Express & Star

Noel Edmonds recalls fallout of Mr Blobby’s Christmas chart-topper

Take That had to settle for second place.

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Mr Blobby, the character who shot to fame on Noel Edmonds’ House Party (Fiona Hanson/PA)

Noel Edmonds has spoken of how Gary Barlow was annoyed when Mr Blobby denied Take That their first Christmas number one.

Mr Blobby’s self-titled track had already spent three weeks on the chart in December 1993 and rose two places as the boy band’s single Babe was pipped at the post.

Recalling the incident from 24 years ago, Edmonds told BBC Radio Five Live: “Mr B was hugely successful with his number one record… That really pissed off Gary Barlow, I tell you.”

Gary Barlow was said to be aggrieved that Take That did not take the Christmas Number One (Kirsty Wigglesworth/PA)
Gary Barlow was said to be aggrieved that Take That did not take the Christmas number one (Kirsty Wigglesworth/PA)

Speaking about Noel’s House Party – a staple of Saturday night TV between 1991 and 1999 – he said: “I was hired to beat ITV, it was as simple as that. I and Cilla Black would slog it out over a combined audience of 30 million.

“It is impossible for me to exaggerate my happiness at having been able to make that kind of television.”

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