Quickfire: Mark Cooper.

With the last TOTP screened last night (Sunday), we meet its executive producer Mark Cooper to mark the passing of a legendary show

How did you come to decide on the format for the final show?

The idea was to produce a big retrospective show, looking back over 42 years of history and bringing back some of the legendary presenters from the past such as Janice Long, Mike Read and Jimmy Savile. We decided to have the new number one of the week, but that was it. I thought the previous show was such a great celebration of pop music now, with the likes of Lilly Allen and Snow Patrol, so the final show should be there really to sum up what has been a broadcasting institution.

The planning must have started as soon as the decision to axe the show was announced.

Absolutely. We decided we wanted 10 of the greatest tracks ever recorded on the show from across the different decades and to have some humour in there so we have the best performances from children or animals, which means everything from the Wombles to Crazy Frog. The most important thing was for there to be stonking music, which is why we started with the Rolling Stones doing The Last Time, which is also an appropriate song.

How long have you personally been involved with the show?

As a viewer, since I was six. As a music lover it's been part of my life for as long as I can remember, but I've worked on it since 1997.