‘Never Mind The Buzzcocks’ has landed a new permanent host, with Rhod Gilbert taking the helm when the show returns for its 28th series later this year.
For the past few years, a different guest presenter has joined regular panelists Phil Jupitus and Noel Fielding each week, with stars as varied as Nick Grimshaw, Cilla Black and Warwick Davis sitting in as presenter.
Rhod Gilbert
Rhod has revealed that his taking over as permanent presenter was a long time coming, explaining: “After my first ‘Buzzcocks’ in 2009, I was told I was in with a shout to take over as regular host, and now, just five years later, I got the call. It has all happened so fast.
“It's a great honour to be asked to take the reins full time and to hang out with Noel and Phil, and I'm equally excited and nervous about adding my name to those who have hosted it in the past."
The show has previously been fronted by Mark Lamarr and Simon Amstell, who quit the show in 2009 despite being a hit with viewers.
It’s since emerged that there may have been some animosity between Simon and Noel, who claimed in an interview after his exit that Simon “ruined” the show with his biting style of presenting, which saw him mocking the guests on the show each week, telling The Sun: "I think Amstell ruined it for everyone. Everyone thinks they'll get ripped to shreds."
During his tenure as host, Simon upset a number of guests, most notably Preston of The Ordinary Boys and ‘Celebrity Big Brother’ fame, who famously stormed off the set of the show after Simon jokingly read out lines from his then-wife Chantelle Houghton’s autobiography.
Filming for the new series is due to begin later this year, and in case any of the celebrity guests on the new series give him any grief, Rhod might do well to give these a read...
