We caught up with Four in a Bed participant, Freddie Tulloch, who owns The Queens Arms in East Garston which is 3 miles off the M4, to find out what he thought about the filming experience.
NOTE: The opinions expressed by the programme participant in this interview do not reflect the views and opinions of the Four in a Bed production team, Studio Lambert, or any other party involved. These opinions belong solely to the interviewee and are for entertainment purposes only.
What surprised you most whilst you were filming?
Freddie: It gets brutal quite quickly. Shit hits the fan. It’s obvious that some people had a game plan. They were just going to underpay everybody, find fault with everyone, and they thought that was the way to win the competition.
When it came to pay day, one of the couples underpaid us by £65 pounds which apparently is a record. In the end, they got found out and everybody said they were game players and it all got quite personal.
They got absolutely hammered. The public, having never stayed at their hotel, were going on their website and TripAdvisor, giving them one star reviews and calling them cheaters. They had to shut everything down. I don’t think that happens often, but they made a very big mistake. The directors and producers, rather than not showing it, highlighted that you’re going to get caught out playing these games.
Do you still speak to the other contestants?
Freddie: The people who won, the guy came to our pub for his 60th birthday two months later. And his son stayed in our honeymoon suite the other week.
How did you feel when the show was aired?
Freddie: I think it was filmed in March 2021 but it didn’t come out till early February. They said it was going to be out for Christmas so I started getting a little bit stressed, but then they said it’s not coming out till 2022. When they told us it was coming out soon, I suddenly started to think ‘What did I say?’ ‘What are people gonna think?’ ‘Do I look like a prat?’
It’s actually very stressful, but I think that was just naïveté about television and not having experience. But actually, the crew were very fair and the response was absolutely fantastic.
How and why did you decide to apply for Four in a Bed?
Freddie: COVID does funny things. We were locked down, the rain was pouring on the windows and the pub was empty. Then an email comes through, asking if we’d be interested in appearing on the show.
I’ve had the pub for a very long time, but when we bought it we were terrified because it was completely rundown. We did a lot of redecorating and a lot of work on it and I thought ‘Okay, I’ve actually got a completely brand new pub’. It had been shut for a year and a half nearly and I thought [Four in a Bed] was a great marketing opportunity.
I thought, the food’s good, the rooms are brand new, what could possibly go wrong? So yeah, that’s how it started.
How did you find the application process for Four in a Bed? Did you enjoy it?
Freddie: I don’t think I really understood how it works. My wife was very clear that there’s absolutely no way she was going to appear on it, but my cousin who is about 30 years younger than me agreed to sign up with me and he helps me with the marketing and other things in the pub.
Once I had him on board, we started the actual application process and we sent in a short video, which was easy and good fun. I mean, we were right in the middle of lockdown, so there was nothing else to do.
It seemed like a fun project and timing wise, it was totally perfect. I gave it my full attention and we loved the whole process. The film crew were just so nice and we got on really well. All we really wanted to do was showcase the pub. I’d like to have won, but you know, it still gave the pub a fresh lease of life.
Do you have any top tips for people who might want to apply?
Freddie: I think you need to be fully aware about what the competition is about. It’s an escape. If you follow the Twitter feeds and all the people who watch it, it’s tea time entertainment.
It’s just a bit of fun. The camera crew tried to explain to me that it wasn’t about winning, which I couldn’t really get at the time because I’m really competitive.
They just kept telling me not to worry if something went wrong or if somebody finds fault with it, because the people who watch it will see through that. If they like it, they will come. You don’t really believe that at the time but it’s totally true.
What are your top tips for other owners who might appear on Four in a Bed in future?
Freddie: You’ve got to be honest. If you try to be something else, you’re going to get caught out because you’re on film for two weeks.
They film you from the moment you wake up in the morning, to the moment you’ve turned the light off. There’s no hiding place.
If you make a comment that the crew decides goes against something you’ve already said on camera, there might be trouble. But if you’ve got a nice place and have the time to do it, it was really good fun. We did some great things and met some great people.
Do you think it was worth it then?
Freddie: I think so. My wife and I are 50-50 in it together, and we make every decision together. But this one, she said I could do it and there was no way she was going to do it. But she actually enjoyed the programme and has seen what rewards we’ve had from it.
She was sceptical about the whole thing at first, but I think she’s realised it was a good decision to take part.
When our programme was on, as soon as it finished, somebody rang up and booked our honeymoon suite. The lunch bookings have also gone through the roof. It was incredibly good fun.
We made some great friends. I think it will be an episode which will probably be shown again because it gets very heated and you need a bit of passion. It makes good TV. But I think we’ve all done really well.
About The Queens Arms:
- Owned by Freddie Tulloch
- 12 rooms
- Located in East Garton, 3 miles off the M4
- Family and dog friendly
- Pub and restaurant on site
- Garden and terrace
- Located in an AONB called The Valley of The Racehorse
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Four in a Bed info:
What is it?
A popular tea-time show aired on Channel 4, Four in a Bed is a week-long competition taking place over five daily episodes.
Owners of four boutique hotels, B&Bs, holiday lets or glamping sites, try to convince their competitors that their business offers the best value for money.
Each week is a different competition. In the first four episodes of each week, the owners take it in turns to host their opponents. In the final episode of the week, everyone reveals how much they are prepared to pay for the visits to each of the businesses.
It’s a consistently successful show on Channel 4 and first began in 2010.
How do I take part?
Interested in applying to appear on Four in a Bed? Want to showcase your business on TV to the nation?
Apply to appear on the show!
Head to the Studio Lambert website and head to the ‘Take Part’ section.
To apply for a future series of the show, email your full name and name of your hospitality business to:
fourinabed@studiolambert.com
You can also check out their Instagram, where the team often share casting updates: @fourinabed
Want to learn more?
Back in April 2020, Luxury BnB Magazine’s Editor, Juliet Horner, interviewed the Executive Producer of Channel 4’s Four in a Bed, Mark James.
Mark gave Juliet a glimpse behind the scenes so that you, our readers, can discover the inner workings of the popular tv series.
Find out what the producers look for when reviewing applications submitted by business owners just like you!
Read online for free or check out the April 2020 magazine.
You can also check out the interview with Four in a Bed winners, Gables Pod Camping in our April 2020 magazine, to find out what it’s like to appear on the show.
