"Have I Got News for You" (1990) TV series 1990-????

User Rating:

8.7/10   

Director:

Ben Fuller

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38

Release Date:

28 September 1990 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy | Game-Show

Plot:

Hilarious, totally-irreverent, near-slanderous political quiz show, based mainly on news stories from the last week or so...

Plot Keywords:

Quiz Show | Satire | Based On Radio Show | Non Fiction

Awards:

11 wins & 34 nominations

Cast

Ian Hislop	...	Himself - Team Captain (318 episodes, 1990-2009)
Paul Merton	...	Himself - Team Captain / ... (310 episodes, 1990-2009)
Angus Deayton	...	Himself - Host (198 episodes, 1990-2002)

Also Known As:

HIGNFY (UK) (short title)
Have I Got 1992 for You (UK) (rerun title)
Have I Got Old News for You (UK) (rerun title)
Have I Got a Little Bit More News for You (UK) (rerun title (longer version))
Have I Got the 90s for You (UK) (rerun title)

Runtime:

29 min (290 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Filming Locations:

The London Studios, Upper Ground, South Bank, London, England, UK

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

Paul Merton was absent for the eleventh series because he felt that the show had gotten into a bit of a rut and hoped things would get shaken up. The tactic succeeded, and the show has since been much more popular as a result. He also appeared in the first episode of that series as Ian Hislop's guest. He returned for the following series.

Quotes:

Sean Lock: Only 2% of people go to church in this country
Paul Merton: And they're priests!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The BAFTA TV Awards 2003 (2003) (TV)

Prick up Your Ears.

This is up there with "Never Mind the Buzzcocks" as Britain's most purely enjoyable comedy panel show. In fact, HIGNFY probably has even greater prestige because it's the longer running of the two and has managed to survive the loss of a permanent presenter without too much damage being done. If we're honest, then Buzzcocks is gamely trying, but it will never reach the heights of old without Mark Lamarr. "News" has always lived and died on the quality of the rapport between its guests and regular show members, so as long as you have a strong figure in the hot-seat you're guaranteed plenty of laughs even if it's been a slow week for headlines.

Apart from the witty team captains, the genius of this show is that it brings politics into everyone's front room, and the disingenuous cheaters liars and back-stabbers in the media are never allowed to wriggle off the hook like they so often do on "Question Time". I'll never forget, for example, when Piers Morgan was left humiliated and sulking like the big baby he is after one particularly memorable appearance. Public figures either get the chance to permanently destroy their reputation, or else come across as genuinely likable human beings - either way we can sit at home enjoying all of it. It's the modern equivalent of a spectacle like the Christians being thrown to the lions, and it provides consistently top-notch viewing. Bravo to the regulars, and of course the BBC for being brave enough to stick with it all this time. May it have many future runs ahead of it.