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Never Mind the Buzzcocks: What happens with Vegas ...

Anyone eagerly hoping that Johnny Vegas's appearance would result in car crash TV should brace themselves for a disappointment
Johnny Vegas in Never Mind the Buzzcocks
Johnny Vegas in Never Mind the Buzzcocks: more-controlled

Welcome to week four of Who Wants to be a Buzzcocks-aire where we chart the progress of the guest team captains attempting to fill the Bill Bailey-sized gap on the weekly pop quiz.

Judging by your responses on Organ Grinder, here's how the leader board is shaping up:

1. Bob Mortimer: a steady hand at the tiller, well-liked and - crucially - he might actually want the job.

2. Stephen Fry: he may be top of your wish list but the consensus is that he probably won't be applying for the full-time position.

3. Mark Ronson: likeable and eager to please but unlikely to make the switch from making music to making fun of music.

This week: Johnny Vegas. He was a regular on Shooting Stars and knows what this panel game lark is all about so I wasn't expecting a car crash. Although, I'll now admit to secretly hoping for one - and he does have a certain reputation.

My first reaction was undoubtedly: "Blimey, Johnny's lost weight!" His slimming down is pretty well documented but the man is bordering on svelte compared with his former figure. Not that this has anything to do with his on-screen ability. Back to the show.

He was immediately on form - by which I mean funny, not ridiculous. And it wasn't long before he was over-sharing in his trademark, slightly uncomfortable way.

And he did genuinely seem to want to do a good job, at one point even hopelessly trying to round up his troops and restore order with a plaintive: "I'm trying to be a captain, here."

However, Vegas didn't seem hugely enthusiastic and host Simon Amstell didn't engage much with him - possibly out of a sense of self-preservation. Vegas's usually aggressive style of comedy has been much derided but, confronted with this more-controlled Johnny, I was left slightly unfulfilled. It's not a massive leap of the imagination to suppose there were more boisterous moments that didn't make the edit, but if that's true and the viewing public never see them, what's the point?

As for pop knowledge, Vegas certainly didn't come across as a muso, or even that much of a music fan, but that needn't count against him. Being popular and entertaining is just as important for this gig.

What did you think? Post a comment below.

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