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{{short description|British television panel show}}
{{Infobox television|
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2016}}
| show_name = Have I Got News for You
{{For|the American spin-off of this show|Have I Got News for You (American game show){{!}}''Have I Got News for You'' (American game show)}}
| image = ]
{{Infobox television
| caption =
| image = Have I Got News For You logo.svg
| format = ] ]
| alt_name = {{plainlist|
| picture_format = ]<br/><small>(1990–1998)</small><br/>]<br/><small>(1998–present)</small>
* ''HIGNFY''
| runtime = 30 minutes<br/><small>(edited)</small><br/>40 minutes<br/><small>(unedited)</small>
* ''Have I Got a Little Bit More News for You''
| creator =
* ''Have I Got a Bit More News for You''
| presenter = ]<br/><small>(1990–2002)</small><br/>]<br/><small>(2002–present)</small>
* ''Have I Got Old News for You''
| starring = ],<br>]
* ''Have I Got a Bit More Old News for You''
| channel = ]<br/><small>(1990–2000)</small><br/>]<br/><small>(2000–present)</small>
}}
| first_aired = ], ]
| genre = {{plainlist|
| last_aired = present
* ] ]
| num_episodes = 290
* ]
| num_series = 34 (])
| country = {{UK}} }}
| runtime = {{plainlist|
| producer = ]
* 29 minutes
| related =
* 42 minutes (extended)
}}
| creator = {{plainlist|
* ]
}}
| presenter = {{plainlist|
* ] (1990–2002)
* ] (2002–present)
}}
| starring = {{plainlist|
* ]
* ] (except for series 11)
* Two guest panelists per episode (3 in series 11)
}}
| channel = ]
| first_aired = {{Start date|1990|9|28|df=yes}}
| last_aired = {{End date|2000|6|2|df=yes}}
| channel2 = ]
| first_aired2 = {{Start date|2000|10|20|df=yes}}
| last_aired2 = present
| location = {{plainlist|
* ] (1990–2017)
* ] (2018–2019)<ref>{{cite web|title=Have I Got News For You Audience Tickets|url=https://hat-trick-productions.tickettext.co.uk/hat-trick-productions/have-i-got-news-for-you-series-55-show-1-04102018/|website=Hat Trick Productions|access-date=1 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180502211037/https://hat-trick-productions.tickettext.co.uk/hat-trick-productions/have-i-got-news-for-you-series-55-show-1-04102018/|archive-date=2 May 2018|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
* ] (2020–)
}}
| num_episodes = 610
| list_episodes = List of Have I Got News for You episodes
| num_series = 68
| language = English
| country = United Kingdom
| company = ]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hattrick.co.uk/show/have-i-got-news-for-you/|title = Hat Trick Productions - Have I Got News for You}}</ref>
}} }}
'''''Have I Got News for You''''' is a ] panel show; produced by ] for the ]. It is based loosely on the ] show '']'', and has been running since 1990. The show has cultivated a reputation for sailing close to the wind in matters of ] with its satirical, light-hearted format. '''''Have I Got News for You''''' ('''''HIGNFY''''') is a ] ], produced by ] for the ], which premiered on 28 September 1990.<ref>{{BBC Genome prog|6e4c68d80ea34faab74d8042d79f1a23|Have I Got News for You?}}</ref>


The programme focuses on two teams, one usually captained by ] and one by ], 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 the ] 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 ] have signed up for the show to run until at least its 38th series; given that two series are broadcast every year, this would bring it to the end of 2009.<ref name="chortle"> A lot more news for you. Accessed ], ].</ref>


The programme aired on ] for its first ten years, before moving to ] in 2000. While the standard episodes are broadcast on Fridays, since 2003 extended versions of each episode, initially titled '''''Have I Got a Little Bit More News for You''''' and later simply '''''Have 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 named '''''Have I Got Old News for You''''' or '''''Have I Got a Bit More Old News for You'''''. Currently, only episodes from series 65 onward are available on ]. <ref>{{cite web|title= Have I Got News For You|url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b006mkw3/have-i-got-news-for-you?seriesId=unsliced&page=1 |publisher=BBC iPlayer|access-date=31 December 2024}}</ref>
==Participants==
The original line-up, from 1990 to 2002, was ] as chairman, with ], the editor of '']'', and comedian ] as team captains. Each captain is accompanied by a guest, usually a ], ] or ], or somebody particularly relevant to recent news.


Until 2002, ''Have I Got News for You'' was hosted by ], who was sacked following reports in national newspapers of several scandals about his private life.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/2371021.stm |title=Was the BBC right to sack Angus Deayton? |work=] |date=4 November 2002 |access-date=22 April 2011}}</ref> Since then, the programme has been hosted by a different celebrity each week; many of them add their own comedy.
Merton took a break from ''Have I Got News for You'' during the eleventh series in 1996, making only one appearance as a guest on Hislop's team. He was replaced as opposing team captain by various people, most notably ]. Merton later explained that at the time he was "very tired" of the show and that he thought it had become "stuck in a rut". Nevertheless, he added that he felt his absence gave the programme the "shot in the arm" it needed and that it had been "better ever since".<ref name="dvd">''The Very Best of Have I Got News for You'' (2002): DVD commentary</ref>


The programme has gained widespread acclaim for its contribution to British television and comedy, receiving multiple awards at the ] including Best New Comedy Programme in 1991,<ref>{{cite web|title=1991 Winners|url= https://www.britishcomedyawards.com/past-winners/1991.aspx |publisher=The British Comedy Academy|access-date=1 May 2024}}</ref> Best Entertainment Series in 1992,<ref>{{cite web|title=1992 Winners|url= https://www.britishcomedyawards.com/past-winners/1992.aspx |publisher=The British Comedy Academy|access-date=1 May 2024}}</ref> Best Comedy Gameshow in 1999<ref>{{cite web|title=1999 Winners|url= https://www.britishcomedyawards.com/past-winners/1999.aspx |publisher=The British Comedy Academy|access-date=1 May 2024}}</ref> and the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011.<ref>{{cite web|title=2011 Winners|url=http://www.britishcomedyawards.com/winners-2011.aspx|publisher=The British Comedy Academy|access-date=18 December 2011}}</ref> It also received the 2016 ] for Comedy and Comedy Entertainment Programme.<ref>{{cite web|title=2016 Winners|url= http://awards.bafta.org/award/2016/television |publisher=British Academy of Film and Television Awards|access-date=1 May 2024}}</ref>
In May 2002, following newspaper headlines of his (adulterous) use of a prostitute and illegal drugs,<ref></ref> Deayton was ridiculed on the show by Merton and Hislop (along with guests ] and ]).<ref></ref> After further ribbings from Christina Hamilton in the following week's episode, Deayton was fired as presenter. Since then, the show has been hosted by a different guest presenter each week.


==History==
Merton hosted the first episode after Deayton's departure, and was described as "merciless" in his treatment of his former co-star.<ref></ref> A series of guest hosts appeared for the remainder of the season, including ], ], and ]. Hislop, therefore, is the only person to have appeared in every episode — despite suffering from a burst ] shortly before one edition and having to go to ] immediately afterwards.<ref></ref>
{{more citations needed|section|date=May 2019}}
]
''Have I Got News for You'' was initially conceived as a pilot for the ] called ''John 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's '']'' (developed by future '']'' creators Dan Patterson and Mark Leveson), but it was decided that the show would follow a template more in keeping with ] '']''. Hat Trick hired a producer with a track record in radio comedy, ], and filmed a pilot with a title which aped long-running ] programme ''] ]''.


After filming the pilot, John Lloyd decided not to proceed as chairman, and the job fell to comedian ], after try-outs with future ''News Quiz'' host ] and a pre-fame ] in the main role.<ref>''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 on ''Have I Got News For You'' with TV veterans Peter Fincham and Jon Plowman.</ref> The team captains – ], editor of '']'' and a staff writer for '']'',<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/ian-hislop-my-20-years-at-the-eye-421312.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220509/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/ian-hislop-my-20-years-at-the-eye-421312.html |archive-date=9 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Ian Hislop: My 20 Years at the Eye |newspaper=Independent |date=2007 |access-date=2 March 2017}}</ref> and ], comedian and '']'' cast member – returned from the pilot.
Despite a 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.<ref></ref> It was therefore announced in June 2003 that this feature would continue.


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 the ] special.
==Format==
For the first ten years of its existence, the programme was shown on ]. Hislop has been the longest-serving member of the three on the programme since its premiere. He has not missed a single episode.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/comedy/2017-10-06/have-i-got-news-for-you-15-facts/|title=15 fascinating facts about Have I Got News for You|date=6 October 2017|website=Radio Times|access-date=7 November 2021}}</ref> 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".<ref group=note>''The Very Best of Have I Got News for You'' (2002): DVD commentary</ref>
]
''Have I Got News for You'' began on ] on ] ] and transferred to ] in October 2000. "Myself and Ian, we did a disastrous pilot for it," Paul Merton explained nine years later.<ref name="South Bank Show">'']'', September 26, 1999</ref> "It was a beautiful ] afternoon in 1990. Far too nice to be in a television studio, but I think the BBC had already bought it, so that's how it became a series."


By 2000, the BBC made a decision to relocate its late evening news bulletin from nine o'clock to ten o'clock, after ] 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 to ] 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,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2005881.stm |title=Deayton in the lion's den |work=BBC News |date=24 May 2002 |access-date=28 April 2010}}</ref> after it became headlines – putting his private life under scrutiny by news media outlets.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/1998242.stm |title=Deayton 'feels a fool' over reports |work=BBC News |date=20 May 2002 |access-date=28 April 2010}}</ref> Further scandal effectively forced the BBC to terminate Deayton's contract with them two episodes into the programme's 24th series.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/2373711.stm |title=Quiz host Deayton fired by BBC |work=BBC News |date=30 October 2002 |access-date=28 April 2010}}</ref>
Two series are made every year: the spring series between April to June comprises eight episodes and the autumn series between October to December contains nine, with a one-week break to allow the broadcasting of ].


At short notice, Merton hosted the first episode after Deayton's departure,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/2384165.stm |title=Show goes on after Deayton exit |work=BBC News |date=1 November 2002 |access-date=28 April 2010}}</ref> with a series of guest hosts appearing for the remainder of the series, including ], ], and ].<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2002/12_december/07/news_clarkson.shtml |work=BBC Press Office |title=HIGNFY Jeremy Clarkson |publisher=BBC |date=7 December 2002 |access-date=15 March 2014}}</ref> 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,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/2984669.stm |title=TV quiz denies Clunes is new host |work=BBC News |date=29 April 2003 |access-date=28 April 2010}}</ref> leading to it becoming a permanent feature in the programme's format in June 2003.<ref>{{cite news|first1=Jason |last1=Deans |first2=Chris |last2=Tryhorn |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2003/jun/10/broadcasting.bbc |title=Forsyth boost for BBC news quiz |newspaper=] |date=10 June 2003 |access-date=15 June 2014}}</ref>
Over an hour's worth of material is recorded for each 30-minute programme on Thursday evenings for broadcast on Friday, allowing the programme to remain topical while the BBC's lawyers have time to request cuts of potentially libellous material. "No reviewer could possibly review it in that time. We started off with an audience of two million, and somebody might have mentioned it to their friend, and then it sort of built up a momentum of its own."<ref name="South Bank Show">'']'', September 26, 1999</ref>


Between 1990 and its spring season in 2018, the programme was recorded at ], the former home of ]; it briefly was recorded at ] for a ] special, the Friday after the elections were completed. From the 2018 autumn series, recording was conducted at ],<ref name="SRO Audiences">{{cite web|url=https://www.sroaudiences.com/ |title=HAVE I GOT NEWS FOR YOU - Free audience tickets: SRO Audiences : the tv audience company |publisher=SRO Audiences |date=2018-05-18 |access-date=2018-05-18}}</ref> although the onset of the ] 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.
In recent years, the late-night weekend repeat has occasionally contained extra material from the week's recording. This became a permanent feature from the spring 2007 series, with the repeat having a running time of 40 minutes, and being titled (in the TV listings) ''Have I Got a Bit More News for You''.<ref name="chortle"/>


The 2020 autumn, 2021 spring, and 2021 autumn series were filmed at ] 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sroaudiences.com/shows.asp |title=Sro audiences |website=www.sroaudiences.com |access-date=11 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210924012349/https://www.sroaudiences.com/shows.asp |archive-date=24 September 2021 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
The programme is recorded at ], former home of ], although the ] special episode was recorded at ] on the Friday morning after the election. The quiz aspect and scores are largely ignored in favour of the panellists' witty exchanges and jokes, and the format seems to change frequently.


==Format==
"There's been a lot of confusion, with people saying, 'Well, they see the questions beforehand,' which we do," revealed Merton in 1999. "But some people say we see the ''answers'', which we don't, because that would rob it of being a quiz."<ref name="South Bank Show">'']'', September 26, 1999</ref>
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:
"There is a certain amount of showbusiness that goes on in putting on a show," continued Merton. "We found very early on that it's worth seeing the questions beforehand so that you can work out your depth of ignorance. If you really don't know, you think, 'Well, I've really got to try and say something here.' It's much better to be doing that for ten or fifteen minutes before the show than be doing it when the cameras are rolling, in front of an audience, going, 'Well, who's he?'"<ref name="South Bank Show">'']'', September 26, 1999</ref>


* 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.
"] wrote an article in '']'' criticising the whole programme: 'Well, of course ''Have I Got News for You'' is all edited. These people, they couldn't improvise live. You put them on a stage, they wouldn't be able to improvise.' Well, when Norman Tebbit said I couldn't improvise, I was... ."<ref>Quote taken from a show on Merton's "and this is me PAUL MERTON" tour of 1999, as featured in '']'' on September 26, 1999</ref>
* 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: "] of News" – image revealed in jigsaw pieces; the "] of News" – picture revealed on slot machine reels, with the host pulling a lever to spin them; and the "] 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.
===Opening===
Proceedings usually begin with a one-liner. In the time of Angus Deayton, these took the form of such quips as:
:"Good evening and welcome to ''Have I Got News for You'', the show that's done for Friday and Saturday nights what ten pints of ] does for Sunday mornings."
:"Good evening and welcome to ''Have I Got News for You'', the show that does for comedy....."
More recently, with the guest presenters, these have been amusing comments referring to the hosts themselves, such as
:"Good evening and welcome to ''Have I Got News for You''. My name is ] and when I last appeared on this show, I complained that it was fully scripted and rehearsed. I'd now like to contend, in the strongest possible terms, that it isn't."


A repeat with a running time of 40 minutes, titled ''Have 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.<ref name="chortle">{{cite web|url=http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2007/04/11/5212/a_lot_more_news_for_you |title=A lot more news for you : News 2007 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide |publisher=Chortle |date=2007-04-11 |access-date=2017-02-19}}</ref>
:"Good evening and welcome to ''Have I Got News for You''. My name is ]. Yes, it's only a week after the ] and already an immigrant is doing this job... You really should have listened to ]."


===Participants===
:"Good evening and welcome to ''Have I Got News for You''. My name is ], and if I seem familiar to you, it's because I'm a regular on ]. '']'', '']'', '']''. You name it, I've done some adverts in the middle of it."
{{Main|List of Have I Got News for You presenters}}
The format of ''Have 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, ] had appeared most often, mainly as guest host and also as a panellist, while ] had appeared most often as a guest panellist.{{citation needed|date=November 2023}}


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 for ] (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 of ]; 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".<ref>{{Cite magazine| magazine= ]| title= I prefer the tub of lard| author= Leo McKinstry| date= 13 September 2003| url= https://www.spectator.co.uk/2003/09/i-prefer-the-tub-of-lard/}}</ref>
In one episode, guest host and British ]n comic ] opened the show in ].


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,<ref>{{Cite web|title=House of Commons - The Register of Members' Financial Interests (161121: Rees-Mogg, Mr Jacob )|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmregmem/161121/rees-mogg_jacob.htm|access-date=2021-12-06|website=publications.parliament.uk}}</ref> while Nick Clegg was paid £15,000 to host an episode.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2016-11-03|title=4 Things Nick Clegg Could Buy With His *Surprising* 'Have I Got News For You' Pay|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/nick-clegg-have-i-got-news-for-you-payment-revealed_uk_581b62afe4b08315783de1da|access-date=2021-12-06|website=HuffPost UK|language=en}}</ref>
Following this, "In the news this week...": three video clips are displayed, each supplied with a scripted, humorous caption from the host who then proceeds to introduce that week's guests, with a jocular remark for each.


===Main section=== ==Episodes==
{{Main|List of Have I Got News for You episodes}}
The main section of the show comprises several rounds, although, as noted above, this is liable to change. They usually consist of the following:
* "Film Round", in which silent news video clips are played to the teams, who then identify them and add their own views, including rants and ]s on vaguely relevant subjects.
* "Tabloid Headlines", in which the panellists must identify and comment on the stories of the week from sufficiently pun-filled ] headlines.
** In recent series, this has sometimes been replaced with either the "Picture-Spin Quiz", where a picture is spun around and the teams have to guess what news story it is related to or the "Wheel of News", in which the host spins a wheel and the teams have to guess how the resulting person or object is relevant to the week's news.
** In some cases it could even be some kind of topical ] round, but is sometimes replaced with a quiz game pertinent to the current guests, for example a mock '']'' game when ] appeared and a "Kick ]'s Butt" quiz when Boris Johnson MP guest hosted for the first time.
* "Odd One Out", where four personalities, characters or objects are presented to a team, whereupon it must identify the interloper, and the topical, amusing or ridiculously obscure link between the other three. In one episode, Merton's "Odd One Out" selection consisted of 16 images and in another, the round comprised four photos of ].
* "Missing Words", where newspaper headlines are displayed, with choice words blanked out. The panellists then suggest what these could be. Also usually featured is an obscure "guest publication" from which some of the headlines are taken. In the past, these have included ''Goat World'', ''Arthritis News'', ''International Car Park Design'' and ''Diarrhoea Digest''. Examples of Missing Words are "I'll take Edward up the _____", "Church may be forced to sell _____" and "PM sucked into _____".
* Occasionally, just after the final scores are read out, there is a Caption Competition, where potentially amusing pictures are shown, to which the panellists are invited to provide an apt headline.


==Criticism, controversy and litigation==
Despite the fact that Merton is a comedian and Hislop a current affairs magazine editor, the former usually wins, often by answering questions that were actually addressed to the other team.
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 about ] and ], 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 the ] against the BBC and Hat Trick Productions, which found both guilty of ] and fined each of them £10,000.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.swarb.co.uk/lisc/ConCo19961996.php |title=Contempt of Court – Attorney-General v British Broadcasting Corporation; Same v Hat Trick Productions Ltd Times, 26 July 1996; EMLR 76|publisher=Swarb.co.uk}}</ref>
===Rounding off===
* In January 1998, ] and Hat Trick Productions successfully defended a libel case brought by ] MP ], after a book based on the autumn series, titled ''Have I Got 1997 for You'', contained a remark about the politician being "a conniving little shit".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/49430.stm |title=Ex-Tory MP loses libel action |work=BBC News |date=21 January 1998 |access-date=21 July 2021}}</ref>
Deayton typically rounded up the scores with amusing summaries, such as "This week's ]'s dinners are , while this week's dog's bollocks are..." He also awarded 'prizes': for example "So, for our winners: the chance to go to ]'s constituency and see the count. For our losers: the chance to retype that sentence without the spelling mistake." The host then thanks the guests and ends with "I leave you with news that...", providing scripted, satirical captions to a further few pictures.
* In November 1998, producers ridiculed a BBC edict restricting reporting about ] by mocking it throughout filming of an episode that was broadcast without any elements being edited out.<ref name="robins-19981107">{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/have-i-got-news-about-the-editors-at-the-bbc-1183173.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220509/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/have-i-got-news-about-the-editors-at-the-bbc-1183173.html |archive-date=9 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Have I got news about the editors at the BBC...|work=Independent|date=7 November 1998|access-date=27 September 2018|first=Jane|last=Robins}}</ref> The programme continued to ridicule, ignore and flout the reporting edict – alongside several other shows – before the BBC relaxed it two years later.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2000/dec/21/broadcasting.uknews|title=BBC eases privacy edict|work=The Guardian|first=Jamie|last=Wilson|date=21 December 2000|access-date=27 September 2018}}</ref>
* In April 2003, three-time guest panellist ] announced that he was boycotting the show following the sacking of Angus Deayton. Fry described Deayton's disposal as "greasy, miserable, British and pathetic".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/2953181.stm |title=Fry boycotts 'pathetic' quiz |work=BBC News |date=16 April 2003 |access-date=28 April 2010}}</ref>
* In November 2007, ] criticised the programme for the involvement of ] as Hislop's teammate, vowing not to appear again after admitting she nearly "walked out" because of the comedian's risqué material during recording.<ref>{{cite news|author1=Media Monkey|title=Widdecombe disgusted by Carr's 'filth'|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/mediamonkeyblog/2007/nov/28/widdecombedisgustedbycarrs|access-date=2 February 2018|work=The Guardian|date=28 November 2007}}</ref>
* The following week, ], 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.<ref>{{cite news|last=Self|first=Will|author-link=Will Self|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/have-i-got-news-for-you-tv-satires-lost-its-teeth-6680748.html|title=Have I got news for you: TV satire's lost its teeth|newspaper=Evening Standard|date=4 December 2007|access-date=7 October 2014}}</ref>
* In April 2013, the programme received over 100 complaints for an episode that involved discussions on a news article on ]. The focus of the complaints was on comments deemed to promote ], made by Hislop and by guest host ], 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".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/uk-news/ray-winstone-calls-scots-tramps-on-tv-quiz-show-1576967 |title=Ray Winstone calls Scots 'tramps' on TV quiz show |publisher=Johnston Press |newspaper=The Scotsman |date=1 May 2013 |access-date=1 January 2014}}</ref>
* 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 the '']'', in regard to how production staff approached several prominent women for the role of guest host.<ref>{{cite news|author1=Caroline Davies|title=Ian Hislop and Paul Merton under fire for female host remarks|url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2018/apr/03/ian-hislop-and-paul-merton-under-fire-for-women-host-remarks|access-date=12 October 2018|work=The Guardian|date=3 April 2018}}</ref>
* In May 2019, the BBC had to postpone an episode as it featured ], then leader of the political party ], who was standing in that month's European elections; it was broadcast the following month.<ref>{{cite news|title=Have I Got News For You Heidi Allen episode pulled due to Euro elections|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-48235812|access-date=11 May 2019|work=BBC News|date=11 May 2019}}</ref>


==Notable moments== ==Home media==
The series has seen many releases on VHS and DVD, mainly consisting of straight-to-video compilations from other seasons. They were all released by ] through ]/], under license from the ].
]
* ''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 on ].
* One of the biggest laughs of the show's first year came when the Missing Words round posed the question '"I made ] ____ ", boasts ]', to which Merton (perhaps spurred on by the presence of ] on Hislop's team) suggested, "]?" Deayton replied, "No, it's not a reference to ]."
* ''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.
* When ] failed to appear for the ] ] episode — it was the third time he had cancelled at the last minute — he was replaced with a tub of ] (credited as "The Rt. Hon. Tub of Lard ]"), as it was "imbued with much the same qualities and liable to give a similar performance". The Tub of Lard was on Merton's team and, though Hislop suggested things were too formal and suggested they name the 'guest' "Tubby", Merton insisted: "Mr Lard to you." He and the lard went on to win. This was despite the fact that Merton's team's questions were made deliberately hard &mdash; especially those directly posed to his 'guest'. The Missing Words round featured foreign headlines, in languages such as French, German, Russian and even Japanese. The final one was in English, but the entire headline had been blanked out. Despite this Paul still won the show.
* ''Classic Battles & Bust-Ups'' (1996) featured three full-length episodes featuring the Tub of Lard, Paula Yates and Germaine Greer, among others.
* When ] was a guest in 1996, he came across as very thin-skinned and demanded the others (and in particular, Hislop) cease their "vindictive attacks" on him as he "demanded his privacy". ] (replacing Merton as team captain that week) scathingly joked that the '']'' was now, thanks to Morgan, almost as good as '']'', and when asked by Morgan, "What do you know about editing newspapers?" replied, "About as much as you do". In what was not Morgan's finest moment, when shown his question in the Odd One Out round (]; ]; a ]; Geoffrey Clements) he responded, "Is the answer 'jam'?" in reference to a joke made by ] the previous week, saying, "Last week Eddie Izzard said it and everyone roared with laughter as if it was hilarious." Hislop retorted that Izzard got a laugh because "People like him". When Hislop successfully made the 'jam' joke later in the programme, Morgan replied, "Don't play the popularity line with ''me'', Hislop", before appealing to the audience: "Does anyone like him?" The audience responded loudly in favour of Hislop. In his autobiographical book, ''The Insider'', Morgan claims that he was joking throughout and was surprised that viewers took the arguments seriously.
* ''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.<ref group=note>Hat Trick Productions: VHS VC6587.</ref>
* ] ] and journalist ] has had several memorable appearances on the show, which arguably raised his public profile and later led to him being asked to be a guest presenter. The first, in 1998, Johnson seemed to take the ribbing in good humour and eventually admitted defeat and announced that he wanted it "on the record" that he'd "walked straight into a massive elephant trap". In a later appearance in 2001 he was subjected to a spoof round of '']'' where he managed to get his name wrong before being asked questions on the then leader of the Conservative Party, ], ending up with a score of 0. His mobile phone also rang earlier in the same episode.
* ''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 of ] on fellow Hat Trick series '']'' nominating the programme as one of his pet hates, alongside interviews with political figures (taken from the ] Politics Awards) revealing their opinions on the series.
* On the episode where the main news story of the week had been the allegations about Deayton, the presenter was made the butt of almost every joke. The show opened as normal, but as soon as he asked Hislop the first question, Merton said, "This has been one news story of the week but the one I'm really interested in, Angus, is..." He and Hislop then managed to turn nearly every subsequent question into a comment on Deayton's behaviour. The host took the light-hearted abuse well, opening the show with: "Good evening and welcome to ''Have I Got News for You'', where this week's loser is presenting it," later adding, "Do not adjust your set, my face really is this red." Towards the end of the show Merton pretended to apologise for his behaviour and on behalf of his opposing captain for going to the trouble of bringing in newspapers showing the headlines, before unzipping his jacket to reveal the relevant '']'' front page printed on his t-shirt. During the end-of-show retakes, Deayton commented on the teams' low scores. Merton replied, "It wasn't the winning that was important tonight: it was the being here."<ref name="dvd"/>
* ''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 of ]'s first guest-hosted episode. Episodes with ], ] and ] 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 by ] 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),<ref>{{cite news|url=http://metro.co.uk/2012/11/09/top-10-have-i-got-news-for-you-guest-hosts-boris-johnson-to-damian-lewis-616645/ |title=Top 10 Have I Got News For You guest hosts: Damian Lewis to Boris Johnson |publisher=DMG Media|work=Metro |date=9 November 2012 |access-date=2 March 2017}}</ref> 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 on '']''.
* The first real 'guest' presenter was ], and at the beginning of the show, during her opening greeting, she pointed to the fact that on a previous show Paul Merton had mocked her about her famous wink that she did on '']'' and '']'', saying that it made her look like she had had a ]. So after declaring that there were no hard feelings, she proceeded to give Ian Hislop five points. However, when Hislop made continual ] references during the course of the episode (alluding to the large payments Robinson received from her former employer), she gave Merton more points. Merton then went on to lampoon ''The Weakest Link'' ("I only watch the last five minutes because '']'' comes on afterwards. It's nice to see some animation on the television screen"). In another reference to ''The Weakest Link'', Merton shouted "Bank" twice during random points of the show.
* ''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, with ] guiding the viewer around the studio and backstage, on a recording night.


==Internet spin-offs==
]'' using the ]: one of several of his shows to be satirised. Merton exclaimed, "I've been waiting 14 years for the show to be like this."]]
During the late 1990s, the website haveigotnewsforyou.com, run in association with ], featured interactive versions of the show's games, including the missing words round and the caption competition, offering prizes.
* In 2004, ] was fired from his position as host of a daytime chat show (''Kilroy'') by the BBC, following an article he had written for the '']'' entitled "We owe Arabs nothing", which was widely condemned as racist. He appeared on ''Have I Got News for You'' a few weeks later and after being constantly interrupted by his team mate, Paul Merton launched into a tirade against the former MP. In answer to his claim that Arabs had contributed nothing to society in the last 500 years, Merton said, "] hasn't done much in 500 years either. What's your contribution been, Robert? Say in the last twenty years. When you weren't doing your show. When you weren't doing that crap show, what's your contribution been to society?". The unedited clip on disc 2 of ''Best of the Guest Presenters Vol. 2'' DVD shows Merton losing his temper at Kilroy-Silk for persistently interrupting during the Odd One Out round, telling him repeatedly to "Shut the fuck up!"<ref>''Have I Got News for You: The Best of the Guest Presenters Vol. 2'' DVD — "The A to Z of HIGNFY" (E is for Editing)</ref>
*In the edition broadcast ] 2007, Hislop sarcastically referred to Misplaced Pages as "that reliable tool for all of us". This referred to the obituaries of recently-deceased TV theme composer ], in which many British media organisations reported that he had co-written the ] song "]". In fact, he hadn't, and it was discovered that this information had been sourced from a hoax edit to Hazlehurst's Misplaced Pages article.<ref> Andrew Orlowski, ] 3 October 2007</ref>


''Have I Got News for You'' started broadcasting a ], ''The Inevitable Internet Spin-off'', on 13 April 2007.<ref name="chortle"/> It was initially planned to run for six series, from series 33 to 38, taking it to the end of 2009.
==Running gags==
* The longest ] in the programme first emerged in 1992 when Merton revealed that he achieved a ] ungraded qualification in ] at school in an effort to prove the rather less classical nature of his education in comparison to Hislop's. As of 2007, this gag is still occasionally made. This originates from both Merton's appearances on ''Just a Minute'' and his stand-up routine. In the commentary on the original ''Best of'' DVD, Merton states that he had a conversation with ] about this "stupid metalwork thing" and had trouble convincing Fry that it was in fact true and not just made up for the sake of comedy.
* ]'s alleged appetite and weight is the subject of continual ridicule.<ref name="BSG">{{cite web|url=http://www.sitcom.co.uk/writers/haveigotnewsforyou.shtml|title=Comedy Writing Area - Writing 'Have I Got News For You'|publisher=British Sitcom Guide|language=English|accessdate=2007-11-23}}</ref> On one episode guest host ] said, "People should stop tip-toeing around him," as Merton added, "It would take a bloody long time."
* Merton occasionally jokes about Hislop constantly losing, or being out of touch with popular culture. Some of the other guests have picked up on this. After being asked a question about ] recently, his fellow team member ] said, "Do you know who Rooney is?"
* Hislop's magazine '']'' is also sometimes the subject of a joke, usually involving the number of lawsuits the magazine has received, or the number of readers it has. When Boris Johnson appears on the show, his magazine, '']'', is on the receiving end of similar jibes. Hislop once said that he knew only three people read it, but he didn't realise that they were Boris and his parents.
* When ] was "outed" by journalist ] on '']'', the BBC clamped down on any reference to the former minister's sexuality. ''Have I Got News for You'' chose not to follow this directive. For example, whenever footage of Mandelson was shown, his eyes were blanked out, in order to protect his 'anonymity'. On another occasion Hislop commented of Mandelson that "We're not allowed to say he's a home (and then following a brief pause to insinuate the word "homosexual") owner", to which Merton replied "What's wrong with gay people owning homes?" (A reference to stories about ].) Hislop also described Mandelson as a "friend of ]", a reference to both the ban itself and the term "]".
* During his spell as leader of the ], ] was subject to a great deal of ridicule on the programme. In particular, Merton insisted that he was in fact two people: Iain and Duncan Smith. On discovering that his full name was actually George Iain Duncan Smith, Merton cried, "There's three of them?"
* Following his appearance in a 2004 episode, a clip of Robert Kilroy-Silk introducing his TV show '']'' with the words, "Their fate is in each other's hands, as they decide whether to share, or to shaft" (with appropriate hand gestures) was played in subsequent programmes at the flimsiest of excuses. It resurfaced in the autumn season of 2006. During the 2004–05 series, after Kilroy-Silk's lack of success with ], he was frequently ridiculed for both his tan and getting covered in a bucket of slurry, leading Merton to refer to the incident as "When the shit hits the tan".
* A recurring joke in the spring 2005 series (Series 29) was that Hislop would be the next actor to play the Doctor in '']''. In the final episode, a picture was shown of ] and ] morphing into Hislop and ]. This was continued in the 2006 ''Have I Got News for You'' book, in which a 'storyboard' for Hislop's first adventure as the Doctor was included.
* Merton occasionally says "Don't you know" in a faux-posh accent when talking about class issues. A recurring theme of class warfare is often played out by Ian Hislop and Paul Merton, originating from their contrasting educational backgrounds. He most recently used it during a discussion on the dispute between ] and the ferret clothing retailer, Ferret World, by saying that if he were a ], he would wear a top hat and silver cane and go around saying, "I'm a ferret, don't you know."
* Similarly, when a joke is made about ], Hislop 'complains' in a German accent. This was first used while observing that the German ] would carp about any mention of ]: "Oh, you are so backwards, you English. Why don't you just forget it all?" A recent example was in Series 30 during a discussion on how England fans are supposedly going to go to the ] wearing T-shirts displaying the ] "Don't mention the war!" in German. Hislop responded, "Even with ze football you keep saying ze same old joke!"
* Paul Merton regularly answered questions by replying, "Is it ]?", until a 2006 episode where (much to his astonishment) this turned out to be the correct answer to the Missing Words question "'What' spends £2,500 on a pacemaker?". Since this, he has started giving "]" as a stock answer instead.
* In the autumn season in ], every time ] is mentioned, she is introduced as, "Paul McCartney's strange ... sorry, ''estranged'' wife..." with the guest host pretending to misread the autocue.
* Paul Merton has frequently referred to ], the title character from a 1974 UK children's television programme. This joke began in series 2 and has continued ever since. These references include claiming he will take the name Pope Bagpuss when he is elected pope and most recently, likening guest host Ann Widdecombe to Bagpuss.


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 by ], and run fortnightly, bridging the gap between series 37 and 38.<ref>{{cite web|last=Parker |first=Robin |url=http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/2009/04/have_i_got_news_internet_spinoff_to_bridge_tv_run.html |title=Have I Got News for You internet spin-off to bridge TV run |publisher=BroadcastNow |date=22 April 2009 |access-date=28 April 2010}}</ref>
==Frequent targets==
There are several people, places and things that are attacked and joked about more often than others. Some of the current figures of fun include ''The ]'', ], ] (in particular his fatness),<ref name="BSG"/> ], ], ], ] (in particular his smile), '']'', ], ] (who has had an ongoing row with Hislop and ''Private Eye''), ], ] and The Royal Family. '']'' and the '']'' also get their fair share of abuse.


On 1 October 2009, the last "]" episode was made available via both the ] and ].<ref>{{YouTube|id=6qhwiD2SRsE|title=Alexander Armstrong Went Wild at Roman Polanski's Party - Have I Got News for You - BBC Comedy Extra}}</ref>
==Controversy and litigation==
* When ] appeared on the programme in October 1995, she took offence at Hislop's verbal assaults about her relationship with ], whom he accused of "beating up people", and the alleged poor quality of her autobiography, together with Merton's ad libs and Deayton's scripted jokes concerning her breast enlargement surgery. Yates eventually called Hislop the "sperm of the devil". Hislop replied with, "Even your insults emanate from the genitals."
* In a 1994 episode, Deayton read out the following: "The ] are cracking down on references to ] and ], in case programme-makers appear biased in their treatment of these two heartless, scheming bastards." However, the Maxwell brothers were about to go on trial, and on ] ], the BBC and Hat Trick Productions were fined £20,000 in the ] for ] <ref></ref>.
* In 1996, a book based on the series, ''Have I Got 1997 for You'', noted about ] MP ] that "...given Mr Allason's fondness for pursuing libel actions, there are also excellent legal reasons for not referring to him as a conniving little shit". Mr Allason then pursued a libel action against ] and Hat Trick Productions over the remark. He lost the case.<ref></ref>
* After a not entirely successful first guest appearance in 1998, during which he was questioned by Hislop about a secretly recorded telephone conversation in which ] asked him to help beat up a journalist, future Conservative MP ] alleged that many of the supposedly ad libbed lines on the show were in fact scripted, writing: "The whole thing is a fix Before you say that I write as one stitched up, let me confess that I was made to seem a bit of a chump." ], in ''The Daily Mirror'', agreed: "What bothers the hurt hack is not that there's a bit of preparation behind ''Have I Got News for You'', what bothers him is that he was completely unprepared to go on the box and end up looking like a prize wally." In later appearances, Johnson apologised for suggesting this and the supposed scripted nature of the show has become yet another running joke. It is now accepted that the host has a script, ] and all.
* In April 2003, frequent guest panellist ] announced that he was boycotting the show following the sacking of Angus Deayton, a decision described by Fry as "greasy, miserable, British and pathetic".<ref></ref>
*On ] 2007, ] appeared as a guest host for the second time, with ] as Hislop's teammate. However, due to Carr's ] material, Widdecombe vowed she would never appear on ''Have I Got News for You'' again. She said, "His idea of wit is a barrage of filth and the sort of humour most men grow out of in their teens. There's no amount of money for which I would go through those two recording hours again. At one stage I nearly walked out."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2007/11/30/6099/bunch_of_kents|title=Bunch of Kents: This weeks comedy trivia|publisher=Chortle.co.uk|language=English|date=2007-11-30|accessdate=2007-11-30}}</ref> The following week, ] appeared as a guest. Self, one of the most regular guests on ''HIGNFY'', said that he would not appear on the show again as well. He said, "I'm afraid that without the reality element, the programme has become just like any other pseudo-panel contest, where funny fellows sit behind desks cracking jokes. Moreover, in the post-Hutton era, the BBC seems to have lost its bottle so far as edgy satire is concerned: the sharpest crack I made all evening — and the one that received the most audience laughter — was cut for transmission."<ref>{{cite web|last=Self|first=Will|authorlink=Will Self|url=http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23425542-details/Have+I+got+news+for+you%3A+TV+satire%27s+lost+its+teeth/article.do|title=Have I got news for you: TV satire's lost its teeth|publisher=Evening Standard|language=English|date=2007-12-04|accessdate=2007-12-05}}</ref>


==Other shows based on the ''Have I Got News for You'' format==
==DVD==
* ''The Very Best of Have I Got News for You'' (2002), a compilation of highlights from the first 13 years of the show, from the beginning up until the episode made after Deayton hit the tabloids. Just over three hours long, and another several hours of extras, including, among other things, running commentary of the whole presentation by Merton and Hislop.
* ''Have I Got News for You: The Best of the Guest Presenters'' (2003), which, as well as including the normal half-hour cut of Boris Johnson's first guest-hosting, also included a bonus disc, "The Full Boris", which showed a far longer cut of the same episode (lasting slightly under 60 minutes). Slightly longer versions of the shows featuring ], ] and ] as chair were also included, as well as a compilation of clips from other presenters' appearances (with only the episode hosted by ] not represented). There are also several small extra features, including a discussion between Paul Merton and Boris Johnson regarding Johnson's appearance as presenter, filmed during his interview on the Merton-hosted '']''.
* ''Have I Got News for You: The Best of the Guest Presenters Vol. 2'' (2005), which is nearer in content to the first "Best of" DVD compilation than its direct predecessor. It contains four 45-minute compilations of the Autumn 2003, Spring 2004, Autumn 2004 and Spring 2005 series, rather than complete episodes; although it does contain a bonus disc with an uncut version of Boris Johnson's second stint as presenter. This episode lasts about 80 minutes. "The A to Z of HIGNFY" is also included on the second disk and includes various clips (some unseen) as well as behind-the-scenes content.


Shows based on the ''Have I Got News for You'' format are broadcast in other countries:
==Video exclusives==
* American weekly radio show '']'' was started in 1998 on public radio network ].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/513277599/wait-wait-for-feb-4-2017-with-not-my-job-guest-mavis-staples |title=NPR Wait, Wait ... Don't Tell Me |publisher=NPR |date=2017 |access-date=2 March 2017}}</ref> 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 both ''Wait Wait'' and ''Have 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 to '']'' which is also the inspiration for ''Have I Got News for You''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nightlisteners.com/public/wait-wait-don%E2%80%99t-tell-me%E2%80%A6/ |title=Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me... « Night Listeners |publisher=Nightlisteners.com |date=13 May 2009 |access-date=28 April 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091201165659/http://www.nightlisteners.com/public/wait-wait-don%E2%80%99t-tell-me%E2%80%A6/ |archive-date=1 December 2009 }}</ref>{{unreliable source?|date=June 2023}}
Four VHS videos were released, two containing specially made editions of the programme:
* Comedian ] began hosting an ] for ] in September 2024.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/roy-wood-jr-cnn-have-i-got-news-for-you-1235969492/|title=Roy Wood Jr. to Host CNN's 'Have I Got News for You'|website=]|last=Porter|first=Rick|date=August 8, 2024|access-date=August 8, 2024|language=en}}</ref> It was initially commissioned for a ten-episode run, with ] and ] as team captains.<ref name="guardianUS">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2024/sep/14/have-i-got-news-for-you-us-version |title='Comedy thrives in dark times': is the US ready for Have I Got News for You? |last=Jones |first=Callum |date=14 September 2024 |newspaper=] |access-date=14 September 2024}}</ref> Black had previously served as a team captain for a ] episode produced by ] on 20 November 2009, with host ] and opposing team captain ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theblacklistnyc.com/gotnews|title=Have I Got News For You|date=20 November 2009|access-date=28 December 2009}}</ref> Two other pilot versions of the show had been made in the US prior to its CNN run, commissioned by ] channels ] and ].<ref name="guardianUS" />
* ''Have I Got News for You'' (1993), containing clips from the first five series plus the complete 1992 election night special.
* Dutch comedian ] appeared on the original ''Have I Got News for You'' in May 1995. A year later he became team captain in the newly launched Dutch version of the show: '']'' ("This was the news"). On 19 December 2009, the last episode was broadcast.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.trouw.nl/cultuur/film/article2822405.ece/Dit_was_het_Nieuws_stopt_na_dertien_jaar.html|title=Dit was het Nieuws stopt na dertien jaar|newspaper=]|date=23 July 2009|access-date=19 December 2009}}</ref> RTL ran new episodes between May 2011 and October 2015; in December 2017, the show returned to the public broadcaster ].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.avrotros.nl/site/over-avrotros/nieuws/artikel/item/jan-jaap-van-der-wal-en-peter-pannekoek-naast-harm-edens-in-dit-was-het-nieuws/|title=Jan Jaap van der Wal en Peter Pannekoek naast Harm Edens in Dit was het nieuws|publisher=]|date=14 November 2017|access-date=14 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170918202228/https://www.avrotros.nl/site/over-avrotros/nieuws/artikel/item/jan-jaap-van-der-wal-en-peter-pannekoek-naast-harm-edens-in-dit-was-het-nieuws/|archive-date=18 September 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* ''Unbroadcastable Have I Got News for You'' (1995), featuring guests Eddie Izzard, Richard Wilson and a surprise appearance from Germaine Greer (specially produced).
* The Finnish version called '']'' ("newsleak") was broadcast for 20 years, 1998–2018 on ], and was one of the most popular TV shows, and also the continuously longest running TV entertainment show, in Finland.<ref>]</ref>{{Circular reference|date=August 2018}} In 2019, the show continued on ] with its original host ].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mtvuutiset.fi/artikkeli/legendaarinen-uutisvuoto-tekee-paluun-nahdaan-jatkossa-mtv3-kanavalla/7069672#gs.NfCVF715|title=Legendaarinen Uutisvuoto tekee paluun! Nähdään jatkossa MTV3-kanavalla|publisher=]|date=13 September 2018|access-date=5 January 2019}}</ref>
* ''Classic Battles & Bust-Ups'' (1996), three full-length episodes featuring the Tub of Lard, Paula Yates and Germaine Greer, among others.
* The ]n version, called ''Teletaip'' ("TV uptake"), was first aired in 2000 on ]; seven series were produced. Its two main hosts were the comedian ] and former ] ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.err.ee/press/pressiteated_2008/teletaip_tuleb_tagasi/|title=Viga!|publisher=err.ee|language=et}}{{dead link|date=October 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
* ''Have I Got News for You: The Official Pirate Video'' (1997), featuring guests Martin Clunes and Neil Morrissey (specially produced).
* The Swedish version called '']'' ("Talk about news") was broadcast from 1995 to 2003 and 2008 to 2009.
* The Norwegian version called '']'' ("The news anew") started on ] in 1999, and is still broadcast {{As of|November 2022|lc=y}}.<ref name="NRK">{{cite web |title="Nytt på nytt" tilbake |url=https://www.nrk.no/informasjon/_nytt-pa-nytt_-tilbake-1.499128 |publisher=NRK |access-date=3 November 2018 |language=no |date=11 January 2001}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Nytt på Nytt Web page (continuously updated, live as of November 2022)| website=NRK TV | url=https://tv.nrk.no/serie/nytt-paa-nytt | language=nb }}</ref> It also became the most popular show on Norwegian TV in 2017.<ref name="TV2">{{cite web |last1=Pedersen |first1=Pål Fredrik |title=Nytt på nytt kåret til tidenes underholdningsprogram |url=https://www.tv2.no/a/9015031/ |website=Nytt på nytt kåret til tidenes underholdningsprogram |publisher=TV 2 |access-date=3 November 2018 |language=no |date=25 March 2017}}</ref>


==Video podcasts== ==See also==
* ], creators of the original opening animation
] homepage]]''Have I Got News for You'' started broadcasting a ] called ''The Inevitable Internet Spin-off'' on ] ].<ref name="chortle"/> These podcasts will take place for the next six series, meaning that the show will be broadcast until at least ]. They are available from both the and the video sharing community ], where they are regularly featured on the home page and the BBC's official channel. As of the October 2007 series, these are referred to as "]s"


==Notes==
==Appearances and guest presenters==
{{Reflist|group=note}}
Many guests have appeared on the programme more than once, and, since the departure of Deayton, many celebrities have acted as guest presenters on the show. There are only five people who have appeared as a panellist after appearing as a guest host: ], ], ], ] and ]. ''(List complete up to and including show broadcast on ]th, ])'' <!--please add latest date when updating appearance lists -->


==References==
{| border="0" width="100%"
{{Reflist}}
|width="33%" valign="top"|
===Most appearances in total===
'''10 appearances'''
* ]


==Further reading==
'''9 appearances'''
* ''Have I Got News for You: The Shameless Cash-in Book'', BBC Books, 1994, {{ISBN|0-563-37111-0}}
* ]
* ''Have I Got 1997 for You'', BBC Books, 1996, {{ISBN|0-563-38783-1}}

'''8 appearances'''
* ]
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'''7 appearances'''
* ]
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'''6 appearances'''
* ]
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'''5 appearances'''
* ]
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* ]

|width="33%" valign="top"|

===Guest presenters===
'''10 appearances as host'''
* ]

'''6 appearances as host'''
* ]

'''5 appearances as host'''
* ]
* ]

'''4 appearances as host'''
* ]
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'''3 appearances as host'''
* ]
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'''2 appearances as host'''
* ]
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'''1 appearance as host'''
* ]
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|width="34%" valign="top"|

* ]
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|}

==Other TV shows based on the ''Have I Got News for You'' format==
Similar shows based on the ''Have I Got News for You'' format exist in other countries:
* Dutch comedian ] appeared on the original ''Have I Got News for You'' in ] ]. A year later he became team captain in the newly launched Dutch version of the show: '']'' ("This was the news"). The show gradually developed into a very successful programme.
* In ] a show called '']'' (literally "newsleak"; the pun works as well in both languages) has been aired since ].
* In ], the Doug Anthony All Stars lead singer and comedian ] hosted '']'' (GNW), first on ] and later on ] from ] to ]. GNW varied from Have I Got News For You in that there were three team members per team, instead of the usual two. The series was also notable for the number of UK-based comedians that were panellists on the show, including ]. The Ten version also had a weekend broadcast, ''Good News Weekend'', taking its format from '']''. In ], the company behind the recently cancelled GNW developed a similar program called '']'' on ABC TV. This show was cancelled in ] ].
* ] of ] aired their version of the show called '']'' between ] and ].
* ] briefly had a version of the show.
* In ] the Norwegian Broadcasting Company broadcasts the show '']'' (literally: "The News Anew"). It is one of the most popular TV shows in the country with 1.3 million viewers every week.{{Fact|date=March 2007}}
* Loosely based on the theme of ''Have I Got News for You'', ] in the ] aired a show in ] called '']'', also fronted by Angus Deayton, which discusses current affairs.
* In ], a similar show called "]" ran for 54 episodes.
* In ], ] made one pilot episode of a licensed ''Have I Got News for You'' clone, with ] as the presenter sometime in the early ]. It was never named or made into a full series. However, a topical news and current affairs quiz appeared entitled '']'', which was comparable to a cross between ''Have I Got News for You'' and '']''.
* Germany has (or had) a version called "7 Tage, 7 Koepfe" (literally "Seven Days, Seven Heads")
* Inspired by ''Have I Got News for You'', ]'s '']'' went on air on one of Pakistan’s leading TV channels, ] from ], ]. The show is hosted by TV personality and journalist ] and co-hosted by eccentric journalist and writer, ] and fashion journalist, Mohsin Sayeed.
* ] had a version called ''Þetta Helst'' (Translation: "Top Stories") in the mid-nineties, which aired on ] (The Icelandic National Broadcasting Service).

==Episode list==
* See ]

==References==
{{reflist}}
* ''Have I Got News for You: The Shameless Cash-in Book'', BBC Books, 1994, ISBN 0-563-37111-0
* ''Have I Got 1997 for You'', BBC Books, 1996, ISBN 0-563-38783-1


==External links== ==External links==
* {{BBC programme}}
{{wikiquote|Have I Got News For You}}
* at ] * {{IMDb title|id=0098820|title=Have I Got News for You}}
* at ] *
* at UKGameshows.com *
* {{YouTube|playlist=PLQTAXw5ECeFL3LgW6nx24_EJb1JwMQlVm|title=Have I Got News for You}} - ]
* at the ]
* {{imdb title|id=0098820|title=Have I Got News for You}} * {{YouTube|id=VIDEOID|title=Have I Got News For You (Series 36): Webisode 8}} - ]
* {{YouTube|playlist=PL5A4nPQbUF8B0wqzSvrmSqF63wouCnYyN|title=Have I Got News for You: Series 51 }} - ]

* {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120423003515/http://www.hattrick.co.uk/our-shows/show-detail/?show_id=74 |date=23 April 2012 }} at ]
'''Articles'''
* {{UKGameshow|Have_I_Got_News_for_You}}
*. Matthew Rudd, June 2005. Off the Telly.
* {{epguides|HaveIGotNewsForYou|Have I Got News for You}}
*. Jonathan Duffy, ], ]. '']''.
* at the ]

* {{British Comedy Guide|tv|hignfy}}
{{HIGNFY}}
*

* on BBC Comedy
<!-- Categories -->
* . Jonathan Duffy, 24 May 2002. '']''.
<!-- Interwiki links -->


{{BAFTA TV Award for Best Comedy (Programme or Series)}}
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Latest revision as of 22:18, 31 December 2024

British television panel show

For the American spin-off of this show, see Have I Got News for You (American game show).
Have I Got News for You
Also known as
  • HIGNFY
  • Have I Got a Little Bit More News for You
  • Have I Got a Bit More News for You
  • Have I Got Old News for You
  • Have I Got a Bit More Old News for You
Genre
Created by
Presented by
Starring
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series68
No. of episodes610 (list of episodes)
Production
Production locations
Running time
  • 29 minutes
  • 42 minutes (extended)
Production companyHat Trick Productions
Original release
NetworkBBC Two
Release28 September 1990 (1990-09-28) –
2 June 2000 (2000-06-02)
NetworkBBC One
Release20 October 2000 (2000-10-20) –
present

Have I Got News for You (HIGNFY) is a British television panel show, produced by Hat Trick Productions for the BBC, which premiered on 28 September 1990.

The programme focuses on two teams, one usually captained by Ian Hislop and one by Paul 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 the satirical 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 on BBC Two for its first ten years, before moving to BBC One in 2000. While the standard episodes are broadcast on Fridays, since 2003 extended versions of each episode, initially titled Have I Got a Little Bit More News for You and later simply Have 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 named Have I Got Old News for You or Have I Got a Bit More Old News for You. Currently, only episodes from series 65 onward are available on BBC iPlayer.

Until 2002, Have I Got News for You was hosted by Angus Deayton, who was sacked following reports in national newspapers of several scandals about his private life. 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 the British Comedy Awards including Best New Comedy Programme in 1991, Best Entertainment Series in 1992, Best Comedy Gameshow in 1999 and the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011. It also received the 2016 BAFTA Television Award for Comedy and Comedy Entertainment Programme.

History

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The Have I Got News for You studio

Have I Got News for You was initially conceived as a pilot for the BBC called John 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's Whose Line Is It Anyway? (developed by future Mock the Week creators Dan Patterson and Mark Leveson), but it was decided that the show would follow a template more in keeping with Radio 4's The 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-running Children's BBC programme John Craven's Newsround.

After filming the pilot, John Lloyd decided not to proceed as chairman, and the job fell to comedian Angus Deayton, after try-outs with future News Quiz host Sandi Toksvig and a pre-fame Chris Evans in the main role. The team captains – Ian Hislop, editor of Private Eye and a staff writer for Spitting Image, and Paul Merton, comedian and Whose Line Is It Anyway? cast member – returned from the pilot.

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 the Children in Need special. For the first ten years of its existence, the programme was shown on BBC Two. Hislop has been the longest-serving member of the three on the programme since its premiere. He has not missed a single episode. 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".

By 2000, the BBC made a decision to relocate its late evening news bulletin from nine o'clock to ten o'clock, after ITV 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 to BBC 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, after it became headlines – putting his private life under scrutiny by news media outlets. Further scandal effectively forced the BBC to terminate Deayton's contract with them two episodes into the programme's 24th series.

At short notice, Merton hosted the first episode after Deayton's departure, with a series of guest hosts appearing for the remainder of the series, including Anne Robinson, Boris Johnson, and Jeremy Clarkson. 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, leading to it becoming a permanent feature in the programme's format in June 2003.

Between 1990 and its spring season in 2018, the programme was recorded at The London Studios, the former home of London Weekend Television; it briefly was recorded at BBC Television Centre for a 2001 Election special, the Friday after the elections were completed. From the 2018 autumn series, recording was conducted at Elstree Studios, although the onset of the COVID-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 at Riverside 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.

Format

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, titled Have 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.

Participants

Main article: List of Have I Got News for You presenters

The format of Have 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, while Andy Hamilton had appeared most often as a guest panellist.

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 for Roy 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 of lard; 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".

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, while Nick Clegg was paid £15,000 to host an episode.

Episodes

Main article: List of Have I Got News for You episodes

Criticism, controversy and litigation

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 about Ian and Kevin 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 the High Court against the BBC and Hat Trick Productions, which found both guilty of contempt of court and fined each of them £10,000.
  • In January 1998, BBC Worldwide and Hat Trick Productions successfully defended a libel case brought by Conservative MP Rupert Allason, after a book based on the autumn series, titled Have I Got 1997 for You, contained a remark about the politician being "a conniving little shit".
  • In November 1998, producers ridiculed a BBC edict restricting reporting about Peter Mandelson by mocking it throughout filming of an episode that was broadcast without any elements being edited out. The programme continued to ridicule, ignore and flout the reporting edict – alongside several other shows – before the BBC relaxed it two years later.
  • In April 2003, three-time guest panellist Stephen 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".
  • In November 2007, Ann Widdecombe criticised the programme for the involvement of Jimmy 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.
  • 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.
  • In April 2013, the programme received over 100 complaints for an episode that involved discussions on a news article on Scottish independence. The focus of the complaints was on comments deemed to promote anti-Scottish sentiment, made by Hislop and by guest host Ray 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".
  • 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 the Radio Times, in regard to how production staff approached several prominent women for the role of guest host.
  • In May 2019, the BBC had to postpone an episode as it featured Heidi Allen, then leader of the political party Change UK, who was standing in that month's European elections; it was broadcast the following month.

Home media

The series has seen many releases on VHS and DVD, mainly consisting of straight-to-video compilations from other seasons. They were all released by Hat Trick through Video Collection International/2Entertain, under license from the BBC.

  • 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 on Video 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.
  • 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 of Terry Wogan on fellow Hat Trick series Room 101 nominating the programme as one of his pet hates, alongside interviews with political figures (taken from the Channel 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 of Boris Johnson's first guest-hosted episode. Episodes with Martin Clunes, William Hague and Bruce 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 by Liza 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), 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 on Room 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, with Marcus Brigstocke guiding the viewer around the studio and backstage, on a recording night.

Internet spin-offs

During the late 1990s, the website haveigotnewsforyou.com, run in association with Freeserve, 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 a video podcast, The Inevitable Internet Spin-off, on 13 April 2007. 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 by Alexander Armstrong, and run fortnightly, bridging the gap between series 37 and 38.

On 1 October 2009, the last "webisode" episode was made available via both the BBC iPlayer and YouTube.

Other shows based on the Have I Got News for You format

Shows based on the Have I Got News for You format are broadcast in other countries:

  • American weekly radio show Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! was started in 1998 on public radio network NPR. 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 both Wait Wait and Have 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 to The News Quiz which is also the inspiration for Have I Got News for You.
  • Comedian Roy Wood, Jr. began hosting an American version of the show for CNN in September 2024. It was initially commissioned for a ten-episode run, with Amber Ruffin and Michael Ian Black as team captains. Black had previously served as a team captain for a pilot episode produced by NBC on 20 November 2009, with host Sam Seder and opposing team captain Greg Giraldo. Two other pilot versions of the show had been made in the US prior to its CNN run, commissioned by cable channels Bravo and TBS.
  • Dutch comedian Raoul Heertje appeared on the original Have 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. RTL ran new episodes between May 2011 and October 2015; in December 2017, the show returned to the public broadcaster AVROTROS.
  • The Finnish version called Uutisvuoto ("newsleak") was broadcast for 20 years, 1998–2018 on Yle TV1, and was one of the most popular TV shows, and also the continuously longest running TV entertainment show, in Finland. In 2019, the show continued on MTV3 with its original host Peter Nyman.
  • The Estonian version, called Teletaip ("TV uptake"), was first aired in 2000 on ETV; seven series were produced. Its two main hosts were the comedian Tarmo Leinatamm and former MEP Indrek Tarand.
  • The Swedish version called Snacka om nyheter ("Talk about news") was broadcast from 1995 to 2003 and 2008 to 2009.
  • The Norwegian version called Nytt på nytt ("The news anew") started on NRK in 1999, and is still broadcast as of November 2022. It also became the most popular show on Norwegian TV in 2017.

See also

Notes

  1. The Very Best of Have I Got News for You (2002): DVD commentary
  2. Hat Trick Productions: VHS VC6587.

References

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  22. "Sro audiences". www.sroaudiences.com. Archived from the original on 24 September 2021. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  23. ^ "A lot more news for you : News 2007 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide". Chortle. 11 April 2007. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
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  34. "Ray Winstone calls Scots 'tramps' on TV quiz show". The Scotsman. Johnston Press. 1 May 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
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Further reading

External links

BAFTA TV Award for Best Comedy Entertainment Programme
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