The programme focuses on two teams, one usually captained byIan Hislop and one byPaul Merton, each plus a guest panelist, answering questions on various news stories on the week prior to an episode's broadcast. However, the programme's format focuses more on the topical discussions on the subject of the news stories related to questions, and thesatirical humour derived from these by the teams. This style of presentation had a profound impact on panel shows in British TV comedy, making it one of the genre's key standard-bearers.
The programme aired onBBC Two for its first ten years, before moving toBBC One in 2000. While the standard episodes are broadcast on Fridays, since 2003 extended versions of each episode, initially titledHave I Got a Little Bit More News for You and later simplyHave I Got a Bit More News for You, have been broadcast, originally the following Saturdays on BBC Two, later moved to Mondays on BBC One and returned to BBC Two in 2021. Repeats of older episodes are namedHave I Got Old News for You orHave I Got a Bit More Old News for You. Currently, only episodes from series 65 onward are available onBBC iPlayer.[4]
Until 2002,Have I Got News for You was hosted byAngus Deayton, who was sacked following reports in national newspapers of several scandals about his private life.[5] Since then, the programme has been hosted by a different celebrity each week; many of them add their own comedy.
The programme has gained widespread acclaim for its contribution to British television and comedy, receiving multiple awards at theBritish Comedy Awards including Best New Comedy Programme in 1991,[6] Best Entertainment Series in 1992,[7] Best Comedy Gameshow in 1999[8] and the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011.[9] It also received the 2016BAFTA Television Award for Comedy and Comedy Entertainment Programme.[10]
Have I Got News for You was initially conceived as a pilot for theBBC calledJohn Lloyd's Newsround. The BBC had commissioned Hat Trick Productions to make a television show which was like a more topical version of Hat Trick'sWhose Line Is It Anyway? (developed by futureMock the Week creators Dan Patterson and Mark Leveson), but it was decided that the show would follow a template more in keeping withRadio 4'sThe News Quiz. Hat Trick hired a producer with a track record in radio comedy,John Lloyd, and filmed a pilot with a title which aped long-runningChildren's BBC programmeJohn Craven'sNewsround.
Since its first broadcast on 28 September 1990, the BBC has commissioned two series each year, the number of episodes being divided between the Spring series, broadcast from April to June, and the Autumn series, shown from October to December. The Autumn series takes a week's break to make room for theChildren in Need special.For the first ten years of its existence, the programme was shown onBBC Two. Hislop has been the longest-serving member of the three on the programme since its premiere. He has not missed a single episode.[13] Merton took a break during the 11th series in 1996, saying he had become "very tired" of the show and thought it had become "stuck in a rut". In his absence, his role was assigned to a guest team captain each episode, with Merton himself returning for one episode as a guest on Hislop's team. Merton returned for the following series as team captain, deeming that his absence had given the programme the "shot in the arm" it needed and that it had been "better ever since".[note 1]
By 2000, the BBC made a decision to relocate its late evening news bulletin from nine o'clock to ten o'clock, afterITV moved their long-running ten o'clock bulletin to eleven o'clock. The resulting move caused a gap in its schedule that needed filling;Have I Got News for You was moved toBBC One and given access to a broader audience in October that year. In 2002, Deayton was caught using illegal drugs and soliciting sex with a prostitute – a fact that he was ridiculed for on the programme,[14] after it became headlines – putting his private life under scrutiny by news media outlets.[15] Further scandal effectively forced the BBC to terminate Deayton's contract with them two episodes into the programme's 24th series.[16]
At short notice, Merton hosted the first episode after Deayton's departure,[17] with a series of guest hosts appearing for the remainder of the series, includingAnne Robinson,Boris Johnson, andJeremy Clarkson.[18] Despite an initial search for a permanent successor to Deayton, having a different guest host each week proved successful, with average audience figures increasing from 6 million to 7 million,[19] leading to it becoming a permanent feature in the programme's format in June 2003.[20]
Between 1990 and its spring season in 2018, the programme was recorded atThe London Studios, the former home ofLondon Weekend Television; it briefly was recorded atBBC Television Centre for a2001 Election special, the Friday after the elections were completed. From the 2018 autumn series, recording was conducted atElstree Studios,[21] although the onset of theCOVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom in 2020 impacted production of series during that time. The spring series saw Hislop, Merton, and the celebrities for each episode filming episodes virtually from their own homes, against a superimposed CGI recreation of the studio.
The 2020 autumn, 2021 spring, and 2021 autumn series were filmed atRiverside Studios in London under safety measures to prevent the spread of infection, which included socially distancing panellists and host with screens while on set. Initially audience numbers were reduced – half those attending each recording being allowed in the studio, and the other half watching the recording in the studio's cinema – but upon the British government implementing a second lockdown, all remaining episodes in the series were recorded with a virtual audience. After the easing of restrictions filming continued to take place at Riverside Studios.[22]
Episodes are usually set to around 30 minutes in length and are edited from the footage taken from a longer recording session the day before an episode is broadcast. The time frame given is used to allow the programme to retain the topical elements that an episode will feature, while allowing for any potentially defamatory material to be cut by the BBC's team of lawyers to avoid legal issues. The focus on each episode is on four panellists – the show's two regulars, and two guests – split between two teams, answering questions related to topical items in the news that occurred within the previous week, but the format often forgoes this aspect and the scoring system in favour of the panellists' witty exchanges, jokes, and satirical discussions on the question's relevant news item.
Each episode consists of a general format that is largely unchanged since the programme first premiered. All begin with an introduction by the host, who gives out a set of satirical, fictional comedic news stories that are often accompanied with a video clip from news programmes or general public recordings to provide the joke, followed by introductions of the episode's guest panellists. After this, the episode focuses on four rounds that generally follow the same arrangement:
Round 1 – dubbed the "Film Round" – begins after the introductions and sees each team being shown a collection of video clips – all featuring no sounds – consisting of news reports, archive footage and dramatized scenes, and must detail the news story that they have relevance to. The item in question tends to be a major news story, and avoids any notable pieces that consist of tragic events such as terrorist attacks that would be deemed offensive to use for comedic purposes. The round usually includes additional questions and sometimes a bonus round for comedic purposes. On some occasions the round has had some deviations in arrangement, such as a team being given a series of audio clips with no pictures and identifying the news item it was focused on.
Round 2 focuses on discussions and questions on other news items. Between 1990 and 2004, the questions focused on newspaper headlines that panellists had to identify the story it was linked to. After 2004, the round focused on images that would be revealed to panellists in different manners, which they had to reveal the story about – in this arrangement, the programme frequently made use of props and graphic effects to reveal such images, with the round being labelled per the manner the picture was revealed, and include: "Jigsaw of News" – image revealed in jigsaw pieces; the "One-Armed Bandit of News" – picture revealed on slot machine reels, with the host pulling a lever to spin them; and the "Strengthometer of News" – host uses a mallet to hit a high striker pad, with the meter stopping at an image that is then enlarged.
Round 3 focuses on panellists given four personalities, characters and/or objects, in which they must define the link that connects three of these, and point out the item that is the odd one out in this regard. The number of "odd one outs" that are given in the round vary depending on what production staff arrange, but usually consist of a single question.
Round 4 focuses on a headline from newspapers and a guest publication, in which a choice selection of words is blanked out, and the panellists must suggest what these could be. More often than not, the panellists never give the right answer, and the round is mainly focused on what comedic line could be spun from the headline, based on what words are left visible. For example, a comedian could fill in the blank for the following – "Church may be forced to sell _____" – with something that would be considered highly unlikely and bizarre to read about.
After the rounds are completed, the host then gives out the scores, denoting which team is the winner. If time permits, the episode may feature a bonus round called the "Caption Competition", in which panellists are given a single or two pictures to make amusing captions to. The episode always concludes with the host making an additional set of satirical, fictional comedic news stories, accompanied by a picture to provide the joke; in rare cases, a video clip is used.
A repeat with a running time of 40 minutes, titledHave I Got a Bit More News for You, is often aired on the weekend, and features additional content cut from the original episode, and can often include scenes and outtakes made during the show before the opening credits or after the ending credits.[23]
The format ofHave I Got News for You is derived from the comedy that can be generated by each guest that participates in the programme, whether as a panellist or as a host. Although the show features a variety of comedians, it has also included politicians, television personalities, actors and news media personalities, several of whom have appeared more than once. As of 16 October 2020,Alexander Armstrong had appeared most often, mainly as guest host and also as a panellist, whileAndy Hamilton had appeared most often as a guest panellist.[citation needed]
On rare occasions, the programme has had a participant cancel or otherwise be unable to appear. Production staff try to find a replacement, but this is often challenging at short notice. For an episode in 1993, nobody could find a suitable replacement forRoy Hattersley (then an MP, having recently stepped down as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party) after he pulled out at the last minute; he had cancelled on two prior occasions. He was replaced by a tub oflard; the programme's host compared Hattersley to the tub of lard, claiming that "they possessed the same qualities and were liable to give similar performances".[24]
Accounts vary as to how much panellists are paid to appear on the show. Jacob Rees-Mogg’s Parliamentary register of interests showed him earning £1,500 for a claimed four hours' work,[25] while Nick Clegg was paid £15,000 to host an episode.[26]
Throughout its broadcast history,Have I Got News for You has drawn considerable criticism from guests, politicians and viewers about its content, sometimes ending in court.
In 1994, an episode included a joke aboutIan andKevin Maxwell, who were awaiting trial. The joke purported to be about a crackdown by the BBC on references to the Maxwells, before ending on the line "these two heartless, scheming bastards". The nature of the joke became the subject of a case in theHigh Court against the BBC and Hat Trick Productions, which found both guilty ofcontempt of court and fined each of them £10,000.[27]
In January 1998,BBC Worldwide and Hat Trick Productions successfully defended a libel case brought byConservative MPRupert Allason, after a book based on the autumn series, titledHave I Got 1997 for You, contained a remark about the politician being "a conniving little shit".[28]
In November 1998, producers ridiculed a BBC edict restricting reporting aboutPeter Mandelson by mocking it throughout filming of an episode that was broadcast without any elements being edited out.[29] The programme continued to ridicule, ignore and flout the reporting edict – alongside several other shows – before the BBC relaxed it two years later.[30]
In April 2003, three-time guest panellistStephen Fry announced that he was boycotting the show following the sacking of Angus Deayton. Fry described Deayton's disposal as "greasy, miserable, British and pathetic".[31]
In November 2007,Ann Widdecombe criticised the programme for the involvement ofJimmy Carr as Hislop's teammate, vowing not to appear again after admitting she nearly "walked out" because of the comedian's risqué material during recording.[32]
The following week,Will Self, a frequent guest, announced he would not return. His reasons focused on the programme becoming more "like any other pseudo-panel contest, where funny fellows sit behind desks cracking jokes", criticising the BBC for cutting a joke he made despite the fact it was well-received by the audience.[33]
In April 2013, the programme received more than 100 complaints for an episode that involved discussions on a news article onScottish independence. The focus of the complaints was on comments deemed to promoteanti-Scottish sentiment, made by Hislop and by guest hostRay Winstone, who joked that the Scottish economy relied chiefly on exporting "oil, whisky, tartan and tramps" and encouraged the audience to vote for "...them to bugger off".[34]
In April 2018, producers received backlash from several female comedians over the lack of gender equality, following comments made by Hislop and Merton during an interview for theRadio Times, in regard to how production staff approached several prominent women for the role of guest host.[35]
In May 2019, the BBC had to postpone an episode as it featuredHeidi Allen, then leader of the political partyChange UK, who was standing in that month's European elections; it was broadcast the following month.[36]
The series has seen many releases on VHS and DVD, mainly consisting of straight-to-video compilations from other seasons. They were all released byHat Trick throughVideo Collection International/2Entertain, under license from theBBC.
Have I Got News for You, Volume 1 (1993) was a compilation that contained clips from the first five series plus the complete 1992 election night special. It was also released onVideo CD.
Have I Got Unbroadcastable News for You (1995) consisted of a special straight-to-video episode of the series featuring guests Eddie Izzard, Richard Wilson, and a surprise appearance from Germaine Greer.
Classic Battles & Bust-Ups (1996) featured three full-length episodes featuring the Tub of Lard, Paula Yates and Germaine Greer, among others.
Have I Got News for You: The Official Pirate Video (1997) was another special straight-to-video episode, featuring guests Martin Clunes and Neil Morrissey.[note 2]
The Very Best of Have I Got News for You (2002) was a compilation release of highlights from the first 12 years of the show, from the beginning up until the episode made after Deayton hit the tabloids. The main feature is three hours long, with the DVD release also containing many extras, including, among other things, a running commentary of the main feature by Merton and Hislop. Other extra content featured includes a clip ofTerry Wogan on fellow Hat Trick seriesRoom 101 nominating the programme as one of his pet hates, alongside interviews with political figures (taken from theChannel 4 Politics Awards) revealing their opinions on the series.
Have I Got News for You: The Best of the Guest Presenters (2003) is another compilation release. The main feature included several episodes from the series, including a half-hour cut ofBoris Johnson's first guest-hosted episode. Episodes withMartin Clunes,William Hague andBruce Forsyth as chairman were also included, as well as a compilation of clips taken from other editions from the first two series with guest hosts (with only the episode hosted byLiza Tarbuck not represented). The DVD release also included a bonus disc, "The Full Boris", which showed a far longer cut of the same episode (lasting slightly under 60 minutes),[37] alongside several other extra features, including a discussion between Paul Merton and Boris Johnson regarding Johnson's appearance as presenter, filmed during his appearance as the celebrity guest onRoom 101.
Have I Got News for You: The Best of the Guest Presenters Vol. 2 (2005) is nearer in content to the first "Best of" DVD compilation than its direct predecessor, consisting of four 45-minute compilations of the Autumn 2003, Spring 2004, Autumn 2004 and Spring 2005 series. The bonus disc contains an 80-minute uncut version of Boris Johnson's second guest-hosted episode, alongside a bonus mini-feature called "The A to Z of HIGNFY". On it, each letter is used to stand for a different term or name often associated with the show, each highlighted by various example clips – except for the "problem letters" of X, Y and Z, which just lead into a selection of random outtakes. This feature also includes some behind-the-scenes content, withMarcus Brigstocke guiding the viewer around the studio and backstage, on a recording night.
During the late 1990s, the website haveigotnewsforyou.com, run in association withFreeserve, featured interactive versions of the show's games, including the missing words round and the caption competition, offering prizes.
Have I Got News for You started broadcasting avideo podcast,The Inevitable Internet Spin-off, on 13 April 2007.[23] It was initially planned to run for six series, from series 33 to 38, taking it to the end of 2009.
From the beginning of Series 37, a new internet feature,Have I Got News for You, News... for You, was introduced. A short programme featuring typical opening and closing sequences (without the presence of a live audience) as well as other short sketches, it has so far been presented byAlexander Armstrong, and run fortnightly, bridging the gap between series 37 and 38.[38]
Shows based on theHave I Got News for You format are broadcast in other countries:
American weekly radio showWait Wait... Don't Tell Me! was started in 1998 on public radio networkNPR.[40] Based in Chicago, the show follows a similar format, but with three individual panellists competing to win. They play some of the same games including fill in the missing headline, however many TV games have to be excluded due to their visual nature. Frequently the same stories are covered on bothWait Wait andHave I Got News for You. Differences include: listeners calling in to win mini games, and a celebrity interview and quiz in the middle of the show.Wait Wait is more closely related toThe News Quiz which is also the inspiration forHave I Got News for You.[41][unreliable source?]
Dutch comedianRaoul Heertje appeared on the originalHave I Got News for You in May 1995. A year later he became team captain in the newly launched Dutch version of the show:Dit was het nieuws ("This was the news"). On 19 December 2009, the last episode was broadcast.[45] RTL ran new episodes between May 2011 and October 2015; in December 2017, the show returned to the public broadcasterAVROTROS.[46]
The Finnish version calledUutisvuoto ("newsleak") was broadcast for 20 years, 1998–2018 onYle TV1, and was one of the most popular TV shows, and also the continuously longest running TV entertainment show, in Finland.[47][circular reference] In 2019, the show continued onMTV3 with its original hostPeter Nyman.[48]
TheEstonian version, calledTeletaip ("TV uptake"), was first aired in 2000 onETV; seven series were produced. Its two main hosts were the comedianTarmo Leinatamm and formerMEPIndrek Tarand.[49]
The Swedish version calledSnacka om nyheter ("Talk about news") was broadcast from 1995 to 2003 and 2008 to 2009.
The Norwegian version calledNytt på nytt ("The news anew") started onNRK in 1999, and is still broadcast as of November 2022[update].[50][51] It also became the most popular show on Norwegian TV in 2017.[52]
^"1991 Winners". The British Comedy Academy. Retrieved1 May 2024.
^"1992 Winners". The British Comedy Academy. Retrieved1 May 2024.
^"1999 Winners". The British Comedy Academy. Retrieved1 May 2024.
^"2011 Winners". The British Comedy Academy. Retrieved18 December 2011.
^"2016 Winners". British Academy of Film and Television Awards. Retrieved1 May 2024.
^What's Funny About...Series 2 Episode 2 of 6 on BBC Radio 4 from 29 September 2021/BBC Radio 4 Extra 30 September 2021: Ian Hislop & Jimmy Mulville onHave I Got News For You with TV veterans Peter Fincham and Jon Plowman.
