There are plenty of interesting British shows – Nevermind the Buzzcocks, Have I Got News for You, Mock the Week … the list goes one. But sometimes it is the controversial bits of a show that makes the most news. Well, it certainly gets the ratings up. Almost makes you wonder if any of it was scripted. Hmmmm. Well, check out this list of shows that got folks talking.
When Preston Walked Out
Oooh, they still mention this every once in a while. It happened on Nevermind the Buzzcocks which is a variety show well known for its biting remarks and blunt jabs. Simon Amstell can be a bit much for folks with a thin skin and that's exactly what happened to one guest panelist. At point in the show, Simon Amstell took out an autobiography of Preston's wife and started reading out extracts. He should have been expecting that. Preston got all antsy and left the show. No one seemed particularly worried since Bill Bailey got an audience member to substitute for Preston. It worked out so nicely … seems like they planned this whole thing.
The Fight with Piers
This is old news. But knowing about this little fight helps explain some of the remarks you come across even today about Morgan. The man in question is Piers Morgan, a fellow who has worked for some of the more sensational newspapers. You can see why there would be no love lost between him and some of the other panelists. In this particular instance, two of the regulars on Have I Got News for You, a comedy show that pokes fun at politics and whatnot, had a go at Morgan. And you can see things heating up between them and the tabloid guy. If you're a fan of HIGNFY, this particular episode is something to keep in mind. Watch out for that bit where Morgan puts down Hislop only to have the audience disagree with him.
When They Picked on Angus
Okay, this one was a bit uncomfortable to watch. This clip is from HIGNFY as well. This was from the earlier times when Angus Deayton was the host of the show. Keep in mind that Deayton, together with the team captains (Paul Merton and Ian Hislop), are merciless about taking apart the daily news. No one is above the law and all that, right? Well, one fine day Deayton was in the news … let's say he had a Hugh Grant moment with a prostitute and in this case some drugs were also used. Would it really have been fair if, when he came back to the show, everyone pretended nothing had happened? And no one could poke fun at that scandal? Er, yea they picked on him. For quite a few shows until the stream of revelations about the scandal led to him being fired. Ouch!
The Jamelia Moment
This one was quite recent. This is after Simon Amstell left the show (for greener pastures and all that) and the folks started guest hosting. The newsworthy bit in this particular episode involved one of the celebrities in the 'Guess who this is' lineup and one of the guests, Jamelia. The latter deftly points out to her team that she already knows who it is. Why? Because he was apparently trying to create a fake story about Jamelia and himself. That's a bit of an ergh moment. And I don't think anyone was on his side after that comment. Check for that bit around 8:00.