The Old Grey Whistle Test The host was parodied by Benny Hill. The show's title was parodied in the comedy series "Father Ted", in the episode "Old Grey Whistle Theft". The series was also parodied on "The Fast Show", with "Jazz Club", hosted by the eccentric (but quiet) Louis Balfour (a parody of Bob Harris). In 2006, the series was parodied in the sketch comedy show "Snuff Box". The host was played by Richard Ayoade. The Jon Holmes radio show on BBC Radio 6 Music had a feature called the "Old Gay Whistle Test", a parody where a homosexual pensioner whistled a tune for the
Ashes to Ashes (TV series) second and third series, 1980s background music (some of which had been used during the show) was available to UK digital TV viewers by using the red button immediately after the show. Clips from "Top of the Pops", "The Old Grey Whistle Test" and other 1980s BBC TV music programmes, introduced by Philip Glenister in his guise as DCI Gene Hunt, were looped for the remainder of the evening of transmission. Based on overnight returns, "The Guardian" reported that audience figures for the 7 February 2008 broadcast of the first episode—in a 9 pm slot on the flagship channel, BBC