Masterchef duo to be first HIGNFY co-hosts
The presenters of BBC cookery programme Masterchef, John Torode and Gregg Wallace, are to be the first people to co-host Have I Got News For You. The duo will present the show on the 13th May.
Torode says: "Have I Got News For You is a fantastic show and I'm really excited to be asked to be part of the first-ever double act to host it. Quizzes don't get tougher than this!"
Wallace adds: "It's brilliant being on Have I Got News For You. I've watched it for years and never dreamed I'd ever be on it. Mum's going to be so proud!"
Richard Wilson, the Executive Producer for Hat Trick Productions, says: "Have we booked two of them? There must be some mistake!"
The satirical panel show, which is currently in its 41st series, has been using guest hosts since 2002, following the sacking of presenter Angus Deayton amidst tabloid allegations regarding his private life. However, each episode has only ever had one person hosting it. The closest similar incident to this forthcoming episode was in 1997 when husband and wife Neil and Christine Hamilton appeared on the same team alongside Paul Merton. Mr Hamilton, formerly a Conservative MP, had lost his seat in the previous week's General Election.
The guest hosts in Series 41 to date have been Jack Dee, who has now taken the host's chair on ten occasions, and first-timer Stephen Mangan. Tomorrow's episode - the third in the series - will be hosted by another first-timer, Rhod Gilbert, with the panellists set to be Marcus Brigstocke and Louise Bagshawe MP. The next host will be Alexander Armstrong on 6th May (there is no episode next week due to the Royal Wedding). He will be hosting the show for the 18th time.
Other hosts confirmed for the current series include Jeremy Clarkson, Sharon Horgan and Jo Brand.