Have I Got News For You

• Cert: 15
• Released: 3rd November 1997
• Running time: 57 minutes
• Sound: Stereo
• Price: £12.99
• Extras : None

Host:

Angus Deayton

Team captains:

Ian Hislop
Paul Merton

Celebrity guests:

Martin Clunes and Neil Morrissey

Have I Got News For You began life on radio, and when the television series was first commissioned who would have known that by now, this cult hit would have begun its 13th series on BBC2 in the run-up to Christmas 1997.

Hosted by Angus Deayton, and with team captains Ian Hislop and Paul Merton, the series score so far at 12-1 in favour of Paul Merton, which isn’t surprising as he’s the only one of the two who does any research.

This special edition begins as the regular show does with Angus taking a sideways swipe at the news of the time, and includes regular “Odd One Out” and “Missing Words” rounds, plus bonus rounds in the form of “Family Fortunes” named: “Most Hated MP”, “Best TV Show” – guess which one wins that (!), “Least popular guest on HIGNFY”, and obscurely, “What Do You Want for Christmas”.

In the middle of the round where each team has to construct their own “Po” Teletubby puppet, some ‘best of’ bits are shown including out-takes never shown before, probably because of the language involved.

Of the people involved in the series, all three of the main crew have become household names. Angus Deayton has since presented a number of television series in his usual deadpan fashion, including the “End of the Year” shows for 1995/6 and 1996/7; Ian Hislop is the editor of controversial weekly magazine, “Private Eye”; and Paul Merton, once married to Men Behaving Badly actress Caroline Quentin, has had his own eponymous series on Channel 4, as well as two series on ITV, Paul Merton in Galton and Simpson’s…, recreating 15 of the original Tony Hancock scripts.

The celebrity guests on this video are the main two stars of Men Behaving Badly, Martin Clunes and Neil Morrissey, who are two of the best guests the programme has had, and have been on before when they appeared together on the same team, while the regular team captains appeared together on their own team. This time round, Martin Clunes is sat with Ian Hislop, and Neil Morrissey is teamed up with Paul Merton.

Previous guests on the series include ‘Cash for Questions’ Tory MP Neil Hamilton and his wife Christine, who sat together with Paul Merton in one show, so-called Eco-Warrior Swampy, the ex-wife of Bob Geldof, Paula Yates who referred directly to Ian Hislop as the sperm of the devil !, and the other parliamentary campaigner, the Rt. Hon. Tub of Lard MP.

Personally, I find this to be one of the funniest series on television today. Clunes and Morrissey recreate here their rapport formed on Men Behaving Badly, and three years ago Martin Clunes made his directorial debut with 1994’s Staggered.

The picture quality of the tape is very good. The stereo sound is mainly used for the theme tune and the echo of the audience laughter, but it all comes across very clear.

As for the programme itself, it cannot be faulted. Make sure this one finds its way into your Christmas stocking.

Content: 5/5
Picture: 4/5
Sound: 3/5

Review copyright © Dominic Robinson, 1997.