BBC Two axes Never Mind The Buzzcocks

Tuesday 26th May 2015, 1:57pm

Never Mind The Buzzcocks. Image shows from L to R: Sean Hughes, Mark Lamarr, Phill Jupitus. Copyright: TalkbackThames / BBC

Never Mind The Buzzcocks has been cancelled after 28 series on BBC Two.

TV industry publication Broadcast reports that channel controller Kim Shillinglaw and head entertainment commissioner Mark Linsey made the decision to "create space for new entertainment formats in the future".

Including a plethora of specials, the popular music quiz show clocked up 284 episodes since its November 1996 debut, with a - now apparently final - special episode having been broadcast in January this year.

A BBC spokesperson told Broadcast: "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."

Most recently hosted by Rhod Gilbert with team captains Phill Jupitus and Noel Fielding, the programme was first fronted by Mark Lamarr, with comedian Sean Hughes as Jupitus's opposing captain.

Never Mind The Buzzcocks. Image shows from L to R: Phill Jupitus, Simon Amstell, Bill Bailey. Copyright: TalkbackThames / BBC

Bill Bailey took over Hughes's role from 2002's Series 11, before host Mark Lamarr quit at the end of Series 17.

During Series 18 and again for Series 23 to 27, the programme was hosted by a rotating selection of guests, whilst Bailey himself quit at the end of Series 21, being replaced by Noel Fielding from Series 23 onwards.

Simon Amstell became a defining feature of Never Mind The Buzzcocks from 2006 to 2008, bringing his acerbic wit from Channel 4 series Popworld to host four series.

The final 28th series saw Rhod Gilbert installed as a new permanent host, and ran from September 2014 into January 2015, still atrracting around 1 million viewers to each episode.

Share this page