British Comedy Guide
The Friday Night Live sign in the studio. Credit: London Weekend Television
Friday Night Live

Friday Night Live

  • TV stand-up
  • Channel 4
  • 1988
  • 10 episodes (1 series)

Channel 4 stand-up series that followed on from Saturday Live. Most notable for furthering the careers of comedians like Jo Brand and Harry Enfield. Also features Ben Elton, Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Lee Evans, Moray Hunter and more.

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Friday Night Live. Image shows left to right: Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry

Key details

Genre
Stand-Up
Broadcast
1988
Channel
Channel 4
Episodes
10 (1 series)
Stars
Ben Elton, Harry Enfield, Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Lee Evans, Moray Hunter, Jack Docherty, Josie Lawrence and more
Writers
Ben Elton, Jack Docherty, Harry Enfield, Moray Hunter, Charlie Higson, Paul Whitehouse and Josie Lawrence
Director
Ian Hamilton
Producers
Geoffrey Perkins, Geoff Posner and Juliet Blake
Companies

In 1988, Channel 4's Saturday Live was moved to a Friday evening slot, and this series the result.

Hosted by Ben Elton when he was at the top of his game, these ten episodes starred many of the most well-known 1980s' comedians, including the likes of Josie Lawrence and Hugh Laurie.

The series is notable for some of the new comedians it gave air-time to. For example, Jo Brand's first TV performance was on Friday Night Live.

The real star of the show though was Harry Enfield - he jumped into the comedy super stardom league when he revealed his new characters on this show. His creations, like the now iconic Loadsamoney, perfectly tapped into the 'greed is good' ethos sweeping the nation at the time.

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Additional details

Also known as
  • Friday Live
Production
Studio
Picture
Colour

Website links

Broadcast details

First broadcast
Friday 19th February 1988 at 10:30pm on Channel 4

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