Television Review: Have I Got A Little Bit More News For You

I thought I'd lost this when my Compaq PC crashed.

Here is a review of last Friday's Have i Got News For You:


A playful glance by Ian Hislop at Russell Brand’s nipple opened this week’s uncut show, which once again proved to be a disappointment.

If, like me, you set the video recorder for HIGNFY every Friday night before going out, you’ll remember how the show sparkled during the nineties.
A grumpy Paul Merton verbally jousted with Angus Deayton (remember him?) while Ian Hislop tongue-lashed Tories who were foolish enough to appear on the show.

Now the guest presenter is the focus of the audience, although tonight Jack Dee was low-key, not very funny but not a show-stealer, unlike Boris Johnson or the bizarre Joan Collins.

However, the revolting Russell Brand managed to deflect any idea that wit was a requirement to appear.

Clamouring for attention like a child, he treated a toilet visit during the show as if he had a message from the ghost of Princess Diana.

Not only does Brand have a similar hairstyle to singer Amy Winehouse, he’s got the same sense of decorum as well. A headline stuck to the montage on the wall above him summed up his outfit “Mutton dressed as Lamb”.

Paul Merton’s team fared little better. Charlie Brooker was quieter than his last appearance, almost as if Russell’s pretence at ignorance “These people are in charge of us” caused him to purse his lips like an elderly aunt seeing Debbie Does Dallas.

Despite the presence of another John Prescott joke, there was the occasional spearing of satire. “Canoe Man” John Darwin was a ripe target, while Gordon Brown was lampooned with the quoting of a line from Reservoir Dogs “Mr Brown-that’s a little too close to Mr Shit”.

The best exchange of the evening, however, didn’t even concern the news.

After a typically tedious round of blather from Russell Brand, Hislop turned to the audience and said “Sometimes, when Russell Brand say something, you just want to say how poignant.” Jack Dee’s frown spread a centimetre as he replied “Really? I hadn’t noticed”