Ian Hislop's Finest Moments | Have I Got News For You

[@samwiseshanti]

Ian Hislop is a proper 'grubby' journalist, in the best possible way. I've never heard him make a comment about transgender people, or immigration, or even talk about his ideas for how the future could be, or anything like that. But he's got a mind like a filing cabinet of every dodgy deal your local MP has ever done, every cynical voting deal struck by every cabinet member, and every time a rich or powerful person in the country got caught breaking the law, and seemed to get off without consequences. He's the one you listen to if you want to know what's really going on in UK politics, everyone else is distracted by the nonsense.

[@skymanifest8339]

So basically, he just sticks to the safe middle-class topics and doesn't want to get ostracised from north London, Oxbridge graduate, BBC set. I guess worrying about the mass influx of wage suppressing cheap labour, criminal gangs, traffickers, and recently converted Christians who chuck acid in the faces of women and children - or care about the mutilation of children and the threat to female spaces, is just beneath him.

[@KBWRER]

Fantastic description of him, absolutely love the private eye and you can tell the guy simply does not give a f##k. He will get the truth out by any means.

[@DJ_K666]

He is also a lawyer

[@gavinedinburgh]

Agree - unafraid to speak truth to power and a mind like a razor.

[@samthemoron2]

He's like the genuine version of one of malcolm tucker's last speeches at the inquiry. He speaks against duplicity, morality and popularity at all costs in politics. And he doesn't get distracted by peripheral issues

[@silvershocknicktail6638]

Lembit was such a magnificent sport, probably the best they've had. When he pulled out the harmonica and even got a laugh out of Paul, that was great.

[@DirtiestDeeds]

The bloke who wants the UN to make an orbiting hard-drive recognised as a country? Give you head a wobble.

[@BenWKnowles]

@@DirtiestDeeds tbf he never said Lembit was a good politician or good at anything - just that he was a good sport, which is fair, he took his punches better than most do!

[@silvershocknicktail6638]

@@DirtiestDeeds You're not very good at conversation, are you?

[@eligoldie9626]

​@@DirtiestDeedswhere did they say his political veiws are good ????

[@sirgaymeerkat1994]

he was a good sport, i don't know where he is today or if he's working but hignfy should have him back on as a guest presenter!

[@Emanon...]

If every journalist had the backbone and integrity of Hislop, the world would be a far better place.

[@katelights]

we should measure journalists by how many lawsuits they have had against them.

[@clivet3252]

He's a jowly old prat with an agenda.

[@stephenbarrette610]

Yes, I’ve been reading Private Eye for about 50 years and the world’s so crazy now. And I think we are f’edd.

[@skymanifest8339]

Yes, we need more privately educated Oxbridge graduates who work for the BBC, to fight the system.

[@krispysox]

He's inside.

[@bryanfish7303]

He's one of those people who don't get the proper credit until they are gone. A real national treasure

[@clothilde1623]

This isn’t nearly long enough! Fourteen minutes? There are _hours_ of the magnificent Hislop skewering anything and everything that deserves it. MORE PLEASE!

[@Ragnarok_494]

Probably because when he dies the entire political establishment will breathe such a sigh of relief that it'll be classed as a new storm by the met office

[@livingthegermandream]

“You didn’t own up to it, you were revealed as doing it” is one of my favourite lines.

[@pardenwho5507]

It’s good that Paul knows the correct point to butt in and lower the tension

[@RH11THM]

It's clever how, despite seeming like the more stern of the two, Paul is the comic relief when Ian is tearing into a reprobate and the situation isn't going anywhere. They're both quality in their own right.

[@intergalactic92]

@@RH11THMit’s a good bargepole to use. You know someone is really bad when even Paul doesnt makes jokes and makes blunt comments.

[@ZuluRomeo]

The two complement each other perfectly. Sure, Paul ends up with the most points at the end of the show, but it's Ian's skewering of the cold uncaring injustices that remain long in the memory.

[@19nick57]

I'm less convinced. I think it's a case of Paul cashing in on the easy laughs on the back of Ian's very hard-fought confrontations. He's predictable and does it again and again.

[@seniorwille3446]

The actual show runs for over 3 hours. It’s just the way they cut it.

[@danrobinson902]

I've always had the upmost respect for Ian Hislop. He is hands down the best at hold those in power accountable, and he has absolutely no time for hypocrisy. Nobody holds political leaders, and the wealthy accountable more than Ian.

[@hotpotat0es]

Bollocks..

[@repairupdaterepeat5815]

Do you think Ian finds out who's coming on and instantly remembers the private eye volume number he previously rinsed them in?

[@michaellear6904]

Yeah, probably.

[@monaghan5475]

No

[@Eisenwulf666]

He has competent journalists working for him and he is one himself. Plus he knows people "on the inside". The fact is, most if not all politicians(and civil servants etc..) have at least a couple of scandals or shady deals going on. Some big, some pathetic. They know who is coming days ahead, it's just a matter of calling one of your colleagues and ask what's the dirt. The difference between a good journalist and a great one is knowing when something is difficult to pin or something is bulletproof. Ian very rarely talks about things he doesn't know as being a fact. A lot of the times he knows more than he can publicly say, too, so there's that too.

[@sirgaymeerkat1994]

not many heroes in news media, but Ian definitely is! Paul and Ian are great together and have kept HIGNFY going all these years! fantastic.

[@Jesus_H._Tap-DancingChrist]

Paul hasn't been funny in years. I'm still an avid viewer but only for Ian's continued presence.

[@jaeslow6347]

Its the few times I have seen MP's held to account and it pretty much is always Have I got News For You that provides.

[@Bryan-uc6iv]

Find paul a little childish

[@ar4732]

Absolutely love Ian Hislop

[@GarethTichauer-f4s]

Hislop is the most unassuming pitbull.

[@gyroscope915]

Oh, the venom in that first clip. I love it

[@jeffsimon9594]

Thanks for admitting this is all about lefty spleen-venting and not comedy

[@paulkerrigan9857]

@@jeffsimon9594lefty? Hislop is a constitutional monarchist, you muppet.

[@kieranhardy581]

​@@jeffsimon9594 so the UK were correct to go to war based on completely fabricated evidence?

[@Recessio]

@@jeffsimon9594 he's literally tearing chunks out of a left-wing politician in the first clip, you plonker

[@andymatthews191]

@@jeffsimon9594he’s having a go at former Labour MP John Prescott. 🤷‍♂️ Not sure you understand who the left is.

[@johntomasini3916]

Best show on in any media, you can learn so much and laugh your head off.

[@clivet3252]

It's lame and petty these days.

[@thisisanfield7085]

Hislop is a national treasure. I grew up on private eye. I used to get approving nods on the tube from adults while reading it on the way to school. Informed my view on politics. Great source of what’s really happening behind closed doors in the corridors of power.

[@ZachAsaD]

Everyone clapped on the tube at the sight of seeing you read a newspaper 😂

[@thisisanfield7085]

@@ZachAsaD not really. I was on the London Underground. You know how reserved us Brit’s are. 😂

[@ubuntuafrique5802]

“I wanted approving nods on the tube from adults for reading Private Eye” Fixed ✅

[@samuelshoesmith]

Love Ian, love Paul and love Have I Got News For You. Watched it for years!

[@thawk-hu8jv]

Paul merton's facial expressions and occasional butting in are hilarious 😂

[@sratus]

Is it a dolphin in a bathtub?

[@creativeartist83]

One of UKs unsung heroes 👏

[@rivetjoint9628]

Clearly the most honest and straight forward of our political commentators.

[@razor1uk610]

Carol Vordaman is also very straight to the point and sharply scathing too.

[@clivet3252]

@@razor1uk610 Oh please.

[@nickcauser727]

@@razor1uk610 Carol Vorderman is a hypocritical moron.

[@minui8758]

@@razor1uk610I’m so so pleased she got into politics. It’s the glorious transformation of the maths goddess of after school at grandmas house turned into an angel of nemesis for the political classes and I’m flipping hyped for it

[@northernexciles01]

Also the most sued 🤣

[@colinwilson7524]

Lembit Opik took his medicine well and Ian was very light on him as well given the circumstances.

[@Matt-ou7tu]

I think he was light on him for that very reason though. Because he didn't get defensive or combative about it. He took the piss out of himself.

[@voulafisentzidis8830]

Ian Hislop is great!

[@milkysue5496]

I swear, Ian and Paul are two of the best we have. And the sad thing is, only 20% of the population will know them properly. If they wern't so modest they should have statues

[@jeffsimon9594]

Funded from the licence fee of course

[@skindred1888]

Not the biggest crowd to garner, political comedy.

[@Factory051]

@@jeffsimon9594 Education should be free.

[@TEKASHI-de1qt]

2:11 I was waiting for Merton to say, "Is it a dolphin in a bathtub?"

[@ZuluRomeo]

OH MY GOD THE DAILY MAILLLLLL

[@johnking5174]

You will notice when arguments between Ian and a guest or a host start to drag on and get heated, Paul tries to undercut it with a joke, because he wants the show to get on being a panel show and not a slagging match. I am usually on the side of Ian, I love it when he tears to shreds some of the guests.

[@ZuluRomeo]

Paul's ability to defuse the tension is always perfect. Decades mastering the art of improv comedy have served him well.

[@AH-te5gs]

If we had politicians half as decent and honourable as Ian, maybe the country/world would be a better place.

[@showmoke]

The Hislops of this world are indeed decent and honourable ......... until they become politicians and that's when they change their views and stop becoming decent and honourable, Hislop wouldn't be any different and I think he knows it which is why he wouldn't wish to enter the political world as he wouldn't wish to change his opinions for the worse!

[@johnt8453]

Ian Hislop - Great British National Treasure.

[@jacobwheeler9330]

His last speech hits so well. It should never have been about the pig.

[@willtricks9432]

Good show great content and excellent cast. Cheers

[@Hacienda_27]

Ian Hislops nothing short of an inspiration

[@TheMrgaztop]

Ian Hislop. The Godfather of Journo's. And like the real Godfather, you would do well not to cross swords with him.

[@LukasOfTheLight]

Do you think Marlon Brando was in Crouchin Tiger Hidden Dragon or something

[@TheMrgaztop]

@@LukasOfTheLight Are you mental?

[@zebbaker3568]

Ian is an intergalactic treasure.

[@joshuaparrott2458]

He's good at holding people's feet to the fire.

[@satjinder]

Prescott and mercer were annihilated 😂😂

[@dwdei8815]

There must surely be 14 HOURS (or 94) of best of Ian, not 14 minutes!

[@danhill99]

Man, I never would have thought we’d reach the state of British politics where I admired how forthright and passionate **John Prescott** was- sure he comes off like an eejit compared to Hislop (who doesn’t) but hearing a politician casually say “of course, we were wrong” is so foreign to me now

[@frankkelleher1888]

Hislop is pure genius love from Ireland 🇮🇪

[@deejannemeiurffnicht1791]

The guy with the red tie beside Pasul Merton at apporox 08:51 looks like a Sesame Street puppet. Absolute class when the guy decides to go busking for the price of a cuppa and plays harmonica!

[@scottmurphy4278]

6:15 - “But it DID, though!”

[@janetbayford133]

Ian Hislop for Prime Minister

[@belbrighton6479]

More please! I have just started buying Private Eye and it’s brilliant.

[@cerisambrook7692]

I used to read Private Eye, but the truth of its contents depressed or enraged me so much, I had to stop. I now live in ignorant bliss.

[@gillie-monger3394]

It's a brilliant 'paper' but be careful, it does take you down some frustrating rabbit holes. My wife can always tell when I've read the latest edition. She calls it my 'detox period'!

[@JohnRCWilson]

I subscribe occasionally too. I only wish it had a digital edition. Much more convenient, and easier, to read on a screen. Shame Ian says it’ll never happen.

[@Calh92]

​@@JohnRCWilsonthey have a podcast now

[@gillie-monger3394]

@@JohnRCWilson I think going the 'electronic' route opens the publication up to easy digital manipulation i.e. hacking, context mis use or plagerism etc... Also, on a personal level I prefer an actual paper edition, (it's not exactly a broadsheet is it), as I do reading an actual book.

[@mangs9940]

I love this guy!

[@benwrong6855]

Big up Ian, he's proper boss

[@petefrombookham]

The guy's a legend

[@3macnooz]

Credit to the MPs for actually appearing in the show. I used to watch this as a 17 year old and felt smarter after watching Ian take someone apart

[@GenericGooner]

Lembit is a good sport

[@TERMINATIONBLISS08]

I will always believe that Prescott challenged Hislop to “say what [he means]” because he is used to politicians being evasive, and he wasn’t expecting such a straightforward response. It was very funny, and we could do with more satirists of his calibre.

[@jonhayes7322]

Spot on! He is the epitome of free speech - takes the consequences of it, but will keep speaking it, unearthing it, & be on your best behaviour around him.

[@robertnapier624]

Ian “pull no punches” hislop.

[@BrockSamson-i1i]

how is this video only 14 minutes long, the show has been running for decades and IH is a national treasure

[@ozkaz13]

15 minutes of Paul looking uncomfortable ❤

[@CricketEngland]

Would have been good if you could have put the air dates up of each clip ?

[@jeffsimon9594]

What exactly would that achieve?

[@CricketEngland]

@@jeffsimon959434 thumbs up and the knowledge of when the episode was filmed

[@jeffsimon9594]

@@CricketEngland Only raving OCD nerds actually require that kind of useless info though

[@CricketEngland]

@@jeffsimon9594 28 thumbs up says otherwise

[@ewan7283]

You could just look it up yourself

[@johnnyw525]

Johnny Mercer late stepped down from his role at Crucial Academy. Of course his Wikipedia page neatly avoids stating that.

[@Truffle_Pup]

Fun Fact: John Prescott turned down the role of Jabba the Hutt a total of 6 times before George Lucas decided to just go ahead with fully prosthetic puppeteer animation, but they kept Prescott's voice.

[@stinkfoot9776]

A national treasure.

[@clippy-v4q]

Just imagine Ian Hislop hearing about someone having a youtube channel and making react videos about him and have I got news for you and then abusing the copyright strike system to take down a smaller youtuber because he made a react video on her content. What would Ian do?

[@InshushaGroupie]

I might be wrong here, but I can't find any sign that Johnny Mercer's threat to sue over his £85,000 for 4 hours of work effectively paid for by a company that went bust ever resulted in a court case.

[@Gellert1984]

Pretty sure the fraud investigation found that money had changed hands, which would've scuppered any court case.

[@stonehengemaca]

Strange isn't it. He's outraged by the accusation. He claims the BBC are being sued for the outrageous claims, and yet he had not filed a law suit.. I guess the accusations he strenuously denied are all true then. Typical tory.

[@OrangeDog20]

He also left shortly after, like he said he would.

[@ViscountAlexOfTheHorsePeople]

So he lied. Shock.​@@OrangeDog20

[@captainweekend5276]

Timing wise, this was late 2019, basically about 6 months before the pandemic, that probably derailed any attempt to get any kind of litigation going, and by the time he would have been able to the matter had long since left the public eye and it likely wasn't worth him pursuing them.

[@majordendrocopos]

11.17 I love the way he substitutes “Clarkson” for “penis”! Spot on.

[@lizclegg7556]

Did that go over Clarkson's head?

[@majordendrocopos]

@@lizclegg7556 I hope not!

[@LNTRNfly]

@@lizclegg7556- No, because it _is_ Clarkson’s head.

[@BarryWallace-se8lz]

No it is not spot on, people give Clarkson a undeserved hard time because they do not like his truthful outspokenness. If we had more people like Clarkson this world would be a better place.

[@BarryWallace-se8lz]

@@lizclegg7556 No it did not, it just in this particular instance Clarkson let it slide. Clarkson is a lot smarter than people give him credit for.

[@TheHandsomeman]

When they say they are going to change something for the better, the opposite happens.

[@LiveDonkeyDeadLion]

That Johnny Mercer clip, does anyone know the outcome of him suing the BBC? I can only find articles saying he is going to do it, but nothing else. I did find that he had to pay back expenses he had claimed

[@thomasdalton1508]

The story doesn't seem to have had any significant coverage after it broke a few days before this aired in 2019. I take it from that that no legal action was ever taken. I've checked Companies House and the company he was a director of went into liquidation in 2021 having lost about £400,000, so the claims about generating lots of money by placing veterans in well-paid FTSE 100 jobs were, at best, aspirational. The money they lost came from their holding company, which went into liquidation at the same time. It isn't clear where the holding company got the money from - the accounts show them having debts of more than a million pounds that disappeared from one year to the next, which I would guess was a loan from Surge (the firm that was involved with the firm that went bust) that got forgiven when it became clear it was never going to be paid back. It seems he was quite far removed from the misselling scandal, but the money he received does seem to have come indirectly from the scandal, as Ian claimed. The business he was involved in was a complete flop that lasted all of three years and never made any money.

[@_Ben4810]

Johnny Mercer...He released a statement tonight regarding the unexploded WW2 bomb found in his Plymouth constituency...It was this toe-curlingly excruciating Thank You declaration to all those who bravely served during this military-led operation, & dramatically listed every dept involved incl. er...Mountain Rescue...in Plymouth...?!? He remains such a military-grovelling drama queen.

[@thomasdalton1508]

@@_Ben4810 You mean his tweet? It was a pretty standard thank you from a constituency MP. Any MP would have said pretty much exactly the same thing. Why shouldn't everyone involved be included in the thank you? I really don't see what you object to in that tweet. He may be a military-grovelling drama queen, but that tweet is not part of that.

[@LiveDonkeyDeadLion]

@@_Ben4810 not defending him in any way, but mountain rescue would have been involved in helping with the evacuation, knocking doors etc. I was involved in a very loose way with a similar event in Scotland and mountain rescue played a part

[@Philosoph-ali]

Thank you for your service guys

[@minui8758]

Lembet gets the spirit. Grim self castigating acceptance. Excellent

[@no-oneman.4140]

This country desperately needs like minded Ian Hislops to start their own party and rid us all of the worst parliament I've ever witnessed.

[@longlashes5462]

He is magnificent.

[@Skawagon]

Ian is great, no question about that. But the Paul's "Why did you?" is just brilliant.

[@SamHarrisonMusic]

Lembit Opik (or however you spell that) was really pretty funny :)

[@Jesus_H._Tap-DancingChrist]

Lemsip

[@tariqmanchester]

Scored a lovely girl friend an' all.

[@pierssegal5910]

@1:05 how depressing that this was the good old days of the Labour party. Disgusting that Keir is just trampling over the internal democracy of the party.

[@lindabeaton7488]

Love the bloke

[@t2twanks]

The only show where i will not miss an episode, haven't for over 25 years

[@PeterGreen-t8c]

I've watched it from the start in 1990 .

[@KellyMcDog]

I watched it way before then. I win.

[@t2twanks]

@KellyMcDog I've watched it since episode one just couldn't remember how long it had been on for, didn't know it was a game , LOSER

[@ZuluRomeo]

Lemsip Opec gave as good as he got.

[@johnmiller0000]

Ah, Johnny Two Jabs/Jags.

[@MichaelEnright-gk6yc]

Brillant take downs he is on the peoples side

[@louieberg2942]

I wonder why people come on and think they can take on Ian Hislop on public television. He does not come unprepared and he is very good at what he does. If they don't necessarily think they can take him on, they have a vain hope that Ian will stay mum on whatever it is that landed them in hot water.

[@muiawat]

When is the series coming back on ??

[@lizclegg7556]

I thought Paula Yates and Mary Archer would be in this compilation. There's plenty more Hislop material.

[@ZuluRomeo]

To be fair, in hindsight the Paula Yates thing was not Ian's finest hour.

[@dannycheesums]

What was the outcome of the Mercer stuff?

[@joncarthy2370]

He stepped down as head of the company. It doesn't say why but the public exchange on news for you I would think made him realise the impossible situation

[@JJONNYREPP]

Ian Hislop's Finest Moments | Have I Got News For You. 27.2.24. I was watching derry girls, for some reason. A show everyone has watched but me...this is kinda similar...

[@BumMcFluff]

For all the good things Ian Hislop does on this show, he stills manages to sound a bit petty himself from time to time. I don't want to defend John Prescott particularly, but that pointless snigger at 1:45 just seemed childish, followed up by that "got him" comment. I don't know what he thought he had "got him" on, and both Victoria and Paul both seemed uncomfortable with that whole bit.

[@jestermoon]

Limbic is fantastic 👏 🎉

[@LANCSKID]

Who?

[@youdontneedtoseehisidentif4939]

@@LANCSKID Lembit Öpik, Merton’s teammate in the section beginning at 8:05

[@LANCSKID]

@@youdontneedtoseehisidentif4939 Well, Lembit isn’t ‘Limbic’, which is why I made the rhetorical enquiry …

[@StrangerInAustralia]

This is just a few clips previously posted on KZbin. Judging by the varying quality, they were just downloaded from KZbin and merged together.

[@stablefairy9437]

am assuming these clips were put together by Hat Trick who own the rights to HIGNFY. maybe their intern put it together.

[@johnoldfield2390]

Whats perjury?

[@LordSvzklx]

Lying in court, basically

[@joncarthy2370]

​@@LordSvzklxbecause it's under oath. You can be charged with perverting the course of justice if proven

[@cherylmckeage4289]

Victoria caught John with his pants down.

[@norcatch]

I think it took balls for prezza to go on HIGNFY. He did well.

[@SerendipityChild]

Is there a current season?

[@jokedejojo]

What did happen with the army bloke and the accounting scandal?

[@petesmart1983]

Eventually got fired , his company was found to be giving money for he quit the charity. Also had to pay thousands back in expenses claims but recently brought back by rishi

[@jokedejojo]

Nice one, cheers@@petesmart1983

[@StrtSlct]

5:50 is perhaps the only time I’ve seen someone almost successfully undermine Ian

[@Stew-k7k]

Roasting Gary Neville over the Qatar World Cup is up there with my favourite. Shame it’s not included on here. Need part 2? 😂

[@alphalunamare]

12:00 Clarkson decides to be a FArmer based on the possibilities?

[@lizcollinson2692]

He's right why is scandalous ridicule that sees them off not thier actually policy or lack of it.

[@mr.d.8121]

When Prescott was an MP he invoiced expenses for £1,000 without a receipt. Anything over £500 needs receipts. His expenses were declined. 3 days later he claimed several expenses, each under £500, totalling £1, 000. His claims were approved.........🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔

[@petesmart1983]

Mercer was the same claimed thousands to pay to employ his wife and 5 apple imacs in 2015 and thousands on other things there all dodgy as hell

[@joncarthy2370]

So basically you can claim for anything under £500 based on trust?! Wow 😮 nice little earner

[@billgreen576]

You could've taken that offer from bully boy Prescott. There is no way the tub of lard would've made the weigh in.

[@HenryPage]

Did you see it when John Prescott had that scrap with the man in the street after he attacked him?

[@MeldersJnr]

Ian 'The Hammer' Hislop .... lol

[@gyroscope915]

" We made a mistake" Oh is that what we are calling it. We might have different ideas of what a mistake is. Bit more then a mistake when people die

[@billyfox6368]

What bothers me isn't that people died as people can die as a consequence of a mistake - what bothers me is that it wasn't as innocent as an accidental mistake. It was at best an indifferent disregard for people or, more likely, at worst, malicious self-interest.

[@adamgibson7181]

What was the outcome of the mercer libel case against the bbc

[@melvert33]

He didn't go through with it.

[@bluebellbeatnik4945]

4:46 - sexiest politician ever. he's so hot.

[@rufflazy2366]

RIP JP 🌹

[@krispysox]

yeah, comments deleted.

[@AW-sx8hm]

The interactions are fun but I never know half these people so some of the context is a leeeedle bitty missing.

[@billybob-bm4mn]

That says more about you. You are just out of touch. I know them all.

[@AW-sx8hm]

@@billybob-bm4mn good job billy bob. Ofcourse I'm out of touch with some has-been who lost the meager relevance they had a decade ago in a scandal nobody cares about anymore. I'm out of touch because the segment is dated.

[@paulbromley6687]

That is the reason for the longevity of HIGNFY, it’s almost parliamentary in its banter and scrutiny. So necessary now more up than ever. Just ask yourself who is the new Hislop or Merton when they eventually retire or go to wherever masters of scrutiny and revealers of mendacity have gone.

[@TEKASHI-de1qt]

You didn't own up to it publicly, you were *_revealed as doing it_* 😂😭

[@peterrear2864]

The best show on brtgitish tv ,and has been for years