Axed: Never Mind the Buzzcocks
Long-running British music quiz series has been axed after 28 seasons.
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Long-running British music quiz series Never Mind the Buzzcocks has been axed after 28 seasons.
Often referred to as the UK fore-runner to Australia’s Spicks and Specks, it has been axed after a downturn in ratings, recently averaging 1.1million viewers. It first aired in 1996.
Rhod Gilbert was the show’s first permanent host in five years following the departure of Simon Amstell in 2009. Mark Lamarr was the original host, from 1996 to 2005. Sean Hughes and Bill Bailey have also been team captains over the 269 episodes.
A BBC spokeswoman said: “After 28 series we’ve decided not to bring Never Mind the Buzzcocks back to the BBC. This will create space for new entertainment formats in the future.
“We’d like to thank the team at Talkback, Rhod Gilbert, all the brilliant hosts over the years and of course Noel and Phill for the years of enjoyment they’ve given BBC Two viewers.”
It has aired in Australia on UKTV, BBC Knowledge and ABC.
Source: Chortle
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- Tagged with Never Mind the Buzzcocks, Spicks and Specks
10 Responses
Great this show sucked
I agree with Tony Bee. S&S was way better than NMTB. I was really looking forward to NMTB when it first aired on ABC a couple years back but I could only get through a few episodes. It was terrible. Not even remotely funny. It actually made Adam Hills look funny, which is not an easy thing to do.
Terrible and not remotely funny? Yep, that must be why it lasted 28 series, won a Royal Television Society Award, British Comedy Award and was nominated for a BAFTA!!
It’s a bit of a shame if you were relying on it for a weekly dose as it’s a great show. Surprisingly, the widely varied guest hosts have worked really well. I’ve been working my way thru eps on YT and still have plenty more to go (along with 8 Out of 10 Cats which is even more hilarious).
I always saw Spicks and Specks as a “watered down, fit for grumpy old ABC viewers” version of NMTB.
If only the ABC would stop playing the same six episodes in a loop….
Spicks and Specks not only copied the format, but improved on it. It was a much better show (IMO).
IMO, Spicks and Specks was a cheap, cautious, nowhere-near-as-funny version of Buzzcocks.
Spicks and Specks is way more entertaining then the mostly unfunny and boring long winded buzzcocks, its great they dump it.
…eerrm….I think it would be more appropriate to say “Spicks and Specks is often referred to as a copy of NMTB”
It’s a fun show, depending on the guests. I saw the Torchwood guy hosting and man he is a giant douche.