The Old Grey Whistle Test "Stone Fox Chase" by a Nashville band, Area Code 615. The first host was Richard Williams, features editor of "Melody Maker", the music weekly. From 1972, the programme was presented by disc jockey Bob Harris (nicknamed "Whispering Bob Harris", because of his quiet voice and "laid back" style). He later became notorious among the younger generation for distancing himself on air from Roxy Music's first performance on the show and calling the New York Dolls "mock rock" and left "OGWT" in 1978. After Harris's departure, Anne Nightingale took over as host. In December 1980, Nightingale presented the show in the
The Old Grey Whistle Test of the show as part of "Rutland Weekend Television" in 1975, featuring Eric Idle as Harris, is the first known mention of the fictional band, "Toad The Wet Sprocket" – a later reference on a Monty Python album gave rise to the real-life band of the same name. The parody also featured "all-dead" musician Stan Fitch, whose silent, motionless performance was treated with quick zooms, close-ups, and other visual effects typical of shows like "Whistle Test". The show was parodied on an episode of "The Benny Hill Show", originally aired on 24 September 1975, being called "Old Grey Whistle Tester".