Meet Cel Spellman – host of the Official Charts After Party

Cel talks his go-to happy song, upcoming artists and party prep.

Tonight (November 6) sees the first ever Official Charts After Party in association with New Look kick off at Teesside University.

The shows, which will bring some of the UK’s hottest new chart talent including Karen Harding, Melissa Steel and WSTRN to student unions across the country, will be hosted by Cel Spellman, who you may recognise as the host of Radio 1's The Number 1 Show and CBBC's Official Chart Show. As the newest member of the Official Charts family, we thought we’d should probably get to know Cel a bit better:

Hi Cel, what was the first single you ever bought?

Ummmm, I think it was… Slim Shady by Eminem maybe? I remember that being one of the first records that I learnt all the words to. You can’t not rap along to Eminem songs!

What album did you play on repeat growing up?

I listened to a lot of U2 growing up because my dad’s a big U2 fan, I was brought up on them. For myself, probably Coldplay’s Parachutes, although my favourite songs are Clocks and The Scientist.

MORE: Official Charts After Party lineup revealed: Melissa Steel, Karen Harding and more coming to a club near you

What’s your go-to happy song?

Bob Marley & The Wailers’ Three Little Birds is an all-time great song. I’m a big fan of reggae and I’ve always been interested in Bob as a person and what he did for his country. You can go anywhere in the world and everybody knows Three Little Birds. I’ve got eight or ten Bob Marley albums on my phone but they never get old, I could listen to them all day every day.

What upcoming artists are you excited about?

WSTRN who are playing the Official Charts After Party are sick - they’re amazing, and there’s a guy called Loyle Carner who does poems and spoken word with some really cool beats. Annie Mac’s played him a few times, his lyrics are flipping sick.

MORE: Introducing WSTRN: "Playing live is the best feeling"

Lapsley too, she’s amazing. She has a song called Hurt Me, where almost all the sounds that you hear are her voice, with her singing on top. She’s got a really nice tone to her voice. I think Nathan Sykes going solo is gonna do big things as well.

You’re going to be presenting the Official Charts After Party in association with New Look, what are your party essentials?

I’d say friends, music and my dancing feet!

How do you get ready for a big night out?

Have a shower and freshen up, get the music going, have a few pre drinks. As long as I’m with good company I can be anywhere and have a good time.

What’s your party anthem of the year?

It’s gotta be Walking With Elephants by Ten Walls.

What’s your party trick?

Being able to sneak off when I get asked that question! When that conversation comes about I just tactically slide out of the room so no one notices.

How do you recover from big night?

There are some hangovers that just don’t have a cure - I’ve had a few of them recently. I try to get a couple of glasses of water in on the night to keep hydrated, then a big glass of water before I go to bed. I can be in the worst state, but I somehow manage to get to a tap [laughs]. Water’s my big one! Sometimes, you just need to accept that the next day you’re going to be a couch potato.

Catch up on all the latest Official Charts After Party news here