Paul Whitehouse returns as DJ Mike Smash
- Paul Whitehouse is bringing back his cheesy DJ character from Smashie & Nicey
- Mike Smash will host two festive music specials on Gold under the title Smashie's Xmastastic Playlist
- The DJ says: "It's a great honour for me to host Xmas, something that until now, only Jesus has done"
Paul Whitehouse is bringing back his cheesy DJ character, Mike Smash, to host two festive musical compilations on Gold this December.
In character, he says: "Hi gherkins! It's quite liderally Mike Smash here, Britain's most popadabbadobulous DJ! This year I'll be hosting Smashie's Xmastastic Playlist on Gold, a-featurin' all your favourite Xmas songs and some of the famous Smash wise-words and philosophy type stuff.
"It's a great honour for me to host Xmas, something that until now, only Jesus has done. And the whole thing is for charidee, except it isn't. So join me, Mike Smash, on Gold this Xmas and let's have some poptastic festive fun."
Here is an introduction video:
Smash will be hosting the show without his long-time co-presenter Dave Nice, played by Harry Enfield. Smashie & Nicey first appeared on Harry Enfield's Television Programme in the 1990s to parody the 'cheesy' DJs who had been on Radio 1 since the 1960s. The characters last appeared together in 2007 on Pick Of The Pops, however Nice popped up in 2015's An Evening With Harry Enfield & Paul Whitehouse to reveal that he had been cleared of "all but one" of the charges brought against him by Operation Yewtree.
Gold channel confirms: "Yes, the UK's most fantabulous DJ and one half of everyone's favourite fab radio duo, Mike Smash (Paul Whitehouse) takes time out from his charity work and returns to TV screens this Christmas with his ding-dong-merrily-on-high-iest festive favourite tunes. Smashie's Xmastastic Playlist is a brand new UKTV Original that will air across two days in December 2017.
"Simulcast between Gold and Smash's new broadcasting home Radio Hush, this two-part special will feature the nation's best-loved Christmas classics, alongside some lesser known oddities from Smashie's sonic stocking - and all will be introduced by the former Radio Fab FM DJ in his unique style."
The two hour-long specials have been written by Paul Whitehouse and Dave Cummings.
Joe McVey, commissioning editor for UKTV, says: "It is quite liderally an honour to work with the legendary DJ Mike Smash on his Christmas playlist. In an historic first we're teaming up with the Solent area's premium radio station marketed at fans of late era glam rock, Hush FM, for a live simulcast on Gold. We can't wait to see what appears on Mike's playlist, though I'm sure our viewers will be able to have a reasonable stab at guessing."
Channel controller Steve North adds: "In its 25th year, Gold has gone from strength to strength and continues to attract some fantastic talent. We're really excited to end 2017 on a high by working with Paul on bringing back one of UK comedy's most iconic characters."
John Quinn from production company North One says: "For many of us, some of the rosiest Christmas Day memories from childhood were those old Top Of The Pops specials, played out during the build-up to a turkey dinner. Who better to recapture the essence of that classic festive experience - and its actual, often cringing embarrassment - than Mike Smash himself. Who doesn't love Smashie?"
Smashie's Xmastastic Playlist will be on TV this December.