Unmissable show?
For nearly 30 years I found Coronation Street unmissable. But over the last eight months – well, since Hayley died – I haven’t managed to catch every episode. Partly through work, partly through the emotional energy that was sapped from Hayley dying, I just kind of needed a break. In the Radio 1 days, myself and [Comedy] Dave, when we used to go out DJing, one year we DJed the Corrie Christmas party, which was a surreal three hours. I’d love to be in the position again to watch a box set the whole way through. I’ve [tried] True Detective twice now. The first time I deleted it before I could watch it, the second time I got about five episodes in, enough time to understand Matthew McConaughey’s accent, and then the bloody box wiped everything.
Earliest TV memory?
Watching Animal Kwackers, which was a show where four grown adults dressed up as oversized muppets and played in a band. They were called Bongo, Rory, Twang and Boots. I still have their LP. My earliest memory of a television being on is climbing all over my dad and trying to play with him while he watched the 1978 World Cup final between Argentina and Holland. It was a classic final so he was probably quite pissed off!
Pitch us a TV show…
I’d love to see a really good sports quiz on TV. I don’t think sports knowledge is really catered for. A Question Of Sport isn’t necessarily a sports quiz any more. A League Of Their Own is knockabout fun, but there isn’t a sports equivalent of, say, Pointless. I mean, Christ almighty, there’s a quiz at the moment where they play pétanque or something in the afternoon, so surely there’s room for an actual sports quiz somewhere.
Bring back…
You Bet. I think Bruce Forsyth hosted it – because Bruce hosted everything! You’d bet on the outcome of various stunts and games. I thought it was quite good family entertainment, apart from it encouraging gambling!
