[Yudster]

You have no basis on which to found your satisfaction or otherwise on anything you might ask me to do. If you claim such a right then you are not asking politely, you are demanding.

Don't * off (unless you really want to of course). There is no need for everyone on here (or anywhere else) to agree with each other all or any of the time, or even to like each other. Life is far more interesting when people are honest.

[MK Chris]

He doesn't annoy me like he does others on here, but I find him pretty irrelevant and doesn't bring anything to the show that would be missed if he weren't there.

[Yudster]

I was watching the show a few mornings ago and he was (as so often) in the studio for absolutely no reason - and he deliberately placed himself (as he always does) just behind Chris so that he will be on camera for the maximum time possible. He wasn't doing anything, he wasn't needed (Aled and Rachel were both there), he wasn't required in any way shape or form - but he made damn sure that he was being seen, even if he wasn't at that point being allowed to speak.

jt78963, that would be the kind of thing he does which annoys me.

[jt78963]

Thank you.

[AndyJ]

I have nothing against Matt, but I agree with Tropher, I wouldn't miss him if he left, but he has given the team some good ammo to laugh at him, such as his Uni radio station etc.

[Johnny 1989]

Those who put their heads above the parapet will from time to time find themselves getting shot at. Those who stand on the parapet waving their hands in the air and shouting "look at me" will get shot at even more.

If I were to give Matt Fincham the benefit of the doubt, I would say he should tone down his eagerness to get on the air and rechannel it into doing a decent job of helping to produce the show. The reality of it is - from what I've seen and heard on the show - he is incompetent at his main job, but quite happy to use the show to indulge his vanity and need for attention. In my opinion he is the weakest member of the team since 2002 (possibly ever, but I wasn't listening before then so can't judge).

EDIT: By the way jt78963, you're not "forced to read" anything on here. You are here out of your own choice, it therefore logically follows, to use your own elegant turn of phrase, that you are free to "* off" at any time.

Ed I'm interested as to which Member of the team you thought was the weakest back in 2002, just out of interest of course

[Boboff]

I'd say Aled is weakest now, he couldn't fight his way out of a wet paper bag!

(Joke)

[Ed Pummelon]

Ed I'm interested as to which Member of the team you thought was the weakest back in 2002, just out of interest of course

Good question! I never really warmed to Melinda that much back then. Hard to say, as I was more of a casual "now and again" listener then so he didn't stick out as much as Matt does now, but I remember him being a bit annoying.

EDIT: Thinking about it a bit more I remember Dave coming over as a bit of a wet weekend in those days as well, but I don't think I got his personality back then. Now he's one of my favourite team members.

[Yudster]

I'd say Aled is weakest now, he couldn't fight his way out of a wet paper bag!

(Joke)

You're joking, Aled has been hitting the gym even harder than Chris, and he watches his diet too - he is in seriously good shape at the moment! Six- Pack City!

[Boboff]

Not your type love!

[Yudster]

Well this is true. I like em taller. And less gay.

[Ed Pummelon]

Maybe that could be a new game - put them all in paper bags, chuck a bucket of water over them, and see who can fight his/her way out first...

[S4B]

I heard Dave say "I'm not enjoying this" when Chris was electrocuting his buttocks this morning.

[Johnny 1989]

Ed I'm interested as to which Member of the team you thought was the weakest back in 2002, just out of interest of course

Good question! I never really warmed to Melinda that much back then. Hard to say, as I was more of a casual "now and again" listener then so he didn't stick out as much as Matt does now, but I remember him being a bit annoying.

EDIT: Thinking about it a bit more I remember Dave coming over as a bit of a wet weekend in those days as well, but I don't think I got his personality back then. Now he's one of my favourite team members.

Ah you seem to be getting a bit confused Ed, Melinda was on the show from 1998-2000

I can understand why you may not like him, a lot of the time he just laughed (although I rather liked his weird laugh) but he did used to do good stuff, I Moyles set him a challenge he'd go out & do it.

I was a fan of his just because he seemed to be "one of the lads" and was a lazy bugger & so when he left in 2000 it was a bit odd. Oddly enough, in the first extended show (yet to be edited ) Chris says something along the lines of "We always seem to get the same old emails, where's Melinda gone?...) so he was rather popular. However I can understand, if you weren't a regular listener back in 1999/2000 then you probably wouldn't be a fan of him from the shows I've uploaded so far.

As for 2001-2002 they had a great line up: Chris, Dave, Will, Lizzie, Jon (although only appearing infrequently from 2002) & Aled (who was there from Sept/Oct 2002) although feature wise, after 2000 they were all over the place with one of games/features, whereas from 1997-2000 they used to have set features.

[Jill]

I heard Dave say "I'm not enjoying this" when Chris was electrocuting his buttocks this morning.

Oh my god. How funny was this!! Just watched the video for it. Dave and Dom were hilarious, especially Dom when his voice goes really high!!

[Ed Pummelon]

Ah you seem to be getting a bit confused Ed, Melinda was on the show from 1998-2000

I can understand why you may not like him, a lot of the time he just laughed (although I rather liked his weird laugh) but he did used to do good stuff, I Moyles set him a challenge he'd go out & do it.

I was a fan of his just because he seemed to be "one of the lads" and was a lazy bugger & so when he left in 2000 it was a bit odd. Oddly enough, in the first extended show (yet to be edited ) Chris says something along the lines of "We always seem to get the same old emails, where's Melinda gone?...) so he was rather popular. However I can understand, if you weren't a regular listener back in 1999/2000 then you probably wouldn't be a fan of him from the shows I've uploaded so far.

As for 2001-2002 they had a great line up: Chris, Dave, Will, Lizzie, Jon (although only appearing infrequently from 2002) & Aled (who was there from Sept/Oct 2002) although feature wise, after 2000 they were all over the place with one of games/features, whereas from 1997-2000 they used to have set features.

You're right I am confused in that case - now I'm not sure if I actually heard Melinda live or I'm remembering him from your archive stuff and thinking I heard him first time around. Either way, I certainly wasn't as regular (obsessive?!) a listener back then as I am now, so I'm quite sure I wouldn't have got to know any of the team well enough to really understand how all the characters interacted.

[Johnny 1989]

Ah you seem to be getting a bit confused Ed, Melinda was on the show from 1998-2000

I can understand why you may not like him, a lot of the time he just laughed (although I rather liked his weird laugh) but he did used to do good stuff, I Moyles set him a challenge he'd go out & do it.

I was a fan of his just because he seemed to be "one of the lads" and was a lazy bugger & so when he left in 2000 it was a bit odd. Oddly enough, in the first extended show (yet to be edited ) Chris says something along the lines of "We always seem to get the same old emails, where's Melinda gone?...) so he was rather popular. However I can understand, if you weren't a regular listener back in 1999/2000 then you probably wouldn't be a fan of him from the shows I've uploaded so far.

As for 2001-2002 they had a great line up: Chris, Dave, Will, Lizzie, Jon (although only appearing infrequently from 2002) & Aled (who was there from Sept/Oct 2002) although feature wise, after 2000 they were all over the place with one of games/features, whereas from 1997-2000 they used to have set features.

You're right I am confused in that case - now I'm not sure if I actually heard Melinda live or I'm remembering him from your archive stuff and thinking I heard him first time around. Either way, I certainly wasn't as regular (obsessive?!) a listener back then as I am now, so I'm quite sure I wouldn't have got to know any of the team well enough to really understand how all the characters interacted.

Wouldn't have mattered if you had been a regular listener or not back in 1999/2000, Melinda was always off sick every other day anyway so there was a 50/50 chance that he wouldn't be on the particular day you tuned in

[Matt Fincham]

I felt the need to come on here and speak up for myself, especially given some of the comments from Ed Pummelon and Yudster.

Before you ask, yes it is genuinely me (I'm sure someone can verify my BBC email address).

I've never seen or heard him do that to be honest. Give me three examples of him putting himself in the spotlight and I'll be satisfied.

1. I had a shower, but I didn't clean my Teeth.
2. Every twitter post
3. Bringing and playing with his organ.

1. This was an off-the-cuff comment prompted by Chris asking me a question on air. I didn't volunteer the information myself i.e. "guess what I haven't done this morning?"; the whole essence of Chris' show is spontaneity - I never knowingly position myself in front of the mic and demand to be the centre of attention. If I didn't respond to Chris’ questions there would be dead air, and that makes for bad radio.
2. I can’t be using my Twitter to get in the spotlight as Chris doesn’t even follow me, therefore there’s little chance of him mentioning my posts on air! I merely talk about what I’m up to, in the same way the others on the team do. Feel free to unfollow me; I’d rather you did that than come on here and criticise my posts
3. I've never brought in an ‘organ’ to work; the keyboard has always been in the studio for other guests (Chris Martin, Gary Barlow, Ronan Keating, etc.). The first occasion Chris heard me playing was whilst on pre-fade (I couldn't tell he was listening to me) - he had no idea that I was musical as I'd never discussed it with him. I love playing the piano and getting a real buzz from it, and was flattered that he chose to incorporate it into the show.

I was watching the show a few mornings ago and he was (as so often) in the studio for absolutely no reason - and he deliberately placed himself (as he always does) just behind Chris so that he will be on camera for the maximum time possible. He wasn't doing anything, he wasn't needed (Aled and Rachel were both there), he wasn't required in any way shape or form - but he made damn sure that he was being seen, even if he wasn't at that point being allowed to speak.

This part about 'being in the studio for absolutely no reason' doesn’t make a lot of sense. I'm the Assistant Producer of the show. My job, when I come in at 9am, is to prepare the next day’s content and features. For every other programme on the network, the AP is there for the duration of the show – I’m there to assist Rachel who is on air producing and Aled in the daytime, or to be around if any of the team need me. They’re also quite nice people and I enjoy hanging out with them!

Ever since I started on the show I’ve stood by the desk behind Chris in the studio, mainly because that’s where the spare headphone socket is located – it so happens that there’s a camera there now.

Better run – I’ve got to check we’ve got Chris’ Golden Hour tracks in the system…

[Yudster]

3. I've never brought in an ‘organ’ to work; the keyboard has always been in the studio for other guests (Chris Martin, Gary Barlow, Ronan Keating, etc.). The first occasion Chris heard me playing was whilst on pre-fade (I couldn't tell he was listening to me) - he had no idea that I was musical as I'd never discussed it with him. I love playing the piano and getting a real buzz from it, and was flattered that he chose to incorporate it into the show.

Oddly enough, this is something "you" (sorry, I'm cynical - can you tell??) do that I really enjoy.

[Ed Pummelon]

Fair play to you for speaking up for yourself, if it is you. However what you or your erstwhile alter ego are missing by justifying individual events is the general impression you give - to some listeners, including me - that you are attention seeking and trying to push yourself into the spotlight. The show's got a lot of history and has seen a lot of people come and go, so you should ask yourself why your name is the one that is standing out like this. I'm not expecting you to come up with an answer for that, as unlike isolated situations there probably isn't a simple response to it, but whether you think it's fair or not that is how you come across - to some people.

Out of interest, you've been well aware of the sentiment on here for a while - what prompted you to join now? If indeed you really did.

[Console]

'Matt Fincham' has a BBC IP address and it's BBC policy not to hide or obfuscate your identity, until Chris confirms his E-mail address, I think we should go ahead under the assumption that he is, indeed, Matt Fincham.

[Yudster]

Good good.

Can I add that I find the cello playing impressive too. Just in the interests of balance. Well, sort of balance.

[Zoot]

Welcome to the forum Matt! Stay around, i'm making waffles!

[foot-loose]

Can we sit around swapping manly stories?

[Aled]

I'd like to confirm this is Matt.