Have I Got News for You

This is a very funny BBC panel game with two teams and a host. Angus Deayton hosted it for over a decade, but since he was fired it has had many different guest hosts. One team is led by Paul Merton and the other by Ian Hislop. Each team has different celebrity players each week. However, many celebs have been the host and/or contestants multiple times.

The show has several rounds and is very good at making fun of politicians, current affairs etc.

Some episodes are much better than others, depending on who the participants are.

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.

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.

Eleven years and still going strong. This is a topical news quiz which is never short of hilarious in its biting satire and ceaseless wit. In the chair is Angus Deyton, and competing are two teams, each made up of a regular captain and a different guest each week. The captains are comedian Paul Merton and Prive Eye editor and former 'Spitting Image' script-writer Ian Hislop. Guests over the years have included a wide range of politicians, celebrities and other well-known faces including Neil Kinnock, Ken Livingstone, Tom Baker, Charles Kennedy, Boris Johnson, Bob Monkhouse, Clive Anderson, Jo Brand, Harry Enfield, Rory Bremner, Jimmy Saville, Peter Hitchens, Trevor McDonald, Cecil Parkinson and many others. Here's to another eleven years.

I think Paul Merton is brilliant and so is ian hislop and so WAS angus Deayton but if there is to be a replacement for Deayton it has to be Clive anderson. The show is probably the best comedy show Britain has at the moment and it isn't even a sitcom. I'm surprised that paul merton hasn't done his own sitcoms because he'd be brilliant. The show should never end. Can't wait for the video release in late november to early december. great show.