Private Eye - The Year in Review 2019

An all-star cast brings the Private Eye annual 2019 from page to stage for a Christmas bonanza at the National Theatre. Starring Ian Hislop, John Sessions, Lewis MacLeod, Jan Ravens and Harry Enfield.

[@MrDavey2010]

So sad that John Sessions has gone. What a talent! RIP

[@StuAnderson90]

John Sessions R.I.P a excellent comedy icon

[@eshaibraheem4218]

Loved him.

[@OliverDobbs]

RIP John Sessions your performances in these shows have kept me entertained for almost a decade. Icon

[@harveysmith100]

What an understated talent Harry Enfield is. He fits into Private Eye almost without being recognised as his previous incarnations

[@victoria9590]

@Rah Rah Rasputin oh yes

[@douglasmilton2805]

Hadn't heard of Lewis MacLeod before - well I've been living in Paris for twenty years - but his blustering Boris was spot on.

[@clivehollingshead2915]

Sadly RIP John Sessions!

[@barnham9388]

Indeed - so very much sadly - is this the last recording of him? So tragic that they had to speed him up in his fantastically delivered letter bemoaning the state of modern cricket…..

[@mauriristola3282]

Jan Ravens is superb in this.

[@alexger85]

She always is :)

[@martinobrien7110]

TOTALLY AGREE .

[@johnhughes2681]

Jan's Diane A is superb

[@dantaylor7344]

She looks so sad though

[@Ainennke]

This was an hour of some of the best impressions I've ever heard. But that Ann Widdecombe in particular was absolutely uncanny.

[@elizabethbower2168]

Oh my goodness this show is so entertaining it is a breath of fresh air… Thanks for sharing it with us

[@satnitcboy]

Mr. MacLeod does a frighteningly good Trump. And a damn good David Attenborough. Jan Ravens' voices are remarkable, too.

[@a.j.carter8975]

I ❤ Jan ravens and everything she does.

[@probablygraham]

I wonder how many people in Britain realise just how important this sort of criticism of our society is. There seems to be an idea - even amongst intelligent people - that once we manage to shut people like this up we can return to the "great" days of the British Empire.

[@rvllctt871]

The comedy here is easy, obvious and bland distraction only, with no real bite. Given your concern with shutting people up, Ian Hislop could take up a real stance on journalistic privilege by backing Julian Assange against the establishment, but can only side with them with barely concealed contempt for the man. Nothing here on it, which is telling even though it is such an important story and a damning indictment of the British judiciary and American relationship. Nothing to see here.

[@orkneyancestor2059]

@john hansberry Head retention.

[@Wolfington]

@john hansberry because they're not obsessed wankers like you?

[@zapfanzapfan]

Excellent imitations of Boris, The Donald and Mrs May! I'm sure the sport ones were excellent for anyone who cares about sport.

[@Alex-xh7sg]

Most people do ~ as it's an important aspect of life (for normal folks) As the Donald would say .................LOSER !!

[@fisherking7798]

Lewis Mcclouds trump impression is very good, better than most Americans

[@TheSuzberry]

Part is his willingness to pause between phrases. Brilliant.

[@fisherking7798]

@@ewanmcfadyen MacLeod to be precise

[@davidmacdonald1695]

“McCloud” tee hee you numbskull. It’s an old Scandinavian name (i.e. Leodsen).

[@jillroyson4589]

I cannot state strongly enough how much I love Lewis McCleod

[@fbridge]

Phwaaaah waah :-)

[@rikhumphreys2151]

Wow I never knew, Lewis is heeeowwwge! Must need the space to stash all those voices....

[@rikhumphreys2151]

...though he gets the Roy Keane accent totally wrong.

[@josipmartincic2488]

Yay!! Love watching these every year and as soon as I saw the podcast I couldn't wait to watch this :)

[@RayCathode100]

I always look forward to this. Thank you Private Eye

[@Kishmibooty]

I look forward to this every year 😊

[@pseudonayme7717]

How long has it been a thing? Hope there is a good back catalogue for me to watch 😊

[@Kishmibooty]

@@pseudonayme7717 a few years, although annoyingly I can't find any of the ones past last year 😕 if you can though please notify me 😊

[@Azphreal]

I look forward to this every year.

[@WilliamViets]

A great magazine. Big fan here in the States.

[@philmcdonald4778]

Mad Magazine was way better.

[@thomasfletcher1361]

I can't unsee the can of Lynx behind John Sessions.

[@douglasmilton2805]

Enfield's Ken Livingstone just kills 😆

[@darrenr49]

I loved the Theresa May impersonation.

[@PhilUKNet]

She sounds more like Theresa May than Theresa May.

[@dlh369]

These are always a delight. Wish we had something like PRIVATE EYE here in the States.

[@telectronix1368]

They also have an, intermittent, podcast.

[@videosfromelsewhere926]

The Onion is the best we have so far, next to Last Week Tonight

[@Problembeing]

I can only hope the new series of Spitting Image brings back some or all of this talent.

[@Problembeing]

Comic Book Guy well, hopefully the tide is turning. spitting Image must always be irreverent and no one must be beyond parody. Speaking as a gay chap myself, I would be offended if LGBT alphabet soup ‘personalities’ were not parodied. If there wasn’t such an insufferable group as the identitarian mob to mock then I don’t know who else could raise such rightful ire. The easily offended should be poked incessantly with the stick of self-awareness.

[@colinbaker3916]

Comic Book Guy Funny how the most woke individuals are the ones who talk or imply about how woke others are.

[@1970kingbob]

This was brilliant

[@kai-leeklymchuk744]

Fantastic impressions by Lewis MacLeod, especially of "BoJo" and the Trumpian, thin, frog-like smiles. So good! Ravens is as usual superb.

[@MrDaiseymay]

TOTAL BOLLOCKS, THIS BUNCH OF OUT OF STEP WANKERS HAVE HAD THEIR DAY, AND SO HAS 'PRIVATE EYE' AND HIGNFY. THEY DIDN'T SPEAK FOR THEIR FORMER READERS/VIEWERS. THEY --LIKE ALL THE MEDIA, BECAME TRAITORS, AND LOST ALL SUPPORT---FUCK OFF, ALL OF YOU.

[@mayapanika105]

@@MrDaiseymay No need to shout.

[@peavette]

What a brilliant cast! I have such a crush on Ian.

[@mindakahn9964]

I have only seen these actors in period drama. I had no idea Harry Enfield and John Sessions were so hysterical.

[@bacup27]

do your self a favour and go back and look at harrys back catalogue hes one of the uks finest comics

[@adrianmills7729]

A wonderful holiday tradition. Superb, as always.

[@wildcryTech]

Brilliant

[@jonathaneffemey944]

RIP John Sessions

[@jeanmyers1787]

Love Ian Hislop. As a tribute to late Clive James please have another go at Piers Morgan on HIGNFY

[@nathanjedrej792]

Phwaaaoo!

[@hawkpaul8735]

Since moving to Canada I miss my regular dose of Private Eye. This is an excellent show, I laughed my head off.

[@Relay300]

Does anyone else remember Private Eye’s battle with Robert Maxwell in the 1980’s? Perhaps that his constant litigation brought the magazine to the point of bankruptcy and the appeal to its readership yielded just enough in donations to keep its lights burning. You might remember page after page in Private Eye listing the names of each and every reader who contributed and wonder at the loyalty, both ways.

[@williamgeorgefraser]

I got the Jupiter answer correct before it was given. What do I win? I just love this yearly review. ;-D PS: Now that Wilson and Marcia have snuffed it, is there a chance of The Move getting back their royalties for "Flowers In The Rain"?

[@colinbaker3916]

Jan Ravens as Olivia Coleman!

[@mikethomas4193]

Dear god this is laboured.

[@satnitcboy]

"The Duke's Get-Off-My-Landrover"

[@captainvimes365]

me and my spoon has me dead lmao

[@jillroyson4589]

Dominic Cummings spoon interview!!!! 😂😂😂

[@Mousy677]

that's aged peculiarly

[@jamesneilsongrahamloveinth1301]

I hope this makes it across the Atlantic - Lewis MacLeod's satirical portrayal of Trump is masterly . . .

[@johntalbot134]

Made it across the Atlantic. Many of us here read PI. And you wouldn’t believe how much we love Diane Abbott.

[@PrincipledUncertainty]

I'd forgotten Private Eye had a KZbin channel. Is there any chance of regular uploads in the future?

[@jupiterthesun3217]

Luis is the best impersonator ever:)

[@davidhull1481]

I was first exposed to Private Eye when I lived in the UK in the early 90’s. Even though I only understood one third of the jokes, I wished there were an American equivalent. Spy magazine had some of the flavor of this, but it ran out of gas (and money), also in the early 90’s. I tried to follow P E after moving back to the States but it was difficult to source. Thanks to KZbin, now I can enjoy it again, sporadically at least.

[@erikandersson1429]

Is there a review for 2020 available?

[@christopherrobinson7541]

No, not 2020, nor 2021.

[@raytarrant514]

Great entertainment

[@kll1597]

Dot dot dot, if only Vivian Stanshall could have been here to participate.

[@anonUK]

Did he ever do one of these? I thought they started under Hislop, ie about the time he died.

[@markwelsh4459]

He is too busy playing Paul Mccartney.

[@EvileDik]

Engagement for the algorithm.

[@prpjustice]

Where is Peter Cook when you need him? Underwater with Ravens, I suppose.

[@mikebuckland]

Jan Ravens seems to be the only one who rehearsed!

[@videosfromelsewhere926]

Ian probably only finished the editing and printing five minutes before the start of the show 😂

[@ChRoPi21]

best use of Covfefe ever

[@John-ed4yw]

Can you imagine doing the 2020 one?

[@Banquet42]

The Dominic Cummings interview would be interesting for sure...

[@dantaylor7344]

Lance Armstrong! Quality! That's UK vox popularis all over

[@Smudgie]

Erm... aah.. aah...erm ... and, er... erm... er...

[@victordevonshire807]

Hold on Ian. Where was my hard time in the year? F**k it. I wish I could.

[@davebox588]

Is Harry Enfield morphing into John Mortimer?

[@davebox588]

@Nobby Heads no John Mortimer, author of the Rumpole series of books and TV series. encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQNHLRRqU67Har0JLDa_mQbUYFrGmbGMjBzjF26XJyCM2GpBt_VFoEvjGlbxv1e&s

[@RugbyLeagueisbest]

Anything that upsets RWA's is fine in my eyes. This does it in spades. The fact they have a go at others as well is superb, but the fun is winding up RWA's, they are so precious and STILL don't understand HYPOCRISY something they are very good at, but useless at answering questions

[@seanmcdonald5859]

One could make a wine of questionable taste from the sour grapes expressed in the comments . . . . .

[@davidpanton3192]

John Sessions looks is if he was handed the script for the first time on walking onto the stage - to find it was written in Japanese...

[@videosfromelsewhere926]

Chances are Ian only finished the edit and printing five minutes before curtain time

[@Jackdaw5]

Mail online - superb!!

[@Picnicl]

Private Eye - the Gilbert and Sullivan of satire. Things that upper middle class people from the south attend. If it's not to your taste, I suggest The Onion.

[@chriswilliams7958]

Picnicl what a lot of reverse snobbery you seem to have - educated humour is no bad thing

[@Picnicl]

@@chriswilliams7958 The original 1960s satire boom was far unkinder in its effects, if not necessarily its intention, to the labelled 'old guard' of the time than my comment is. These people make a living shooting fish in barrels- the supposedly powerful, the supposedly out of touch- which are, ironically, what they themselves are in many ways. I like Ian Hislop as a person but the character he portrays himself as,the puncturing of pomposity, is, as I'd hope he'd admit himself, a fantastical creation with little basis in reality, as he's hardly unpompous himself. I'm only a reverse snob in some respects and that is when being a snob has little basis in reality or little aid towards the people who most matter in an objective sense in any society- the workers.

[@telectronix1368]

(I think) the huge value of Private Eye isn't so much the satire as the well researched and reported investigative pieces they do. I have never read an issue without coming across a story/article that has appeared nowhere else in 'the lamestream media'. Also they do have some good jokes and, as far as I can see, don't hold back on any particular party or left/centre/right nonsense.

[@Picnicl]

You're right. Inverse snobbery mode was probably in my mind. I'm not one for so many political jokes either too so I've been a bit like a meat pie lover complaining that the vegan shop hasn't catered for me. The sports bit is brilliant!

[@M500VYN]

Um ah Um ah

[@andyharpist2938]

I bought my last one some years ago now..and it felt like it was part of the Liberal left government, in power. I have to give them credit for reversing everything it used to stand for without a single objection.

[@james5353]

If you want to know what’s going on in Britain read Private Eye

[@bobbest1611]

someone should adjust the lecturn for lewis if he's too incapable of doing it himself.

[@edgryff]

God what's happened to loadsamoney?

[@emmacassidy8482]

New series of Dead Ringers radio 4 fri 18.30

[@TesterAnimal1]

The quiz thing was more tragic than funny. We have a basic education problem.

[@Jackdaw5]

I remember Michael Barrymore struggling to keep a straight face after this: 'What's the largest island in the Mediterranean?' 'Australia'...

[@kaigreen5641]

Bradley Walsh impression was rubbish compared to his Boris

[@benjamindenton]

I thought it was a very bad Chris Tarrant..

[@larkyandsparky9456]

larkyandsparky - won't lie trying to get views of my cartoon take on the election (a bit amateurish but have to start somewhere...) - bung in larkyandsparky and they should magically appear. Thanks to anyone that bothers ! 'Tis the season to be satirical

[@johnnywhite58]

I've never seen this before and I read private eye. Love making fun of stupid people .

[@dantaylor7344]

Every year they perform this

[@spex357]

I've heard the Queen wants to change her gender and her prefered Pronoun is Kingy.

[@winstonsmith09]

Lovely to see old people having a day out.

[@lumpyfishgravy]

"Starring .... " WTF has happened to satire?

[@Pwecko]

It's a pity John Sessions didn't read the script before going on stage.

[@ashthebash66]

Thanks for this- for reminding me why I don't watch hignfy any more

[@telectronix1368]

#YouSoEdgy

[@Saurucow]

I smell both butthurt and triggered.

[@davidallen4477]

So old, out of date. Like looking back to the 60s. As with Radio 4s The News Quiz it's been a good run but now it's all coming to an end.

[@rogergraw1258]

Good night 💤💤💤

[@colinbaker3916]

Congrats to the ironists among the commenters. References to champagne socialists, London and poor Diane Abbot seem almost real.

[@drg111yt]

The Eye can be superb albeit very hit and miss. Hislop has never thrown off his public (ie private) school Head Boy demeanour, and this is a waste of the talent of Enfield and Sessions.

[@burtingtune]

Let's be honest, this is all a bit lame. Funny if you're a 60 year old Monty Python fan who still thinks he lives on the edge, but basically a middle-class yawn fest.

[@tedbreuer6927]

So few subs... pearls before swines indeed.

[@chriswhitt6685]

Very funny but hislop is like an awkward headmaster.

[@jameshodgkins559]

Get ta fuck

[@Ondine107]

That's his style and why we love him

[@pazuzutru-truluv7094]

Actually, further to my previous comment and having watched further, I actually think I could write an automated algorithm to take the daily headlines, add in some cultural references, and churn out such crap as this. Formulaic!!!!

[@pazuzutru-truluv7094]

Preston Swooper oh I don’t know. I think your delusion of being some sort of ‘observer’, possibly you see yourself as a psychologist or some such thing is far more telling.

[@clancywiggam]

You could do it, but you won't, there's the difference for you.

[@pazuzutru-truluv7094]

clancywiggam your right. It’s not even entertaining. Having said that it did intrigue me for a while as I thought more about how to actually do it. It would not be as simple as I first thought, but totally do- able.

[@mikeharrison9399]

@@pazuzutru-truluv7094 Well, when you do, can you make sure to have a punctuation module, 'cos I've checked out clancywiggam and he's ok - but you are not.

[@pazuzutru-truluv7094]

Mike Harrison many apologies, It’s about thirty years since I last wrote an NLP processor. Then again I just hunk it was Chomsky that wrote about poor punctuation and poorer minds that complained about it’s misuse.

[@andywilson3761]

Imagine these were funny

[@belgianquill]

I think that if I haven't laughed once in the first 8 minutes, it must be BBC approved junk comedy.

[@soundslave]

oof you must vote Tory

[@belgianquill]

@@soundslave Are you saying that the BBC is a left leaning humourless London-Centric woke shite fest?

[@AntGeezer]

Very first impression, of Tony Blair, was a bit over the top...no? It was Tony Blair....right?

[@trueblue2124]

eek -I always find these things awkward and embarrassing -

[@seanmcgouran4091]

'fraid I thunk this was Public School smugness readjusted for Comprehensive consumption.

[@Pwecko]

There were a few laughs in there and some good impressions, but if I had paid to go and see it, I would have felt very short-changed. No special effort was made for this show. It was just a case of reading out a copy of Private Eye. I started reading Private Eye as a teenager in the 70s and continued, on and off, until the early 2000s, more out of habit than anything else. It's not especially funny now and hasn't been for a long time. The best bits are those that they don't write - Colemanballs (as I still think of it) and the stupid answers on quiz shows. Private Eye has done some good investigative reporting in the past and supported a number of causes but there was no evidence in this show that they still do that.

[@morethanwords]

This is very poor.

[@billuk1413]

Wow this is lightweight comedy did they not have much time to prepare. A few 80s names to push it through did not work.

[@MrDaiseymay]

Interesting that, It's only yesterday, that I wrote here, my criticism of Hislop and his lefty--lib? massive bias in Private Eye and HIGNFY, and how his majority support, had deserted him for it. It seems to have disappeared? Left-wing 'FREE SPEECH '' ? I'll check back tomorrow.

[@riddersjc]

Helpful tip from a stranger: first think of what you mean to say _then_ craft it into a coherent sentence. It'd really help the cause of those decrying others for being idiotic if they themselves could make some sort of sense.

[@johnbarthram8789]

So disappointing. Surely there were better examples of Private Eye's content this year than was presented in this show?

[@RushfanUK]

I suppose that if you are of a certain political mindset then this is funny in a BBC kind of way, just tiresome in reality.

[@stuarthastie6374]

simgorm Fuddy Duddy. it’s called satire.......by those of a certain political mindset.

[@mikeharrison9399]

The entirety of the political philosophy of we British is fundamentally based on this exact form of insouciant mockery of power and its players. Sad to say there are many nations in the world where this brilliant notion still has to be fought for. And, by the way, I take particular exception to your use of the phrase 'BBC kind of way'! The BBC is almost certainly the best public broadcaster in the world.

[@SA-qm3bp]

Precisely which political mindset do you refer to simgormless?

[@stuarthastie6374]

Mike Harrison I also took exception to “BBC kind of way”. BBC having various points of view. I do think it’s standards are falling with a general fumbling down to match competitors. I used to respect “Panorama “ but recently have complain a couple of times about the use of ambient and dramatic sound scapes to deliberately change the mood of the viewer. May I draw your attention to the documentary about the lynching of two soldiers in Northern Ireland. Please look for it on catch up about 3months ago. Documentaries should not have this manipulation.

[@philmcdonald4778]

Dreary old buggers..... who don't know we are leaving the EUSSR

[@philmcdonald4778]

@Via What's new ?

[@philmcdonald4778]

@R EU ,EU uber alles ....etc..

[@emjackson2289]

"EUSSR" - you'd be shitting yourself had you had to live in the real USSR

[@Invigilation]

I LOVE PE, but am sorrowed by their selection to target Diane Abbot - she is harassed every single day, suffers all manner of abuse while trying to do her best. The mistakes she made on TV are quite old, this a reference to an interview in 2017 - there are so many more deserving targets that could have been chosen, PE could pick on someone else.

[@ThePacifist1733]

I too am saddened by the unwarranted abuse that Diane and others receive, but shes been fairly terrible as shadow home secretary, I find it amazing that she wasnt given the sack after 2017.

[@stephenderry9488]

It's her own fault for mistakenly thinking she could count on them.

[@Invigilation]

@Mark Gable yes, and Boris doesn't care, DA does - just think she's an easy target for a cheap laugh.

[@formerlybernard6460]

Can't agree. She is a shambles and a liability and is best sent packing from Parliament. Unfortunately her blatant racist views find little support outside of her constituency where she will be elected for as long as she is capable of standing. But, best left in a role that confidnes her to the farthest back bench.

[@Invigilation]

@@formerlybernard6460 I think it is poor practice to mock the weak.

[@davidcourt238]

Hislop needs public speaking lessons.