Malcolm is widely regarded as the second-best musician at his address and he fully expects to be demoted to third place in the near future.  He’s played classical music with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and London Sinfonietta, jazz with The Tommy Chase Quartet, film music for David Lynch, West End musical theatre on ‘Mamma Mia!’ and ‘The Lion King’, and pop music all over the world with James Blunt, Robbie Williams, Elton John, Lulu, Westlife and Natalie Imbruglia.

From his vantage point, at the back next to the drummer, the most important thing he’s realised (apart from the danger of leaving his wallet in the dressing room) is the power of a good tune with the right words. This has led to a life-long, unhealthy obsession with the question of what makes a hit song a hit song and tonight, in a rare foray at the front of the stage, he presents a selection of those songs that were UK number one hits on this day throughout chart history in the hope that we might find out the answer together.

(Photography credit: Jeremy McCarthy Photography)