-me moments. I mean career-defining in the sense that they have a big impact on your career and lead to other work," she quickly clarifies. "I don't mean my performance was good! They're just really joyful shows to do, and I felt very lucky to be part of them."
A self-confessed crazy cat lady
Away from the spotlight, "self-confessed crazy cat lady" Lou lives in Margate with her two beloved cats, Bobert and Baby, who are both three and a half years old. "I couldn't be bothered to have kids and I always wondered if I'd be the sort of mum who spoiled their cats," laughs Lou. "And it turns out, I absolutely would!"
Her latest obsession? A GPS pet tracker. "I'm not giving you the hard sell, but it's actually very good," she smiles. "My cats live near a train track, so I set up parameters in the garden. It pings an alert if they wander too far. Plus, it's got a light so I can spot them if they're hiding under a tree." For someone whose cats are "a bit gung ho" (Bobert has taken on traffic before and not come out well), the pet tracker gives Lou peace of mind.
Her next dream project
Lou's cats may not be helping her write a sitcom – "I've encouraged them to do morning pages but they're lazy" – but they might just make an appearance in her dream project.
"I'm trying to sell my house and buy some land so I can live off-grid," she reveals. "I want to draw from my own water source and grow my own food. There might be an opportunity to do a documentary at the same time, but I'm not sure yet. I really want to do a Clarkson's Farm, but a funnier, snow-flakier version!" If Lou's track record is anything to go by, we'll be tuning in to watch every second.
Comedian and cat-lover Lou Sanders has teamed up with leading family connection app Life360 to launch its new Pet GPS which allows you to keep track of your furry friends as well as your favourite people and things all in one place. The campaign comes as new research reveals 40% of Brits have lost a pet!