The Big Breakfast

Think he was on once a week but didn't last that long at all. Possibly had a slot with Vanessa similar to the Wayne Hemmingway fashion slot, which IIRC lasted pretty much to the end.

It did indeed, because he was on the last show and Richard Bacon referred to him as "our longest-serving expert". He did indeed join as part of the 1996 revamp, along with Ross Burden the chef (who then went off to do the exact same feature on GMTV, just to illustrate how identical the shows were at the time) and Richard Randall who talked about interior design. And, er, presumably one other, for the fifth day of the week. Also joining in that revamp was Tamara Beckwith who did gossip and Kelly "sister of Sharon" Stone who did US news.

Actually at the very beginning of the show in 1992 they had a different expert in every day doing a slot with Paula. The only one I can remember was Sam Breach who was a professional comper, ie someone who entered and won hundreds of competitions. I don't suppose that kind of job exists anymore.

I think Richard Randall started later, after Johnny and Denise teamed up.

I was once on the big breakfast, when it had Chris Evans and Gaby Roslin.
So around 93-94. I was a scout, and a group of us were asked to go to the house as the bb had a calender of Gaby Roslin, that was so "hot" boy scouts could cook sausages over it. Campfire style.
The celeb guest was Tom Baker if I remember correctly.
And the call in gameshow was "get your knobbly nuts out".
The biggest part I remember was Chris Evans storming off halfway through, and leaving Gaby Roslin to front the show alone for 30 minutes.
Be great to find this episode somewhere to show my daughter now.

Is it too late to start listening now?

In the wake of the inevitable gender pay cap issue at the BBC interesting to see Denise speak about how she fell out with Johnny - over pay. She quit in 1998 when she found out he was negotiating his contract separately. Guess it's a similar story to Phillip and Fern.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-40939023

Hmm quite a lot of the Denise/Johnny feud doesn't make sense. Johnny maintains he is genuinely baffled by it all.

..just like the expression he pulled at some of her ad-libs on the Big Breakfast

If you want to relive it, the full 1996 re-launch episode in full is now on youtube!



Also Rick and Sharron switch sofa positions after 8am.

Surprisingly, it's actually even worse than I remember.

Used to find it fascinating but now just find it cringeworthy.

I was the same when I watched the relaunch show. sharron is ok, how the hell did rick get the main presenters job? I can't believe tat i still had it on VHS, wish i still had the 2001 relaunch show too, never mind