I tend to think of Mark Kermode as the natural successor to Barry Norman (though of course their backgrounds are very different, as Barry Norman had a film industry background due to his father).

Actually, I've a funny Mark Kermode anecdote: Years ago as a student, I knew him a little, and interviewed him for a documentary I made on film censorship. However, I wound up removing him from the final cut, as I had more relevant contributions from other interviewees. After he saw the documentary, whenever Mark saw me out and about, he'd point to me and say: "I can't believe you cut me out of your documentary!" (He wasn't seriously upset, to be clear, more amused.)