Following the discussion at the end of last week's chart thread I thought it'd be nice to open a thread on this, for those who have listened to the chart show at any point since it began.

 

Quite simply, of the chart hosts you've heard, who are your favourites? Whether that be for their competency of hosting the show, how engaging/funny they were, how they interviewed the stars, or maybe how they shaded some of the songs in the countdown. Additionally, who didn't hit the spot for you? Feel free to rank all of the hosts you've heard too!

 

In the poll above, vote for as many of your favourites as you wish. Don't forget to post in the thread to tell us your votes and thoughts though!

 

(I've kept JK & Joel together as a permanent double act but Reggie of course hosted separately from Fearne, so I decided to separate them in the poll too)

I started listening with, I believe, Reggie's final show, so the very end of 2012. I didn't hear enough of him to be able to judge so I'm not including him, but here's my rank of every host since:

 

The best

1. Jameela Jamil - okay, far from the most competent host, but Jameela never failed to make me smile and she was undoubtedly the most engaging for me. The queen of getting two top 40 countdowns of her own most iconic moments on Buzzjack *.* my first proper host and honestly, a tough act to follow.

2. Scott Mills - not far behind Jameela to be fair. Scott obviously has the competency that Jameela lacked, as well as a genuine, keen interest in the chart, which meant even the slowest week felt that bit more interesting because of Scott's hosting.

 

In the middle

3. Clara Amfo - I loved Clara's enthusiasm from the start, she knew how much of a responsibility hosting the chart was and she threw herself in. The only issue is that she wasn't there for long enough, but obviously Clara's gone on to become one of Radio 1's most vital DJs so it's not all bad.

 

Lesser faves

4. Jack Saunders - not much separates the bottom 2, and I don't think either are bad hosts, I just don't quite enjoy their chart shows as much as those above. Jack spends a little too much time hyping up his favourite artists (I know he hosts Future Sounds but it's a separate show!!), but he does actually seem really enthusiastic about the chart and that's why he avoids last place. Bonus points for the I'm Good (Blue) stanning xx

5. Greg James - as competent and smooth a host as Greg is, it quickly became obvious to me that he just didn't really care about the chart. It fell into his old Radio 1 slot when it moved to Friday so he kind-of inherited it, and though he's a good DJ, it sounded like he didn't care, especially when he got the hosting job for Sounds Like Friday Night and the filming of that meant he'd be away from the chart for months at a time.

 

I've voted for Jameela and Scott in the poll!

Mark Goodier for me. He was my host when I started listening to the top 40 way back in 1996, and for me, he still encapsulates what it is to be the perfect host for the show. Even when he ran down the top 10 with Greg James for Radio 1's 50th anniversary in 2017, he still had it. He had the tone just right; building excitement for running down the chart and unveiling the number one that week, but never selling himself at the expense of the records or mocking listener's tastes (something I feel particularly strongly about. It's a news show with music in essence and that's what you have to treat it as and why the editorial at Radio 1 has mostly got the style of the show catastrophically wrong since he left 20 years ago).

 

After that I'd say Scott Mills, he's probably the closest in sound and style to Mark. Although I did have a soft spot for Jameela Jamil. Any lady who sings "All Of Me" by John Legend to a pizza with sincerity is my kinda girl.

I think Mark Goodier is the absolute crème de la crème, that was the era I started listening to it. He's a natural and totally untouchable as a host.

 

My least faves are all the ones that follow: Reggie Yates, Wes Butters and JK & Joel - bunch of jerks, the lot of 'em. Also Fearne Cotton is annoying as sin generally and it's a wonder how she ever made it in the world of presenting.

 

Scott Mills was generally fab.

 

I actually like Jack! I mean, yeah he's not perfect but I find him such a likeable character that he makes it an enjoyable listen. Plus as much as people moan, there's been waaaaay worse over the years.

Will always be Mark Goodier at the top for me!

I voted Mark Goodier (professional yet very lovely man), Jameela (iconic) and Jack (flawed and a bit over the place but definitely a good guy and passionate too).

 

JK and Joel the worst obvs. Useless

Edited August 30, 20231 yr by Smint

I'm old enough to remember Tom Browne! I'm with Joseph on Jameela Jamil; her chart show was fun to listen to.

 

With some of the poorest presenters, it is hard to tell whether the problem is with them or the producer. Having no time to play the song at number four (however much that may have spared the audience a few minutes of aural torture) is a major failing. However, that is surely more down to the producer than the presenter.

^I agree with that, and particularly in recent years it's the producer's fault

it's not that the poor guy presenting chooses what to skip, that'a the producer

with Jack I wish he was more informed about about things and told the backstory behind the entries, which he rarely does

but again not sure if that's his fault or the producer's

 

but for instance last week, a good chart presenter/producer would have followed the mids and would have known there was a Barbie battle between Dua and Billie, and make a whole buzz about it, but Dua, which had been #1 all week in the Mids was not even mentioned as contender, basically ruining all the excitement.

I went for Mark, Clara, Greg & Scott.

 

Mark is my favourite as his voice I just associate with the chart show, Clara was the only host who ever read out any of my tweets so brownie points for that, Scott was just a natural as he'd be in the business for so many years and Greg simply because of "c'mon c'mon turn Greg THAMES on!"

I started listening with Mark Goodier and he will never be topped on my eyes. No one since has come close and if you didn’t listen back then then I guess you might not know what I mean. Though I haven’t listened regularly since Jameela Jamil (ridiculously overrated on here) but when I’ve heard the chart since, even with a DJ I love like Scott Mills, it has never felt like the right time and attention was given to the chart.

Looking through the Wikipedia list apparently Jason Derulo hosted once in December 2013 :huh: Did that actually happen?

I didn't tune into the chart show until 2007 but I've listened to so many older top 40s uploaded to Mixcloud, so would say overall Mark Goodier has been my favourite. I was not impressed one bit by JK & Joel on the other hand, so them for worst. Jameela and Scott have been the most enjoyable in the years I've actually tuned in live when I can.

Looking through the Wikipedia list apparently Jason Derulo hosted once in December 2013 :huh: Did that actually happen?

This video is from June 2013 so it wouldn't be it, but this segment has remained in the back of my mind for 10 years :lol:

 

I didn't listen to Mark when I was younger as I was listening to the rival station (and wasn't listening to Radio 1 at all really) but catching up on his shows through MixCloud.. you can't really argue with him as a legendary chart host. Scott also gets a vote as well as he's been a fab host and I also voted Jameela too purely for her iconic levels with the ACTUAL and INSANE emphasising when talking about certain songs/acts/facts etc and of course Kim and Kanyes wedding :lol:

 

Wes would be my least fave from the ones I've heard. I know Reggie and Fearne get a bashing but I didn't overly mind them as such and JK and Joel were okay too for me if a little silly at times. Greg annoyed me a bit towards his last year or two for the reasons Joseph mentioned but he is generally a decent DJ I think but that's probably outside of the chart show!

Goodybags is The Don but also had to give a vote to Bruno, who was my first host (I started listening the week Whigfield went to #1 in 1994)

 

I think they perfected the format in 1995/1996 - Mark got the right balance of being authoritive and engaging, and the imaging was on point.

Jameela made me laugh. She was friendly and gave the show some life, so her. She wasn't super competent, but that doesn't matter :P

Mark Goodier was my first memory :heart:

 

I’d say I have nice childhood memories of his hosting days and I enjoyed the days of Fearne and Reggie too.

 

Jameela was entertaining but more for the wrong reasons :lol: she’s to the chart what Konnie Huq was to Xtra Factor.

 

It’s odd in a sense that before I discovered this site (and the midweeks) the chart itself felt more enjoyable and suspense as I didn’t really know how well singles were doing during the week so the chart was like the big reveal these days there’s a bit less suspense as we get updates during the week. I do still try and listen when I get the chance though, in my last job I was working when the chart was on so I couldn’t listen live but now I work 7am-3pm I do try and listen and it’s always enjoyable when I do B-)

I've voted for Mark, Jameela, Greg and Scott!

Jameela and Scott are my faves, and I've also voted for Mark, way before my time but I've listened to enough of his shows on Mixcloud. I don't prefer his style but his shows seemed almost always error-free and I appreciate that, obviously a rarity these days x

 

Fearne and Reggie were the hosts when I first started listening so I have a soft spot for them. And I'm hoping Jack will continue to improve, he has good qualities and the passion is there.

Mark Goodier is very easily my favourite.

 

He's a big reason I continued to listen to the chart for years - the suspense he built, his interest in the music and chart stats, and his skill in interviewing the acts competing for No.1 - incomparable. It was event listening, not just a quick Friday night rundown littered with bias, production errors and general indifference as it has proven for many post-Goodier hosts. Jack is ok overall, Wes and JK and Joel were the nadir for me and I switched off in that era.

Edited September 4, 20231 yr by gooddelta