Entertainment
Big Fat Quiz of the Year fans ‘extremely miffed’ as Noel Fielding and Richard Ayoade missing from Boxing Day special
Fans weren’t happy to see Fielding and Ayoade missing (Pictures: Channel 4)
The Big Fat Quiz of the Year aired last night, and as one of Channel 4’s Christmas staples it aimed to bring laughter to viewers as it tore into the biggest events of 2021 on Boxing Day.
However, despite an appearance from viral councillor Jackie Weaver and a line-up including Strictly Come Dancing star Judi Love, James Acaster and Sarah Millican, fans were left disappointed by the absence of a previous popular double act – Noel Fielding and Richard Ayoade.
The actor-comedians, who have teamed up on the show five times in the past – most recently in 2019 – and appeared on the quiz a total of seven and 10 times respectively, were both missing from the line-up, much to the frustration of fans at home.
‘No Richard Ayoade or Noel Fielding on #BigFatQuizOfTheYear ? Absolutely no point watching it. Gutted,’ wrote one viewer.
Another posted: ‘The lack of Richard Ayoade and Noel Fielding in this years [sic] big fat quiz of the year I’m disgusted.’
Several others mourned the loss of the entertaining pair, saying that the show just ‘wasn’t the same’ without them, while another went further and branded their omission ‘actually a crime’.
The duo are a very popular team (Picture: Channel 4)
Ahead of the show, one fan had tweeted: ‘Every year I pray Noel Fielding and Richard Ayode are on big fat quiz of the year and I pray more that they’re on the same team hahahaha,’ and we are sorry to that person that they were disappointed.
One viewer watching out for IT Crowd star Ayoade, who tuned in nonetheless, stated: ‘i’m watching #bigfatquizoftheyear, but i am extremely miffed about the lack of richard ayoade.’
Following Ayoade’s debut on the programme in 2010, where he was paired up with Great British Bake Off host Fielding, the duo were always on the same team for their subsequent joint appearances, although Ayoade did team up with the likes of Joe Lycett last year and Rob Delaney, Greg Davies and David Mitchell in previous years when Fielding was not a participant.
Fielding also enjoyed a popular teammate in Russell Brand in 2006 and 2007, when they established their ‘Goth Detectives’ alias.
Viewers in 2021 were also harking back to those days of the TV quiz, with one calling the show ‘a fail’ for not having Fielding, Ayoade or Brand among its 2021 roster of talent.
More: Channel 4
‘Everyone is talking about Richard Ayoade and Noel Fielding as a duo but everyone knows the iconic pair will always be the Goth Detectives #BigFatQuizOfTheYear #BigFatQuiz,’ pointed out one keen fan.
This year’s quiz was hosted by Jimmy Carr and had teams comprising of Guz Khan and Sarah Millican, James Acaster and Sara Pascoe, and Judi Love and Jonathan Ross.
The Big Fat Quiz of the Year is available to watch on All 4.
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