Rolf Harris' presenting skills may have been a little weak but the art work, the singing and the expenses gags made it an excellent episode last night.
Have I Got News For You - With or Without Deayton? Page 6
Best for a while last night.
I think if it ends they should end it with a Deayton hour long episode.
AD shaped the show in so many ways, and without him it's no longer unmissable.
I think you need a permanent host to give any show a sense of identity.
The idea that Angus Deayton made the show is frankly rubbish. The only time the show was in real trouble was when Paul Merton left for a series and Eddie Izzard did it for a bit. Jam.
Quote: Yellows 586 @ May 16 2009, 7:50 PM BSTThe idea that Angus Deayton made the show is frankly rubbish. The only time the show was in real trouble was when Paul Merton left for a series and Eddie Izzard did it for a bit. Jam.
Well, given he used to co-write it, I'd say he did shape it.
I'd agree that HIGNFY wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Deayton. In the early days he pretty much wrote all the autocue gags by himself.
Can't imagine that happening now!
Can't imagine that anyone has watched it in the last ten years !
It's a spent force !
I reckon they should have Angus back as a guest host.
Quote: Mark @ May 17 2009, 5:07 PM BSTI'd agree that HIGNFY wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Deayton. In the early days he pretty much wrote all the autocue gags by himself.
He's a very funny man - see KYTV.
Also, he's ace on his 1994 Room 101 appearance.
Can but agree that the show is on the slippery slope. I don't think the Beeb would put Mr Deayton back in charge which is a pity. I agree with previous posts, best host by a mile. And I didn't know he had a hand in writing it which probably helps to explain his excellent delivery.
Oh and as a side line. I believe Room 101 has never been the same since Nick Hancock left/sacked whatever.
I can't see them ending HIGNFY; there's always going to be a need to satirise the news and its far quicker and easier to do it as a quiz than try and write something cleverer. Rory Bremner's stuff, as an example of 'scripted/rehearsed' satire is an example - technically very good, but not exactly hilarious, and also rarely able to react to the latest news stories. Mock The Week is an example of a potential replacement that is nowhere near as good.
Even if they did end HIGNFY, there would be a replacement in the same slot on Friday nights doing satirical swipes at the news.
I saw this week's episode being filmed and it was fantastic. Alexander Armstrong is as good as Angus as a host and Reginald D Hunter is always a brilliant guest.
I know that it's part of Paul's persona on the show to be deadpan and miserable and he's not at all like that when he's doing other stuff (like the comedy store players), but he was really cheerful and laughing at everything as well.
I've been a couple of times and the host does make a massive difference. A good host makes the show seem effortless, a poor host makes the show seem strung together and a little unnatural. I've seen Jo Brand, Alexander Armstrong and Al Murray hosting it; Alexander and Jo were brilliant. I thought Al Murray could have been good next time, but as his first time, he just let the show fall silent and left people with nothing to say for too long. Although, in fairness to him, the new stories that week were terrible, which didn't really help.
Like you say, they always need to have a vehicle for satire and that is the easiest way of doing it. HIGNFY is a lot cheaper than making a show with Rory Bremner or something like Drop the Dead Donkey.
HIGNFY has outlived all the other game shows and although it does have dips and highs in quality, it is for the main, very good. Nothing else comes close to it; I think that part of it's charm is that they don't just have the same circle of comedians who do everything, they also have journalists and politicians. You wouldn't see that on Mock the Week. And, as opposed to Mock the Week, the regulars let the guests talk!
I think that if either Paul or Ian decided to call it a day, that would be the end of the programme. Lets hope they keep going for a bit longer! 
Afterall, I suspect it has given them a very good, steady income for 20 years and allowed them the time and money to do what they want.
Quote: SillyBry @ May 24 2009, 9:00 AM BSTI saw this week's episode being filmed and it was fantastic. Alexander Armstrong is as good as Angus as a host and Reginald D Hunter is always a brilliant guest.
I know that it's part of Paul's persona on the show to be deadpan and miserable and he's not at all like that when he's doing other stuff (like the comedy store players), but he was really cheerful and laughing at everything as well.
I've been a couple of times and the host does make a massive difference. A good host makes the show seem effortless, a poor host makes the show seem strung together and a little unnatural. I've seen Jo Brand, Alexander Armstrong and Al Murray hosting it; Alexander and Jo were brilliant. I thought Al Murray could have been good next time, but as his first time, he just let the show fall silent and left people with nothing to say for too long. Although, in fairness to him, the new stories that week were terrible, which didn't really help.
Like you say, they always need to have a vehicle for satire and that is the easiest way of doing it. HIGNFY is a lot cheaper than making a show with Rory Bremner or something like Drop the Dead Donkey.
HIGNFY has outlived all the other game shows and although it does have dips and highs in quality, it is for the main, very good. Nothing else comes close to it; I think that part of it's charm is that they don't just have the same circle of comedians who do everything, they also have journalists and politicians. You wouldn't see that on Mock the Week. And, as opposed to Mock the Week, the regulars let the guests talk!
I think that if either Paul or Ian decided to call it a day, that would be the end of the programme. Lets hope they keep going for a bit longer!
Ditto (exceot I wasn't at the recording)