Interesting news for 'Have I got News for You'

Jetfire · Post by **Jetfire** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 7:03 pm

http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/2008 ... nline.html

Comedy Forum: Hat Trick is in talks with the BBC about extending the Have I Got News For You brand into a UK equivalent of US satirical website The Onion.
The indie is also developing an interactive web version of Room 101, despite BBC2 axing the show two years ago.

Speaking at the Broadcast TV Comedy Forum, Hat Trick managing director Jimmy Mulville said he was talking to BBC Vision multiplatform entertainment commissioning executive Martin Trickey about building "a credible standalone offer" for Have I Got News For You on the web throughout the year.

The show currently runs for two series per year and Mulville is keen to use the format to comment on the news when it is off-air.

He likened it to the US spoof news website The Onion, which has eclipsed its newspaper origins to become a fully-fledged online video news channel. Digital rights distributor myvideorights.com has just signed a one-year deal to distribute The Onion's video content via websites in the UK, Europe and Asia.

Hat Trick's move is an extension of Have I Got News For You's webisodes, which feature material not used in the broadcast show. Its website also includes clips of classic moments including an edition featuring mayoral candidates Ken Livingstone and Boris Johnson.

For Room 101, Hat Trick wants to build a community of users who would make their case for everything they would consign to their own personal hell.

Could breath some live into the old dog yet. Saying that this series (and last) has been a return to form after a couple of years of going through the motions. Hasn't helped stay fresh with a whole host of clones ('8 out of 10 cats', 'Mock the week' etc) have robbed it of new directions and prehaps some available talent to go on the show.

Post by **Denyer** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 7:20 pm

Mmm. Might draw in a healthy amount of the teen audience.

Personally I haven't found the series funny in a long time, but I haven't caught any of the most recent series...

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 7:22 pm

I really do think the thing misses Deayton... he was ideal as host, and for too many guest hosts it's all about them... There was one with Tom Baker a couple of weeks ago that was downright painful, just the man referencing himself every link. Urgh.

Jetfire · Post by **Jetfire** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 7:31 pm

Indeed. The guest hosts worked for a few years, then didn't. Now the they have basically settled on a rotation of few hosts and the odd special like Brain Blessed or Tom Baker sending themselves up it has a better balance and is funnier this past year. I think with a shift in political spectum's recently the show also has fresh targets and even Merton looks motivated and interested more often than not.

A Deayton come back just wouldn't work in reality. While he was utterly sublime it's clear Merton and Hislop never really liked him to the point of hating his guts and completely and unremorsefully burnt that bridge when Deayton was caught with the prossies and drugs (for the second time I think). They burnt that bridge and blew up the remains and I suspect made it clear they would never work with the man again. Saying that a surprise Deayton appearence would be awesome.

electro girl · Post by **electro girl** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 7:49 pm

From what i've seen of the Onion it seems at least a bit different from Have I got news for you, but I did enjoy what they did with the Iron Man trailer
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=pwIUAYZVMs8 although it dosent seem like HIGNFY but I can see what they're going for.

As for Room 101 it sounds good in principal but its nothing that cant be done on any forum or message board.