Have I Got News For You S11E08 - Richard Wilson, John Fortune & John Bird

One of the darkest timelines of the HIGNFY history when Paul left for one series and let the guest team captains do their work.
First Broadcast on 7th June 1996.
#HIGNFY

[@laurieharper1526]

Anyone else re-watching now dear old John Bird has gone? RIP

[@HopSkipLimp]

God, I loved Bird & Fortune. Grew up with the Long Johns!

[@Mr_Gray_Sky]

It can't be understated just how much people took the piss out of Princess Diana while she was alive. The reverence she's treated with now is pretty well diametrically opposed.

[@defaultyorker6096]

Yes. I'm not sure if you've seen the Mitchell and Webb sketch where they poke fun at the conspiracy theory about the royal family having Diana killed, but one thing they sarcastically highlight is that if the Royals really wanted Diana's influence to be cut, the very last thing they should've done was have her killed, because it went on to immortalise her. The point I'm making being that perhaps people love her now because she died young, and all that. Being born in 2001, I don't know to what extent people really loved her (obviously there was quite a lot of love that she garnered) but some TV broadcasts I see from back then seem to suggest that it wasn't nearly as much as people now remember it being. Maybe there's a low-key Mandela Effect at play.

[@chrispalmer7893]

@@defaultyorker6096 The whole Diana business was weird. You'd think the country was awash with grief - and some people were. My mother-in-law was distraught, although it was less than six months after her father died and I always felt that was a big part of her reaction. That said, it was exaggerated - our local paper said people were queueing round the block at the Town Hall to sign the book of remembrance - at the time I worked opposite the Town Hall and we saw almost no one the whole week. Should also be noted that various media outlets had big plans for special programmes about the one year anniversary of her death but found that there was little interest so most ended up pulling or scaling back their coverage.

[@chrispalmer7893]

Also remember that the week before she died, my Dad nearly crashed our car because he was giggling so hard at a joke Alan Coren told on the News Quiz (radio-fore-runner of HIGNFY, still going strong today). He said that Diana was often talked about as a "loose cannon", but he felt that was anatomically inaccurate and she should instead be referred to as a "loose porthole". Pretty sure that joke was never aired again...

[@Mr_Gray_Sky]

@@defaultyorker6096 I was 13 when she died. I was watching Hey Arnold and a chyron saying to change to the news channel appeared. It was a shocking thing to happen all at once, I think. Personally, I didn't have much feeling about it, not being a monarchist. I wish I could say we've learned from it, but I don't think we have.

[@eatmywords]

@@defaultyorker6096 you clearly didn't see the channel 4 documentary that claimed was planning to marry dodi, and if she had, she would have taken custody of the kids, who, most likely, and like diana's best friend, jemima goldsmith, would then raise them as muslims. but i'm sure the palace didn't even let that possibility enter their heads.

[@peterpluim7912]

I loved the understated humor of Bird and Fortune.

[@jonathaneffemey4892]

Thanks for posting.

[@thenodfather]

"Lets talk about your second" Ian gets testy 🤣

[@jeanmyers1787]

Absolutely superb early episode!

[@mikewilson714]

Great to see Victor Meldrew and his next door neighbour back together 😂

[@Instasamps]

And his old boss with the 3 cars

[@docm27]

One of the best!

[@fatfrreddy1414]

anyone got the floppy 45RPM disc of Thatcher practicing sounding "nicer" ? It came free with a copy of "Private Eye".

[@MultiVince95]

Friday 7th June 1996

[@scottgordon1781]

I cannot remember Paul's absence being mentioned during the History of HIGNFY , what was the reason ?

[@abitmoredeayton]

He was getting bored with the programme so he left for a series and then came back again :)

[@scottgordon1781]

@@abitmoredeayton oh ok thanks , took a time out :-) must get quite intense ! As you must know :-)

[@DivineBearFalcon]

Was this the show he left for that season...Paul Merton - The series...kzbin.info/www/bejne/nXa7eHyhorCSidE

[@abitmoredeayton]

@@DivineBearFalcon This was in 1991 so long before that!

[@xarmy5669]

nah something to do with his wife

[@JJONNYREPP]

Have I Got News For You S11E08 - Richard Wilson, John Fortune & John Bird 0808am 31.7.22 anyone know if i have seen all of these now?

[@jestermoon]

Take A Moment Keep Laughing Stay Safe and Stay Free

[@AllIsWellaus]

This has been one of the more awkward episodes. :)

[@wendischofield352]

Paul Merton's abscence is singularly marked by the lack of pace and banter between the teams. He is so incredibly quick-witted and naturally funny.

[@mariacarter6954]

He is very funny in Just a minute😄

[@scottgordon1781]

So good , he won with a 'tub of lard' :-)

[@user-vh6ts9uf6c]

He WAS. He isn't very funny now.

[@thumpercomet3856]

It's such a different show without Paul there hijacking everyone else's jokes.

[@Tridhos]

I always thought that Angus Deayton was the best chairman that show ever had but unfortunately he ran afoul of Paul Merton who seem to have disliked him. However an all star cast for this show with the two Johns and Richard Wilson.