After seven years away, Never Mind the Buzzcocks returns for a rebooted series next week – with Greg Davies set to follow in the footsteps of Mark Lamarr, Simon Amstell, and Rhod Gilbert as the new host.

Advertisement

And the Taskmaster star has teased a couple of format changes for the show ahead of its return, with some of the familiar rounds set to be given a fresh twist.

One such example is the Identity Parade, which will now see the teams asked to pick out an imposter when presented with five members of a band – rather than selecting which member of the line-up is a famous musician from the past.

Meanwhile, fans can also expect to see a couple of new rounds brought in to complement the iconic Intros Round and Next Lines.

Speaking about the ways in which the new show will differ from the original, Davies told NME, "We’re bringing back a show that we all love, so messing with it would be counterproductive.

"It would be silly for us to reinvent the wheel, so although there are an abundance of ridiculous new rounds – one of which is so childish, it makes me clap my hands every time – at its core it’s the same Buzzcocks.”

Of course, one thing that Buzzcocks was always known for was the playfully cruel way in which some of the guests were treated by the host – and Davies says that there is still "plenty of p**s-taking" in the new version, although it sounds like he may have been slightly less harsh than the likes of Lamarr and Amstell.

"For my role as host, all I did was what I consider to be acceptable," he said. "But there’s nothing consciously vindictive that comes from me, and it’s all tongue-in-cheek. I’m not in the business of making people unhappy, but audiences will have to be the judge of that."

Advertisement

Never Mind the Buzzcocks returns on Sky Max at 9pm on Tuesday 21st September 2021. Looking for something else to watch? Check out our TV Guide or visit our hub for more Entertainment news.

Authors

Patrick Cremona, RadioTimes.com's senior film writer looking at the camera and smiling
Patrick CremonaSenior Film Writer

Patrick Cremona is the Senior Film Writer at Radio Times, and looks after all the latest film releases both in cinemas and on streaming. He has been with the website since October 2019, and in that time has interviewed a host of big name stars and reviewed a diverse range of movies.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement