The courtroom is a peculiar, odd place; rarely do you have such an eclectic mix of strangers sitting in one room. The judge and barristers (or attorneys), highly educated with a certain degree of pomposity, the jurors who can range from the eccentric, pregnant nail technician to the disgruntled, elderly accountant, and the defendant, who can feasibly be from any walk of life — there is no predicting who might be in attendance. While the arbitrary nature of a panel show is certainly narrowed down when compared to that of courtrooms, they share the particular sentiment of pitching together some of life’s most different people.
Panel shows are almost as old as television itself, with the first being aired in 1946. The show’s format has been altered and amended over the years, but the basic structure has remained ever-constant. Usually comprising a group of comedians, with reality stars, actors, politicians, musicians, and intellectuals thrown into the mix, panel shows always provide unpredictable, and unexpected line-ups. As a supremely established television mainstay, like any form of entertainment, there have been some brilliant (and some not-so-brilliant) British panel shows, and here are some of the best of the last 30 years. Most of these programs can bewatched for free on YouTube.
58 Out of 10 Cats
Hosted by Jimmy Carr, with his trademark prim, falsetto laugh that sounds like he has swallowed a kazoo while simultaneously having an asthma attack,8 Out of 10 Catsis undoubtedly one of the funniest panel shows still airing in the United Kingdom. The very premise of the show is based on statistics and opinion surveys, whereby the panelists, predominantly comedians, must ascertain what the consensus is among the public over five rounds, with titles such as “Pick the Polls,” “Believe it or Not,” and “The Poll with a Hole.” Their spinoff show,8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, is equally wonderful and even intelligent.
4Never Mind the Buzzcocks
Running for just shy of two decades,Never Mind the Buzzcocksgained cult status in the UK as a pop culture show that combined witty,dry British comedywith eccentricity at its very heart. The program’s title is a nod to iconic punk rock band the Sex Pistols and their albumNever Mind the Bollocks.
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The panel show had several hosts throughout its 19-year runtime (with the possible best being the controversial Simon Amstell years), as well as numerous team captains including Bill Bailey and Noel Fielding. The show consisted of four rounds, each taking on their own unique format, though all concerning popular music in some way or another.
3Mock the Week
It was announced earlier this year thatMock the Weekwould be having their last laugh, as after 17 years and 20 seasons, it was to cease production. The bumbling Irish host, Dara O’Briain is a large part of the reason the show is so loved, as the face of the show for its entirety, he has hosted some of the funniest episodes of television on the British comedy circuit to date.
Each week, O’Briain and his comedian guests take aim at the British government and the caricature-like members of parliament. The show gave mainstream debuts to many of Britain’s most renowned comedians, and was home to some of the best comic brains in the business, from the loveably outrageous Frankie Boyle to Russell Howard.
Stephen Fry is a man known, admired, and respected in all corners of the globe. The Cambridge University alumni are as revered in comedy circles as he is in the acting world, rising to famein sketch showslikeA Bit of Fry and Laurie, andBlackadder,his attentions soon turned to film and presenting.
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Short for Quite Interesting,QIfirst appeared on our television screens in 2003, hosted by Fry, and since 2016, Sandi Toksvig, the show assumes the format whereby comedians on opposing teams must attempt obscure questions, bordering on the impossible to obtain points. Due to both the contestants and the very nature of the abstruse, often bizarre questions,QIis one of the most entertaining and funny panel shows on British and international TV.
1Would I Lie To You
Hosted byGavin and StaceyandHolmes & Watsonactor Rob Brydon,Would I Lie to Youis based on the premise of two panels of three who compete with each other, as they take it in turns to voice hilarious statements about themselves that are either fact or fiction. The captains, David Mitchell (Peep Show) and comedian Lee Mack, are joined by four guests every week, and the teams must separate the truths from the myth. The show not only highlights those who have a penchant for fabrication, but with the sharp-witted Mitchell and Mack pulling on our comedic strings, the show always makes for thoroughly entertaining viewing. It’s one of the funniestBritish TV shows of all time.
