The Day Today

The Day Today was a surreal British parody of television current affairs programmes. It was an adaptation of the radio program On The Hour.

Related Topics:
Surreal - British - Parody - Television - Current affairs - On The Hour

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The cast was the same as the radio series, with Chris Morris as the news anchor, and the repertory cast of Steve Coogan, Rebecca Front, Doon Mackichan, Patrick Marber and David Schneider playing most of the other roles. Only six episodes were made and were originally broadcast in spring 1994. The Day Today won many awards and Chris Morris won the 1994 British Comedy Award for Best Newcomer. All six episodes are available on BBC video and DVD.

Related Topics:
Chris Morris - Steve Coogan - Rebecca Front - Doon Mackichan - Patrick Marber - David Schneider - 1994 - British Comedy Award - BBC - Video - DVD

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The show featured a sports segment with sports presenter Alan Partridge (played by Steve Coogan). Partridge later appeared in his own shows, Knowing Me, Knowing You (on both radio and TV) and I'm Alan Partridge (on TV), and has become one of British comedy's most famous characters. Business news was handled by Collaterlie Sisters, played by Doon Mackichan; bizarre stories from the US were courtesy of CBN's Barbara Wintergreen, played by Rebecca Front; the weather was always via the floating head of Sylvester Stewart, played by David Schneider; and bungled economic reports were delivered by Peter O'Hanraha-hanrahan, played by Patrick Marber. Other recurring reporters and characters included Brant (Schneider), the physical cartoonist from The Daily Telegraph; Valerie Sinatra (Front), who supplied travel news from her travel pod a mile above the country; Chapman Baxter (Marber), an American serial killer who regularly finds himself in the electric chair; Ted Maul, a veteran TV journalist played by Chris Morris and reprised for Brass Eye; Rosie May (Front), who presided over the environmentally friendly Green Desk; and Jacques-"Jacques" Liverot (Marber), who basically commented on the unfolding events as the show went along. A spoof soap opera called The Bureau, set in a 24 hour Bureau de Change, also popped up from time to time.

Related Topics:
Sport - Alan Partridge - Steve Coogan - Knowing Me, Knowing You - I'm Alan Partridge - Doon Mackichan - Rebecca Front - David Schneider - Patrick Marber - The Daily Telegraph - Chris Morris - Brass Eye - Bureau de Change

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The programme occasionally featured producer Armando Iannucci and writer Peter Baynham, the latter most notably playing Gay Desk reporter, Colin Poppshed. John Thomson, Graham Linehan, Tony Haase and Minnie Driver also appear. Michael Alexander St John provided the voiceover stings.

Related Topics:
Armando Iannucci - Peter Baynham - John Thomson - Graham Linehan - Tony Haase - Minnie Driver - Michael Alexander St John

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