Have I Got News For You

Have I Got News For You (often abbreviated to HIGNFY) is a long-running UK television topical panel game. Produced by Hat Trick Productions for the BBC, it is a comedy programme rather than a serious game show: the banter between the guests and their sardonic remarks are more important than the scores, which are only ever briefly referred to. The format is loosely based on that of a popular radio show, The News Quiz, but cultivates a reputation for sailing close to the wind on matters of libel.

Related Topics:
UK - Television - Panel game - Hat Trick Productions - BBC - Comedy - Game show - Sardonic - Radio - The News Quiz - Libel

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The original line-up, from 1990 to 2002, was Angus Deayton as chair, with Ian Hislop, the editor of Private Eye, and comedian Paul Merton as team captains. The captains are accompanied each week by a different guest, often politicians, journalists or comedians. Merton took a break from the show during the eleventh series in 1996, making only one appearance as a guest on Hislop's team. Following allegations linking Deayton with prostitutes and drug use in UK tabloids in 2002, Deayton was asked to resign from the show. Merton hosted the first episode after Deayton's departure, and a series of guest hosts appeared for the remainder of the season. Hislop, therefore, is the only person to have appeared in every episode of the show despite suffering from a burst appendix shortly before one edition and having to go to hospital immediately afterwards.

Related Topics:
Angus Deayton - Ian Hislop - Private Eye - Paul Merton - 1996 - Prostitute - Drug use - Tabloid - 2002

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Having a different guest host each week proved successful, with average audience figures increasing from 6 million with Deayton to 7 million with the guest hosts, and it was announced in June 2003 that it would be a permanent feature of the show.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~