Voting Station

Bill Grundy

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TV Personality

The Resume

    (May 18, 1923-February 9, 1993)
    Born in Manchester, England, United Kingdom
    Hosted ‘Today,’ a regional news program broadcast by Thames Television
    Best known for a contentious interview with the Sex Pistols (December 1, 1976)

Why he might be annoying:

    Fellow broadcaster Michael Parkinson called him ‘a difficult man to keep sober.’
    His reputation for heavy drinking kept him from being chosen as a presenter for the BBC’s ‘Panorama.’
    During his interview with the Sex Pistols, he referred to them only as ‘that group.’
    As the interview became increasingly hostile, he goaded the band to ‘say something outrageous.’
    Guitarist Steve Jones responded by calling him ‘a dirty fucker’ and ‘a fucking rotter.’
    He mouthed ‘oh shit’ as the end credits rolled.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He was a geologist before becoming a broadcast journalist.
    He produced the children’s TV program ‘The Flower of Gloucester’ (1967).
    Parkinson said of him, ‘At his best, he was a superb forensic interviewer.’
    The Sex Pistols interview largely destroyed his career (‘Today’ was cancelled two months later and he never had another regular position in prime time) while launching the band into national fame (or infamy).
    A 2008 survey found his interview with the Sex Pistols to be the most requested clip in the history of British television.

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 14 Votes: 78.57% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 152 Votes: 41.45% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 20 Votes: 50.0% Annoying