Never Mind The Buzzcocks

Rhod Gilbert talks Buzzcocks

The Carmarthen comedian is the new regular host of the long-running music quiz, but it's not the only thing keeping him busy...

Opinion: Never Mind The Buzzcocks

Noel Fielding manages to survive by being a permachild, maybe Phill Jupitus has a large mortgage to service or the BBC is holding a member of his family hostage.

How Jack Whitehall saved Never Mind The Buzzcocks

It's fair to say that Jack Whitehall is having a moment. As well as Fresh Meat, Bad Education and his new Backchat series co-hosted with his dad, Jack Whitehall was the latest host on Never Mind the Buzzcocks on Monday. And a fine job he did, too.

Why Never Mind the Buzzcocks can c*** off

It had become a yearly ritual. And one that was becoming all the more tiresome...

Buzzcocks - A tired formula that needs change

The show needs a whole new lead team - a good regular presenter and two new team captains. Right now, it's becoming an irrelevance and missing an episode really doesn't matter any more.

John Hannah brings the cheeky wit and mildly pervy grin he displayed in Spartacus and A Touch Of Cloth to bear as he acts as guest host to the opening round of the 27th series of the pop quiz institution. Yes, that's 27 series of impossible-to- guess hummed intros, impossible-to-identify crinkly looking drummers from 1980s one-hit wonders and impossibly lame jokes from Phill Jupitus. Who probably hasn't been in it from the start but, who knows, we're darned if we can remember that far back. Tonight, Aluna Francis of electro-pop duo AlunaGeorge, dance duo Basement Jaxx and comedian James Acaster are effortlessly upstaged by Noel Fielding.

Alex James to present Buzzcocks spin-off

Alex James is to host What A Load Of Buzzcocks, which will look back at musical history though Buzzcocks' critical eye.

The Buzzcocks producers atone slightly for BBC2's achingly silly decision to cancel Shooting Stars: Bob Mortimer is your host for the seasonal edition of this still-funny music quiz. You can expect... actually, I've no idea what you can expect from Mortimer, that's why he's such a good pick. Captains Phill Jupitus and Noel Fielding, are joined by drum 'n' bass producer DJ Fresh, Melanie C from the Spice Girls, Him & Her star Russell Tovey and comedian Joey Page.

Another series of music-based panel show Never Mind the Buzzcocks began this week. It's the 26th series, and it has to be said it's starting to show...

Although they still have Phill Jupitus and Noel Fielding onside, producers are still sticking with guest hosts. This week's host was Katy Burke - who did an OK job - but the panellists are, like always, a mixed bunch. Sarah Millican is usually always reliable, but then you had Fazer from N-Dubz, who I think was only called on because he was the only member of the band who had not appeared on the show before...

Another guest on this episode was Olympian long jumper Greg Rutherford, whose contribution was somewhat dubious. While Burke managed to get some good one-liners from him, I thought that the round entitled "Name that Ginger" was slightly tasteless.

The "Identity Parade". was also problematic. Usually the round features band members - but they must be struggling to find anyone new because instead the line-ups consisted of the now grown-up baby on Nirvana's Nevermind album, and someone's super-fan...

Hopefully this was just a blip, but I can't help but feel that it's time to for Never Mind the Buzzcocks to either shape up or stop.