TV
Why do you think Transmission's proved so popular?
"Well I think it's got something to do with the place that it's coming from. You know, it's a party that gets filmed; it's not all about making a TV show and ticking boxes and that kind of thing. It's made by people who love music and really want to do something different and interesting and are prepared to ask guests the sort of questions that other shows wouldn't dare."
Is it as fun to make as it is to watch?
"It's even more fun to work on. It's ridiculous. There's no other show where you could end up crashing a wedding party in the middle of Cardiff with Howard Marks and Alan Carr, and then the next week watch Jake Shears snog Steve Jones while Yoko Ono sits on your lap. There aren't many jobs that let you experience things like that within weeks of each other."
Where is your favourite city to film the show?
"Well, I really like going over the border because it's just the best laugh. People are always really up for a good time. We've been to Glasgow and it was just ridiculous, so I'm really looking forward to going back there."
Are you excited about taking the show to your hometown of Sunderland?
"Sunderland's going to be mental. We went to Newcastle last year and that was really good because I grew up going out round there. It felt like a homecoming. My family just turned up in droves: about 40 of them came down and got mangled - they ended up in a strip club with Dizzee Rascal! All my cousins came down and my auntie set the smoke alarm off by smoking a fag - the whole building had to be evacuated! I think making the Sunderland show two weeks before giving birth is going to be a daunting but exciting prospect."
What sort of guests can we expect from the new series?
"We've got some amazing guests. I mean, we're still keeping our fingers crossed on some people, but we've definitely got Quentin Tarantino, Gwen Stefani and Kate Nash coming down. We've got everyone from your really big established hip-hop stars to your latest young skinny indie upstarts, really. We run the full gamut."
What would your fantasy Transmission lineup be?
"I'd have to have Iggy Pop on there, because he's very important to me, so it'd be Iggy & The Stooges circa 1969 alongside Television performing 'Marquee Moon'. I'd love to interview Debbie Harry, so she'd come on for a guest appearance. Who else? Maybe the Pixies circa 1988 and I'd need someone from more recent times, too. I'd actually like to have the Chemical Brothers, because that would make a good mix."
Do you ever watch the bands performing and think: 'Oh, I wish I was still doing that...'?
"No, never. Being in a band is very fun but I'm really glad I don't do it for a living anymore. I'm extremely respectful of people who do it."
You were on the judging panel for the Mercury Prize a couple of weeks ago. Did the right album win?
"Oh, there were lots of arguments, but I think in the end the right album won. We had a great conversation because there were some really outstanding records on the shortlist - I think there was a really strong batch of albums this year. I was very pleased for Klaxons, but I think they were very surprised to win. If they'd been expecting to win, they would have kept their powder dry! They were more than shocked, bless 'em. The exuberance of youth - what can you say?"
Now you've said goodbye to the Xfm breakfast show, are you missing radio?
"I've been doing some bits of cover for Radio 2, so that's really kept my radio heart beating. I can't wait to get something else started on Radio 2. Obviously I'm having a baby at the moment so I just couldn't keep doing a breakfast show; it was just too gruelling, especially alongside two TV shows. Something had to give, you know, so I decided to focus on TV for a while, but I'm really hoping to do some more radio."
What projects have you got coming up?
"Well, I've got Transmission and I'm going to keep on doing The Culture Show. Also, I've got a few projects that I'm talking about with people that are really exciting. I'm definitely not going to give it all up to make my own roast chickens for five years or anything like that!"
Can you tell us anything about these new projects?
"Well, it would be really nice to do some more radio again. I'm very excited about some of the possibilities that are out there."
The new series of Transmission with T-Mobile begins on Friday at 11.40pm on Channel 4.
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