Never Mind The Buzzcocks | Interview with Daisy May Cooper

Buzzcocks is back and you’re a team captain, how do you feel?

I know, mental! I have to say it’s been an absolute bloody dream. I can’t believe I’m getting paid for it, it’s mad! I just could not believe it when they said they wanted me, especially because I grew up watching this show. I was such a big fan of the show and then it was just like, “Oh my God, I’m actually going to be a team captain with Noel Fielding.” Never in my wildest dreams did I think this would come true.

What was it about the show that you loved so much?

Oh, it was just so much fun and I always remember the episode when Preston storms out and do you remember Donny Tourette from the Towers of London? He came on the show smoking and just acting like a tit, and me and my brother used to watch that episode all the time. It’s so funny!

Are you any good at music trivia?

Do you know what? I’m good at my RnB and I’m good at my garage, classic kind of late 90s, early noughties stuff, I’m absolutely on form.

Why do you think now is the right time to bring it back?

Well, music has evolved so much from when it was on the last time and I think us Brits are absolutely one of the leading countries when it comes to good music. So, it just feels right, it really does feel like it’s the right time.

Some people might say the music scene is not as wild as it was back in the day…

No, we definitely have some characters right now. Absolutely 100%. So Aitch, he came on the show – he’s not actually H from Steps, he’s the rapper, Aitch – and he told us about how he went mad in a hotel room by throwing a kettle around. So, they’ve got a bit of rock and roll going on!

What’s Greg like as the host?

He’s just amazing. He was born to do this. He was born to be the host of this show and it’s really difficult to get through an episode where Greg and I don’t end up just crying with laughter. We have to do a round where it’ll be like, what’s a true thing that Justin Bieber did and we’ll just be laughing until we cry at each other.

You’re a team captain and up against Noel, how competitive does it get between you both?

Really competitive! I’ve started to get really competitive with him and do you know what? I’m actually doing better than I thought I would be. Especially on the Intros Round, I take that very, very seriously, and also put in my dance moves, as well as just singing along to the intro.

You’re cracking some moves?

Abso-bloody-lutely, mate. Living my best life. I’m pretty much auditioning for Strictly! Let’s go!

Is there any cheating going on?

A lot of cheating has gone on, I’m not going to lie! My team actually got disqualified, it makes me actually really angry even now! So I really, really care about it. But yeah, cheating has happened. Jamali is the worst at it though, so it’s not just me! He does it all the time and doesn’t even try to hide it!

What about Noel?

There have been lots of iconic moments on Buzzcocks over the years, what vibe are you guys creating for this new outing?

We’re all so different. I love my garage and RnB, then you’ve got Greg, who obviously likes his boring, old stuff. And then Noel, he’s really rock and roll. Then Jamali is into all sorts. So I think that the combination of all of us actually really works well. Having the earth, air, fire, water of the music world. So, it’s really fun. But I suppose the thing I think this show will be known for, is probably corpsing.

Who’s the worst at that?

Oh, Greg. By a country mile, he is the worst. Sometimes he never actually makes it to the end of his questions. About 90% of the show never makes the edit.

Will there be potential for a bloopers episode of the things that don’t make the final show?

Oh my God, I really hope so! I really, really hope so. Honestly, it doesn’t feel like work. It’s just like hanging out in the pub with your mates, discussing music.

How do you keep Greg, Noel and Jamali in check?

Well, oh my God, you know what? It’s not that I’m keeping them in check. It’s more them keeping me in check. Honestly! Whenever I’m around Greg, it brings out this side to me where I revert back to being a 14-year-old school girl who is sat in the back of the classroom with a supply teacher, and I just want to make his life hell! I just want to chuck things at him and distract him.

Out of all of you, who do you think is the naughtiest?

Jamali definitely. He’s always pushing the boundaries on stuff and he’s always bloody cheating! He needs Greg to put him in detention sometimes, I think.

Do you think it’s important we keep pushing boundaries in comedy?

I think, as long as it’s funny and you’re not hurting anybody, you should always push boundaries. Always. I suppose otherwise it’s just boring, isn’t it? We need something like this show on the telly at the moment. Just a little bit of chaos and fun, it’s been so bleak with lockdown and COVID. To actually be in a studio again and doing a panel show after all this time, it’s just been so lovely.

What can you tease about some of the guests you’ve had on?

We had Abz from Five come on, I don’t think I’ve ever been more excited in my entire life. I’m completely fan-girling over him. Greg asked him what happened to the farm he started, and he said, “Well, all the animals died.” Oh my God! We’ve had Bez and Shaun Ryder, that was another fucking hilarious show. Oh my God, honestly, I haven’t laughed until I’ve cried until Bez and Shaun came on the show. Bez is like a kind of toddler, it’s like he’s not living on this planet. He had to do the Identity Parade, where he basically had to go behind a screen and not move, and we had to guess which one was the silhouette of Bez, so there was four other people and he just couldn’t stop fidgeting and the whole studio was just in tears laughing! They were both on my team as well, there was just total carnage, let me tell you! Absolute, utter carnage! What you see is what you get with those two, and it’s like this really beautiful relationship that they have with each other. They’re sort of like two old women really.

Who’s been your favourite?

Not so much a celebrity guest, but one of the women in the Identity Parade was absolutely hilarious and totally stole the show. The Identity Parade was “Who’s sang the song?” and it was Meatloaf, “I Would Do Anything for Love”. This woman, I don’t know where they found her but my God she was funny, she was really, really funny. Oh my God. Stole the show. I don’t want to give too much away but look out for her!

Do you have a favourite game?

My favourite game is The Mick Hucknall game where it’s a picture of Mick Hucknall’s face on a celebrity, and you have to guess what celebrity Mick Hucknall is hiding. That has got to be one of my favourite ones. There was even a question whether Mick Hucknall was on Mick Hucknall’s face! We’ve got Identity Parade, we’ve got the Intro Round.

We heard that you believe in ghosts…

Oh my God. A hundred, thousand percent. I just totally believe in them and I actually bought my ghost equipment to the show because we’re in quite an old building. So in between filming, I’m just constantly on the lookout for ghosts.

You actually have equipment to hunt for ghosts?

Yeah! I’ve gone mad on it. All the equipment I’ve got, like Ghostbusters! I don’t know where the fascination came from, I just always loved the thought of something existing that’s kind of make-believe I suppose, but yeah I’m just obsessed with ghosts. My cleaner is a medium as well, so she will be saying stuff to me like, “Oh just to let you know, I’ve just picked up on a spirit and it likes to walk through the wardrobe and out into the bathroom, also we’ve run out of loo roll”.

Have you ever seen one?

No but I’ve heard one! I have an EDP which is where you can record dead air basically, you ask questions like “Is anybody here? Who am I speaking to?”, and when you listen to it back, you’re supposed to be able to hear the ghosts. I did it and I heard a ghost say, “Don’t be afraid”, which is really weird!

Where were you?

It was actually while I was in hospital. I was in a private room on my own and even though I was feeling really ill, it still didn’t put me off trying to seek out the ghosts!

Did you find any in the studio?

Not as yet, but I’m still on the search. Definitely still on the search.

You need your own show. Move over Yvette Fielding!

You know what? That’s a bloody great idea. I really want to train to be an exorcist and just go out on the road rescuing people and clearing them of all of their demons. Sky have to make it happen!

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