Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Radio/podcast addicts

Discuss your favourite podcast, radio show or The Archers episode.

Noooo! Nish Kumar is the new chair of the News Quiz <sobs>

43 replies

BeUpStanding · 10/01/2020 23:02

Ok so maybe I'm overreacting slightly but I am so disappointed that they've gone with Nish as the new chair. What a crashing step down from Miles Jupp.

Any of the regular panelists would've been better. Bah... What the hell is going on at R4 these days? They're losing the plot.

OP posts:
Ohyesiam · 10/01/2020 23:08

The loss of the fabulous Miles Jupp is a LOSS, but I thought Nish was quite funny tonight.
I can’t remember the name of his dreadful tv prog because we call it The Cringe Report, but it was way better than that.

Rumboogie · 11/01/2020 01:24

Well I won't be listening.

BertrandRussell · 11/01/2020 01:36

Why do people object to Nish? Surely it’s not because he is.........trails off........

DorisDaysDadsDogsDead · 11/01/2020 01:59

I think Bertrand may have sussed it...

katmandoo · 11/01/2020 02:17

Oh is he? I love Nish. I actually find him very similar to Miles but his more political brother. Can't wait to tel DH he will be happy about this as well .

GrumpyHoonMain · 11/01/2020 02:38

I personally would have preferred Guz Khan

butwhateverfor · 11/01/2020 02:49

I like Nish! Will watch this now. Wasn't the other guy Archie off 'Balamory'?

Myimaginarycathasfleas · 11/01/2020 07:41

I thought they were doing guest presenters? I don’t think he’s a permanent replacement.

Hemlock2013 · 11/01/2020 07:44

I would have liked hugo rifkind I think

EBearhug · 11/01/2020 07:46

Nish is on for a handful of programmes; there are two other guest hosts planned this series. I think Angela Barnes is one, and... Someone else.

Saucery · 11/01/2020 07:50

Gah, hope he isn’t allowed to monopolise it. I’d hoped for Angela Barnes, Hugo Rifkind or Zoe Lyons.

theproudgeek · 11/01/2020 07:51

I enjoy Nish Kumar on 'The Mash Report' (TV and Radio versions) but I didn't think he was a good fit for News Quiz host as wasn't able to be self-effacing enough. Also, previous hosts have been promoted from the panel so were already part of the News Quiz family.
Based on the last series I thought Angela Barnes did a good job.

TulipCat · 11/01/2020 07:52

I think the plan is to do the incredibly irritating alternating hosts. I hate that! Miles was a step down from Sandi, who is my all-time favourite host.

bluenoir · 11/01/2020 07:55

Yay I love Nish, although Miles has been one of my favourite comedians for years, I've seen him live twice.

BertrandRussell · 11/01/2020 12:58

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

LizzieSiddal · 11/01/2020 13:00

Well I like him and thought he was great last night.

BiarritzCrackers · 11/01/2020 13:54

Not generally a fan of Nish, but I thought he was good yesterday. Miles, I like on other things, but he didn't seem to fit well as host - he was always a good guest though. I didn't really think any of the guest presenters seemed to slot in. If witty and warm is what you need, I would have rather liked to hear Victoria Coren doing it, but that would seem like outrageous nepotism. Hugo is a good panellist, but not an ideal chair.

Trewser · 11/01/2020 13:56

Nish kumar is annoying generally but he did a good job i thought

Saucery · 11/01/2020 17:35

Andy Zaltzmann is presenter later in the year. I think I prefer NK!
Angela Barnes in the middle series though, thank goodness.

Dogmatix34 · 11/01/2020 17:39

Nish is so annoying. I prefer the Now Show to the news quiz now, all the good panellists are now sadly no longer with us or don’t go on much (Linda, Jeremy, Andy Hamilton). I did like Miles though and I’m sorry he’s gone.

BackOnceAgainWithATinselHalo · 11/01/2020 17:42

Nish is really inconsistent - some of his stuff I love some is terrible! The news quiz is highly scripted though so should be in the ‘love’ side.

echt · 11/01/2020 21:51

Knowing little about Nish apart from some booing incident, I thought he was good. Miles Jump is a hard act to follow though.

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 12/01/2020 09:09

In the time I've been listening to The News Quiz, the chairs have been Barry Took, Simon Hoggart, Sandi Toksvig and Miles Jupp. All strong personalities, which means they won't appeal to everyone. I found Barry Took a bit too arch for my taste. Simon Hoggart was good, and a hard act to follow. ST and MJ were a bit too obviously still being comedians.

None of them went for the self-effacing, 'I'm just here to be the facilitator' approach that some panel show chairs take. I haven't heard it for ages but I don't expect Nish Kumar will be any less irritating than any of the others.

Samira Ahmed would be a good choice. She's an excellent presenter, articulate, unflappable, well-informed, warm, lovely voice, seems to be good at off the cuff humour. She's been a contestant on TNQ here and there. And now of course the BBC has to find a way of making up to her and other women presenters for its equal pay failings, as determined by an employment tribunal last week.

Myimaginarycathasfleas · 12/01/2020 18:49

Samira Ahmed would be a good choice

Ooh I like that idea, @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g!

leckford · 12/01/2020 18:51

Not funny pain in the neck

Swipe left for the next trending thread