| Noel's HQ | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Talk |
| Presented by | Noel Edmonds |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 5(inc. 1 pilot) |
| Production | |
| Production location | Fountain Studios[1] |
| Running time | 90 minutes(inc. adverts) |
| Production company | Twofour |
| Original release | |
| Network | Sky1 |
| Release | 14 September 2008 (2008-9-14) – 14 February 2009 (2009-2-14) |
Noel's HQ is a Britishlight entertainment programme that was broadcast bySky1. Hosted byNoel Edmonds, the series featured segments discussing philanthropic efforts and political issues. A one-off pilot episode was broadcast live on 14 September 2008, and a full 5-part series was broadcast from 17 January to 14 February 2009.
Noel's HQ was first announced as apilot broadcast live 14 September 2008 on Sky1; the programme was billed as having a philanthropic purpose, and as being a "response to abroken Britain".[2][3]
During a February 2009 episode featuringJoe Townsend, a soldier who had lost both of his legs after stepping on anIED while serving in Afghanistan, Edmonds intervened over a planning permission denial byWealden District Council for a specially-adaptedbungalow for his needs. During the segment, Edmonds launched a verbal tirade towards the council's press officer, Van den Bos, disagreeing with their categorization ofNoel's HQ as an "entertainment" programme in their refusal to speak to it.[4][5] Edmonds also revealed that he did not accept payments for his role as host, and had been donating his per-episodesalary to acharitable trust.[6]
Following the broadcast, it was reported that Sky had edited approximately 20 seconds of the segment for repeat airings out of concerns forOfcom regulations—a decision that led to conflicts between Edmonds and Sky over editorial control, and nearly prompted him to quit the programme.[4][5]
In March 2009, Sky announced that it would not renewNoel's HQ for a second series.[7]
The programme consisted of interviews and segments profiling and surprising people in need, performers ofrandom acts of kindness, and the operators of charities, with prizes and expertise.[5][8] It was described by anIndependent writer as a "modern-dayJim'll Fix It".[9]
The theme of a "broken Britain" was prevalent in its content, such as bureaucracy and overregulation,[10]political correctness, and "health and safety rules and initiatives that don't work."[2][3]
Writing forThe Guardian,Charlie Brooker consideredNoel's HQ to be "a cross betweenThat's Life,Surprise Surprise, and some unmade episode ofI'm Alan Partridge in whichAlan snaps and runs into traffic with his shirt off, smashing windscreens with a cricket bat", and contained segments akin to apolitical rally where Edmonds "shouts about petty-minded local councils". Commenting upon the Townsend episode, Brooker drew comparisons to the filmNetwork, and joked that he would eventually be "carrying out live public executions—death bygunging for bureaucrats—while the audience fires pistols andCheggers sticks heads on poles", or run for the "house party".[8]
FellowGuardian writerLucy Mangan jokingly described the programme as practicing a religion that "harnesses the intercessionary powers of celebrities to encourage community spirit and the charitable impulse", where "thou must declare every third-hand snippet of news about bureaucratic snafu as incontrovertible evidence of Bonkers Britain", and "corrupt and pervert every pure and humane impulse thou—or thou's research team—comes across by the addition of puking sentimentality and the meaningless benedictions ofNell McAndrew."[10]