Guests quit Have I Got News For You

Two guests that have appeared on Have I Got News For You during the past fortnight have said they will not appear on the satirical panel game again.

The first to say they would not appear is Ann Widdecombe, who presented the show last fortnight (23rd November). She vowed that she would not host the comedy panel show again – not because of Ian Hislop or Paul Merton - but because of the humour of guest panellist Jimmy Carr. Whilst she said that Hislop and Merton were "the fastest wits in showbusiness", she said of Carr that "his idea of wit is a barrage of filth and the sort of humour most men grow out of in their teens. The edit got rid of much of it but there's no amount of money for which I would go through those two recording hours again. At one stage I nearly walked out."

The second to rule himself out of appearing again is Will Self, who appeared as guest on last Friday's show (30th November). The novelist, who currently holds the record for the most appearances as a panellist, commented that whilst Hislop and Merton were still funny, "age and success has mellowed them."

Self also commented on politicians who appear, saying in his Evening Standard column: "the political class has got wise to the show's format. No serving or aspiring politician can 'win' HIGNFY; the best they can hope for is to not lose. If, like Boris Johnson, they succeed in making a TV audience laugh, they’re never going to be regarded as truly serious ever again. If Johnson loses next year's mayoral election, it will be HIGNFY that did it for Ken [Livingstone]."

However, it is possible that Self is not re-appearing due to bitterness, saying that the best joke he made on the night, and the gag that attracted the most laughs from the audience, was cut from the show. He complained in the newspaper that "in the post-Hutton era, the BBC seems to have lost its bottle so far as edgy satire is concerned."

Self's column can be read on thisislondon.co.uk

This week's episode is hosted by Jack Dee, his fifth time as host. The guests will be Charlie Brooker, making his second appearance, and Russell Brand, making his HIGNFY debut.