Nick Grimshaw plots Top of the Pops follow-up as newest TV project
Show will mark his first return to telly since leaving X Factor
NICK GRIMSHAW’s most recent foray into television ended with hatchet man SIMON COWELL not-so-gently nudging him towards the X Factor exit.
But it hasn’t put him off making a name for himself on the box rather than the radio.
I can reveal that the Radio 1 breakfast show host has come up with an idea for what he hopes will be the long-awaited follow-up to Top Of The Pops.
He says he developed the programme because it is “what the country needs” after TOTP was shelved in 2006.
In an exclusive interview, the radio host said: “I’m writing a show with my friend Aimee. We’ve just started writing it. We’re in talks to do a show.
“It’s a music show, it’ll be a show getting music on television.
“It’s what we need so I’m going to make it happen. It’s my mission.”
Last year the Beeb’s director of music Bob Shennan said he was hoping to rebrand and relaunch Top of the Pops but it all went quiet.
The iconic show was a weekly staple on British TV from the Sixties right up until its end ten years ago — historically with Radio 1 DJs presenting.
But it lost its way after a series of relaunches.
A move from BBC1 to BBC2 failed to stop it haemorrhaging viewers and its reputation suffered a devastating blow when the revelations about former host Jimmy Savile broke.
Nick was a front-runner for the TFI Friday job — the only programme in recent years bearing any similarity to TOTP — but decided to turn it down to focus on The X Factor.
It would be a good move for Nick, who faced heaps of criticism both privately from Simon Cowell and publicly from fans.
Eventually he quit, but it was a case of jumping before he was pushed.
He still takes a keen interest in the talent show though and thinks the move to bring back diva SHARON OSBOURNE — which I revealed last month — is a good one.
He said: “I love Sharon, I think she’s made for reality television.
“I liked GARY BARLOW because he was grumpy. But Sharon is my favourite.”
Last year Sharon said Simon suffered from “small penis syndrome” and yet
he still brought her back.
She must be his favourite too...