'Have I Got News For You' instantly became my favourite TV programme, and continues to be after all these years.
The simple format of a panel quiz-show with bite is excellent. It's produced cheaply in a straightforward way, almost celebrating the tackiness of some of the props - not unlike 'Shooting Stars'.
The heart of the show rests with a wry lampooning of the latest news and its makers. It is often hilarious, and pulls very few punches, not least of which was when its own long-term presenter, Angus Deayton, himself became the stuff of lurid tabloid headlines. Hislop and Merton staged a spectacularly embarrassing ambush on the air, which surely sealed the poor man's doom as much as the stories themselves.
That was poetic justice, but it was also a great pity. The three men together had an amazing chemistry and although there have been excellent programmes employing guest presenters, none of them have adequately replaced Deayton. Today, it suffers from a lack of consistency.
When we stop to consider how steadfastly the BBC supported Jonathan Ross - despite the fact that his misconduct actually took place on television - restoring his wholly unrepentant loutishness within just a few weeks, it does tend to smack of dual-standards that Angus Deayton has never been allowed rehabilitation. Perhaps the latter upset too many politicians, of which the BBC is now so manifestly afraid. However, recent revelations about their shenanigans make Deayton's behaviour pale almost into insignificance. He certainly never betrayed the public trust.
Whatever the case, I for one would dearly love to see him back.
The BBC have always been very good at satirical programmes. Radio 4 had a long-running Friday-night series called 'Weekending' which I thought was actually funnier. It offended a lot more people, if the number of writs were any guide. Now long gone and also sadly missed.
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