Over here at the Lipster, we've been trying to get an interview with Gok Wan for ages. While most surgery-advocatin', diet-pushin' makeover shows leave us with nothing but a hankering for cake and the off switch, How To Look Good Naked made women feel good about themselves by offering them a bit of encouragement and some new clothes (no drastic decisions required). It was lovely.

So when we got offered the chance to meet him at a press junket for his new fashion-flavoured show, Gok's Fashion Fix, we hit reply quicker than Gok could call our boobs "bangers". However, sitting around a table for 20 minutes with two other journalists and a press officer means you get a weird and stilted interview, though Gok was very funny and sweet. In fact, when he greeted me with, "Hello gorgeous," I got all blushy, until he said it to the next lady :( . Here's what we asked him about (except the bits with [Starman] in front, which came from the Daily Star].

How many muffins have you had?

This is my third! I'm stuffing myself.

There's a bit on the new show called What Were You Thinking? What'd be in yours?

Oh god, everything I've ever worn. I look back at pictures or press shots or shows, and think what was I thinking? But I never take it too seriously because to me, that's not what fashion's about. When I was younger I remember going out, way before bloody Beckham did it, I used to go out in sarongs and big oversized corsages, and costume stuff to go clubbing in. And another time I'd have all my hair braided and a Naf Naf jumpsuit. I love fashion, and the idea of dress-up and costume and playing around.

Did you ever get hassled in Leicester?

All the time! Me and my sister did this interview for Relative Values. I didn't know about this til I read it back but she said, 'I used to fear for my brother going out,' because I used to get really, really dressed up. But it never felt dangerous. I did it because I was a complete show-off. That's the honest truth, and that's why you use fashion, because I wanted to stand out from the crowd. I'd do everything I possibly could to get attention. And it worked! The weird thing is, I moved to London and looked really boring.

[Starman] Do you ever go into high fashion shops and get intimidated?

Oh no. I make a point of intimidating them. I remember walking down Bond Street when I first moved to London, aged 20, and thinking, 'One day...' because we never had anything like that when we were younger. And I still can't afford to go in there! But I won't ever be intimidated.

Have you had your Pretty Woman moment?

Do you know what, I still can't fucking afford it. TV doesn't pay, it's all a lie.

Do you not get sent free stuff anyway?

I'm very lucky. I collect clothes and shop a lot, and people let me have things and I get nice discounts. But not everywhere. And I don't want to be given everything. I'm from a very working class family and I love the idea that if I've worked really hard, whether it's a jacket from TopMan for £40 or a pair of trainers for £1000, if I've worked my arse off, then I want to buy it.

You're known for making women feel good about themselves, which isn't necessarily compatible with high fashion. How easy has it been to blend the two?

It's been really easy, actually, because the whole premise of this show has been about me being able to give to the viewer the high-end glossy look that celebrities wear on a budget. So it's a show for the people.

How was interviewing Joan Collins?

She was AMAZING. So much fun. We took her shopping and I was really nervous, but she came out with so many one-liners, and said I was the gayest person she'd ever met in her whole life. I find that quite hard to believe, considering she's Joan Collins and she's probably the gayest person I've ever met in my entire life. Everything she touches turns into a Dynasty moment. At one point she dresses me up and tells me I look like a drag queen. She's quite hardcore.

Why do women love you? My mum was thrilled when I told her I was meeting you.

I don't know. I think it's because I'm really normal. I don't see myself as a celeb, as untouchable, I'm not arrogant or affected by anything, I'm just a working class council estate boy done good. I've had my fair share of shit over the years, to be honest, and I just don't believe in being mean to make you feel good about yourself. It's not that fucking serious, if you think about it. We're sat in a room with a load of muffins chatting about a new TV show. It's not that real, it's not that serious.

[Starman] It's easy to be horrible to people, to knock them down, but it's harder to be nice.

I'm really pleased that you've said that because it hasn't ever been recognised that what we're doing in this country is beating people down. We constantly do that to get results from people. And we've never done that before. Let's start being fucking nice to each other, go and get pissed, have a laugh and sleep with each other.

Gok's Fashion Fix starts tonight (June 26) on Channel 4, 8pm