Thank God You're Here - Paul Merton

Here's a thread to discuss ITV's new improv show hosted by Paul Merton. It starts tomorrow night (Saturday 12th Jan 2008) at 9:05pm

As has been discussed on here before, the show is based on the really rather good Australian show of the same name. If ITV manage to re-create it's magic over here it should be great.

Trouble is, from the rumours I'm hearing, they've made a total hash of it (they've done things like invite non-comedienne Fern Britton on as a guest). In fact apparently its so clunky some people that work in the industry are running a book on whether ITV will pull it from its prime-time slot before its third week.

Well, I'm going to give it a go anyway. Ben Miller is on the first show and a very quick-witted Aussie called Hamish Blake who I have seen doing the Oz version of the show on YouTube (here's one such clip) is on too.

Sounds promising. :-/

I loved the Aus one, watched it all the time while I was living there. I'm not holding out much hope for this one though!

I'm confused, for episode one the guests are:
Fern Britton, Ben Miller, John Thomson, and Hamish Blake.
Yet the pilot episode I saw didn't have anyone other than John in it, I can only assume they've binned the pilot because they've tweaked the format or something?, it was perfectly passable as a good show, with gaps for adverts etc. but having the same person on two episodes would seem a little silly (and cutting his part out would mean dropping the intros etc.).
I also see Clive is in episode 2, Hmm...

There's only a limited pool of talent they can pick guests from. Multiple appearances are to be expected really.

Just checked - Hamish Blake is in the second episode as well. So definitely multiple appearances.

(Not surprising in his case, considering they've flown him in from the land of backwards where Christmas is in the summer 'n' all.)

I think this show is going to suffer from being on ITV as only people with links to the network are going to be taking part (as is the normal ITV contract). Hence we're going to be getting lots of 'faces of ITV' like people off Corrie (I wish I was kidding you on that).

Still, as charlier says, they've got people like Clive Anderson taking part. Michael McIntyre is on next week too - I like him.

Quote: Mark @ January 11, 2008, 11:07 PM

only people with links to the network are going to be taking part (as is the normal ITV contract)

View original

What, that you have to be linked to ITV to be on the show? Or you have to do whatever ITV say and go on whatever show they want you on, if you work for them on a 'regular' basis?

The TV Format idea sounds bizarre, but I won't pass judgment on the show until I see it tomorrow.

Quote: EllieJP @ January 11, 2008, 9:55 PM

I loved the Aus one, watched it all the time while I was living there. I'm not holding out much hope for this one though!

View original

Ditto,

This should make tonight's night it a lot more managable then last nights HELL, TV was crap last night.

In her defence, Fern Britton is actually funnier that some female comedians on TV at the moment.

Is it a kind of Whose Line updated?

Any one watching this?

I'm quite enjoying it, but mainly for nostalgic reasons! Awww Hamish!

This is really good. I did this sort of stuff at drama school and it's nerve wracking. One scene tonight with the guy who's supposedly got three wives missed a good line he could have said ...it was buy one get one free

This is so embarrassingly bad that it's making me blush.

I'd take 'Whose Line is it Anyway' over this, any day. And that's really saying something.

I think its been a little poor so far, I expected more from it but it is only one episode in so I will give it a chance.