Have I Got News For You has been destroying the powerful and pompous for almost 20 years bringing about some classic TV moments such as MP Boris Johnson’s bumbling attempts to finish a sentence or Piers Morgan committing career suicide. Since former host Angus Deayton got the sack the gimmick of roping in makeshift presenters has stuck, some good (Brian Blessed, Martin Clunes) and some bad (Gordon Ramsey, Anne Widdecombe).
So here’s the run down of HIGNFY’s five best bits:
Bruce Forsyth’s Play Your Iraqi Cards Right
Ian Hislop has said on many occasions that this was perhaps the worst taste segment in the history of HIGNFY (although apparently it was to be called Play Your Kurds Right). Here game show legend Brucie, one of the first guest presenters, brought his Play Your Cards Right format to the show and used the Iraq’s Most Wanted playing cards that had been issued to US soldiers. “Please, this is satire,” stated Forsyth as the punters laughed.
Hislop looked bemused and when asked if he wanted to go higher or lower he simply said: “I’m not sure this programme can go much lower”. The usually deadpan Merton sniggered throughout the whole thing proclaiming that he was having the time of his life.
Tonight Matthew I’m going to be Piers Moron
Or how a future Britain’s Got Talent “judge” overstated his sense of humour and was made to look a prat on national television. Back in 1996 Piers “Morgan” Moron made what is easily the worst appearance of any guest on the show's history and started a rivalry with Hislop that still continues today.
Moron repeated a joke Eddie Izzard made a week earlier instead to no laughs, acted like a spoilt child whenever he was challenged and had egg on his face when he tried to turn the audience against Hislop. The only downside is that it occurred during Merton’s hiatus so his rapier like wit was absent but stand-in Clive Anderson was his ever confrontational self and made the arrogant Moron appear the fool on many occasions.
Brian Blessed Chews the Scenery
Brian Blessed has a reputation for being extremely loud, boisterous and for scenery chewing performances with no hint of shame but no-one expected just how over-the-top his stint as host would turn out. As a veteran of stage and screen Blessed certainly knows how to deliver a line and his trademark boom even made some of the weaker autocue jokes sound funny.
The highlights, if there is such a thing, are his Mount Everest story, reading or actually shouting headlines (PETROL: WE’RE RUNNING OUT!), the Blessed in disguise round and his “Dave” bin Laden joke. It’s great when the show has a frontman who’s full of energy as it brings up the pace and encourages the panellists to interact, but presenters like him should only be used sparingly due to taking over the raison d'etre which is to talk about the news.
Boris Johnson Mastermind
Current London Major Bo Jo made his name on HIGNFY with embarrassing gaffs, including the Darius Guppy saga and his numerous hilarious attempts at trying to be host. After his first appearance he claimed that the show was entirely scripted but later apologised for that remark when asked to be a panellist for a second time.
The pinnacle of the Boris moments was when he faced an impromptu Mastermind quiz about then Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith (wow that seems like a strange parallel dimension now). Not only did Boris fail to answer any of the questions correctly but he even got his own name wrong.
TV’s Angus Deayton’s Sex Shame
"Welcome to Have I Got News For You, where tonight’s loser is presenting it” said Deayton following the furore of a News of the World front page scandal involving him, a prostitute and cocaine. By the next episode the regulars were there to stick the boot in very harshly and eventually Angus was fired.
Deayton’s smug delivery was a series staple in the early years so it was quite fitting that he got his comeuppance. The real moment came when Merton un-zipped his jacket to reveal the offending front page printed on a t-shirt. Deayton’s face said it all. Even though the guest presenter feature brought about some of the funniest episodes in the show’s history this saga has unfortunately left a smarmy hole that has yet to be adequately filled.
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