Have I Got News For You

Ian Hislop hopes Donald Trump will host HIGNFY

The Private Eye editor Ian Hislop is hoping that US president Donald Trump will lose out in the presidential election so that he will have time to appear as a guest host on Have I Got News For You.

HIGNFY exec producer dismisses left-wing bias claims

Have I Got News For You's executive producer Richard Wilson, who admits that he himself is right-wing, defended the organisation saying the problem isn't BBC bias, but a lack of Conservative comics.

BBC comedy shows appear to be overwhelmingly biased

BBC topical comedy shows appear to be overwhelmingly biased against figures and institutions on the political right, analysis by the Sunday Telegraph has found.

Episodes of the long-running Have I Got News For You on BBC1 and The News Quiz on Radio 4, together with the more recent Mash Report on BBC2, which were broadcast during lockdown, featured 13 times as many jokes aimed at Right-wing figures and issues as opposed to those on the Left.

The BBC's bid to axe left-wing comedy will fail

From Punch in the 19th century to P. J. O'Rourke to Auberon Waugh to Craig Brown to Titania McGrath, if it's grown-up, nuanced political humour and satire you want, refer to books, newspapers, magazines or the internet. Let the lefties have the airwaves.

Shappi Khorsandi on the BBC and right-wing comedy

High on Tim Davie's list of shows deemed 'too left-wing' is Mock The Week. When I was on the show, I was told I must do my 'Iranian material' - that didn't feel left-wing to me.

BBC propaganda / satire stopped being funny ages ago

Changing the Corporation's pandering, predictable approach to comedy needs more than new material - it requires a revolution.

BBC's new boss threatens to axe Left-wing comedy shows

New Director-General Tim Davie believes the BBC's comedy output is seen as too one-sided, and unfairly biased against the Tories, Donald Trump and Brexit.

The best of British satire: 7 vintage shows

Spitting Image is returning. Some are expecting the new series to represent the welcome, and long overdue, rehabilitation of British satire. Others fear a toothless, joyless effort. Either way, it will face some tough comparisons - most notably with itself. The satire boom of the 60s precipitated a long line of insightful, scabrous, satirical shows. So here, in no particular order, are seven of the best.

Is it time for canned laughter to return to TV?

An artificial laugh track hasn't been used for decades, but with Covid making studio audiences impossible it could be a useful tool.