Facts: Babben Larsson
Age: 66 years.
Lives: Solna, born on Gotland.
Family: Fiance, daughter, 30, bonus child.
Hobbies: Mathematics, playing solitaire on the computer, reading, traveling.
Background: Graduated from Theater College in 1980, but had his big breakthrough as a stand-up comedian in 1988 and appeared in the television program “Släng dig i brunnen”.
Ten years later, she quit stand-up comedy and did several big stage performances, including with the comedy group Rea and with Lennie Norman and Adde Malmberg.
In recent years, Babben Larsson has been seen mostly on television, including in “Parliament” and as host of the popular “Bäst i test” and “1 mot Sverige”.
She has competed twice in “På spåret” and received the Karamelodikt scholarship and the Liseberg applause.
You can’t talk about nerves when it comes to Babben Larsson and her mission to be this year’s Christmas host in SVT. Because they don’t exist.
“They may arrive just before, but there has been so much practical work to be arranged – finding the right armchair and such,” she says and laughs.
Lower your shoulders
And no, she is also not afraid of failing to light the famous candle on the first try. If it doesn’t work, you just try again, she reasons.
Because striving to be perfect only makes you “controlled and tense”. Instead, Babben Larson wants to encourage everyone to lower their shoulders and try to just enjoy themselves.
— To be perfect seems to be a rather difficult goal. There are no perfect Christmases and there is no perfect Christmas host. It will be a Christmas even if it won’t be perfect, that’s really my message! You don’t need to make 30 calendars and “Santa doors” and homemade Christmas presents. It will be Christmas anyway, it’s calm, she says.
This year’s Christmas host Babben Larsson aims to be both fun and good company on Christmas Eve.
Anyone who chooses to have SVT on on Christmas Eve will be greeted by anecdotes about Babben Larsson’s own Christmases, by some music, but also by a lot of humor.
— It will probably be noticed that I am actually a comedian. I’m not going to bother with Christmas itself, but actually sometimes terrible things happen in connection with it, and you can look at it in a humorous way without desecrating it. It will mark my Christmas hosting – that I bring humor into the studio, she says.
Company
But the most important mission on Christmas Eve is to be a worthy companion to those who, for various reasons, do not celebrate with anyone else.
— That is actually my main task: To hang out with those who have no one else at Christmas. I’m there, and also sitting quite alone, even though I have the occasional guest. I really want them to feel that there is someone else who is with them, she says.
“I’m there, and also sitting quite alone,” says Babben Larsson about his task of keeping people company on Christmas Eve.