Have I Got News for You

Running for 14 years now, and through fire, brimstone and Presenter Prostitution Scandal, still going strong, the recent vein of guest presenters bringing strong new variety to the show.

'Private Eye' editor Ian Hislop and veteran funny man Paul Merton spearhead this quiz show, led formerly by respected actor Angus Deayton, of 'One foot in the grave' fame have sculpted a masterpiece manifested in this programme. At first, I was wondering how a show about current affairs could be so comic, but the news provides us with an inexhaustible supply of scandal, potential parodies, and hilarious opportunities to lambast politicians and such like, which is what 'Have I got news for you' has been inspired by for the last fourteen years.

Joined by two guests, usually politicians, comedians, journalists, or Boris Johnson, the format surprisingly has never grown tiresome, and with recent classics such as Angus'... Well, departure, the infamous 'Tub of Lard' episode, and 'Elton John' Joining the guests, I am hopeful this show will continue for many years to come.

Hosted by Angus Deayton, two teams (Captains Hislop and Merson and one guest each) pick through the weeks news in a quiz format. Rounds include odd one out, working out a story from news footage, missing words round etc. Winning is not as important as making good jokes.

This is the original panel show that sparked off copies on other subjects, music (never mind the buzzcocks) sport (they think it's all over) TV (It's only TV but I like it) etc. However it's a very British style of comedy - relying on sharp wits and cynical, satirical views on news stories. Deayton provides the scripted lines, Hislop provides the cruel satirical wit and Merson provides the off the wall style humour. All three are very different but work together very well making for a constant stream of jokes that appeal to different senses of humour.

The chemistry is so good that the guests don't really matter. Some are very good and match the sharp wits joke for joke. However others are clearly out of their depth and are not able to keep up with the joking, rather just try to answer the questions straight. Many are on so that they can be the butt of jokes - politicians are the main group that walk a tightrope by appearing on the show. However the guests are not that important - indeed Merson's team mates have included an Elton John impersonator and a tub of lard (after guests dropped out at the last moment), yet the show was as funny as ever.

Overall very Private Eye Editor Hislop's sharp, cynical humour mixed with Merson's surreal brand of comedy held together in a quiz format makes for a very funny show that feels as fresh as it did all those years ago.

Always watchable, always topical, always funny. Might be a shade bewildering to non-UK residents, or those unaware of the storylines discussed. The best satire/news show on British TV. The only down-side is that it is sometimes a little reliant on the quality of the guests. Although, having said that, given that one week a non-attending guest was replaced by a tub of lard, the regulars themselves can carry it alone.

Have I Got News For You is a satirical news quiz in which two teams compete for points, by answering questions on the weeks events. The show is often devastatingly funny, extremely witty and is always fresh and topical.

Hosted by Angus Deayton until 2002, the show features two regular team captains, Ian Hislop and Paul Merton who are each joined by a guest. From the second series in 2002 and in to 2003, the show has been hosted by a series of guest hosts, ranging from popular MP's like William Hague and Charles Kennedy to mainstream celebrities such as Charlotte Church and Anne Robinson.

Ian Hislop is the editor of the fortnightly satirical magazine, private eye and is known for being euro-sceptic and anti-football. Throughout the shows history, Ian's knowledge of pop music has been the butt of many jokes from the other two regulars, but he usually takes it in good humour.

Paul Merton, the second of the two captains, is a well-known comedian who works for the BBC in a number of other productions, such as Room 101. His comments during the show are typically off the wall and almost random to the extent of making him the bright star of the show's off-beat humour - particularly if he's on form.

The show's guests include people from all areas of the media - ranging from lords to comedians and from political leaders to actors and actresses. Some of the show's best guests have been the mayor of London, Ken Livingstone (who claimed he was once second in popularity to the pope), Spectator editor and Tory MP, Boris Johnson (who made such a hash out of all his appearances as to be one of the show's brightest and funniest guests), Guardian Columnist and well-known Feminist, Germaine Greer (who made certain to Ian Hislop she was wearing don't f**k me shoes) and the totally mad Eddie Izzard who asked if all the items in the odd-one out were made out of jam.

Many people have claimed that without Angus Deayton, the show could not work and is destined for failure. Two series later, the show is still running as well as it ever has, with the added bonus of the guest hosts being able to shine through and give a wave of freshness to the show. How could ever forget Bruce Forsythe's "Play your Iraqi cards right?'

It's just a show that can never get tired - as the news itself will never get tiresome - there'll always be scandals, lies and Have I Got News For You.

What on Earth has happened to this show, I admit it's been some time since I was a die hard fan, but boy this has gone downhill in a somewhat staggering fashion.

The Angus Deayton years were legendary, biting, good witted, somewhat balanced humour. As someone who has always been centre left, I've always enjoyed mockery of the right, but someone who's also loved mockery on some of the insanities of the left too.

We are in the most horrendously toxic time ever, a time where Politicians are likely being killed, for doing what they think is right, left, centre or right, it's wrong, it's frightening.

I'm not sure there's much by way of good spirit or nature here anymore, I didn't think the so called scathing comedy was helping the current political tensions.

Am I wrong here? Is The non partisan BBC fulfilling its mandate?

5/10.