The best of Hignfy series 26

Favorite moments from series 26. This was first broadcasted in the autumn of 2003

[@davidgraham8058]

When the idea of Boris becoming PM was a satirical gag... I miss those days.

[@pyrogian]

now just an habitual liar

[@MetraFan81]

Along with Donald Trump becoming US President

[@davidgraham8058]

@@MetraFan81 that was a whole different level of psychosis. I have real trouble believing that a thinking person could vote for such a narcissistic, uninformed, ignorant conspiracy theorist.

[@MetraFan81]

@@davidgraham8058 exactly. Too many people in my country are dumb and worthless

[@stephenmurray2851]

@@davidgraham8058 He was the best President ever. You lot just don't like him because he is awake to your bullshit

[@IndySidhu88]

Paul and Linda had a great camaraderie, I would have loved a show with them two. RIP Linda Smith. EDIT: RIP Sean Lock now as well :(.

[@markpunt9638]

She was an acquired flavour, here making unsavoury comments about dear Diana, Princess of Wales and her tragic death. All in very very poor taste.

[@IndySidhu88]

@@markpunt9638 They all made satirical comments not jokes about Diana’s butler not Diana, maybe watch the video carefully before you berate comedians and panellists for doing their jobs.

[@lmm2103]

@@markpunt9638 Diana isn't exempt from being criticized, dead or not

[@AFrickingOrange]

@@markpunt9638 I bet you love the Daily Express.

[@mickmickymick6927]

@@markpunt9638 Your comment is completely fair. Diana was a benefactor of an unequal medieval aristocracy, but she wasn't sleazy or corrupt, so no need to go for her. They should only go for incompetent or corrupt politicians and light hearted ribbing on celebrities. Tasteless insults against someone because they happened to die is the same rotten and sleazy press culture that they hypocritically criticise and also engage in. The two captains enjoy sniffing their own farts a bit too much, but they could probably be knocked down if someone competent wanted to try. Newer episodes seem a bit better.

[@fountains4268]

Watching Ross Noble, Sir Ian Mckellen and Merton riffing off each other was some of the best TV ever. Brilliant comedy. Thanks for making this cut.

[@exessex3522]

I was just about to write something similar. Throw in Jimmy Carr and Ian Hislop and that's an assembly of talent few countries could match. And you could take out one and bring in someone else (Sean Lock, Martin Clunes, Jack Dee, Jo Brand, Alan Davies, Cathy Burke etc., etc., etc.) over and over again and it would be a long time before the quality began to seriously suffer. I don't live in the UK any more. Where I live would have trouble scraping together 5 top talents even for a one-off HIGNFY. Britain and Ireland should be thankful for the amount of entertainment talent it produces generation after generation. And when you think of all the younger generation (Bridges, Acaster, Gamble, Becket, Widdecombe, Richardson, Walsh, Bea, Wang etc., etc., etc.) then this must be a golden age.

[@wavydavy9816]

@@exessex3522 James Acaster isn't funny, as was fairly well documented by his appearances on this show. I've had funnier trips to A+E. In fact, there's a 22 minute video of James' highlights on the show, and 18 minutes of it shows other guests making jokes while James just happens to be in attendance 🤷‍♂

[@B.A.Pilgrim]

​@@exessex3522hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha youqueer hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha hahahahaha

[@lizziebkennedy7505]

Yes, Britain produces so many great comedians.

[@lizziebkennedy7505]

@@wavydavy9816He wins comedy festivals everywhere he performs and sells out his shows. That you don’t like his work is irrelevant to its status as comedy.

[@james_baker]

Str1tsa thank you for 58 minutes free of the current problems.

[@patriciaapetrone]

I love the line, "I could not fail to disagree with your less." Every time I try to get a handle on it my eyes start bleeding.

[@TyrSkyFatherOfTheGods]

Basically translates to "I couldn't agree with you more" using negative constructions.

[@breadiemercury7676]

Awwww Linda Smith ❤️❤️❤️❤️ rip

[@TyrSkyFatherOfTheGods]

33:23 - wherein the fearless Mr. Hislop evenly and calmly savages Jonathan Aitken.

[@euanfranklin1]

Such an underrated line: Will Self: This is my field, really. Kirsty Young: Thank god something is.

[@chronusx877]

As a younger person I'd always heard that Boris was very well liked on HIGNFY and that's what made him so popular... He comes across like a bumbling oath, same as he does today! The jokes Paul was making could be made today!

[@mariacarter6954]

Bumbling Oaf 😆 But Yep 'That' is running Our country 😕😨

[@rickyneedham9060]

@Martin Tournoij why still waiting the coconuts were brought on as the final scores were read out

[@pyrogian]

he is a bumbling oaf you're correct

[@sheilaghbrosky4150]

Boris - a sperm bank on a bicycle.

[@Jo3man96]

I think it was more that he was loved by some of the people watching at home because they felt it made him more ‘relateable.’ When I watched them, it seems to me that Ian and Paul saw right through him and rightly took the mick out of him.

[@MaHumorless]

Clement Freud stumbling over the word 'paedophile' at 02:13.

[@dontbelievethehype5104]

Merton roasting Boris is pure national treasure

[@danielburger1775]

Is Boris a dolphin in a bathtub?

[@Timmy6983]

Disappointed that the Dara O'Briain episode was cut short from this. I recall it being pretty enjoyable, and always worth watching Galloway squirming.

[@michaelmcginley4887]

How could anyone listen to Borris and say, "Now there's the guy to lead my country" ?

[@GK-il3fn]

8:47 Paul's heart attack impression makes me laugh every time

[@leesaunders8193]

Here's a thing. I remember seeing the fourth episode with my mum when I was 6. Why? Not that, obviously, I was actually watching it (probably just in the same room being up a bit too late) but I remember them showing the Cheese Party album advert and immediately wanting to own it. Hence, got it as a Christmas present. Not seen this moment in 18 years!

[@IndySidhu88]

Paul’s impression of a Boris as a Bond Villain broke me. @55:38

[@lofthouse23]

My favourite is the one with Sir Ian Mckellen. From Paul's "don't ask her to go downtown..." joke and Ian Mckellen writing "fuck off I'm gay" as an autograph. And Ross doing his Georgie Gandalf.

[@jonathaneffemey4892]

Thanks so much for posting.

[@rayg4360]

It was obvious that Johnson was thick even then

[@Renegade2786]

12:00 - 12:11 after 17 years, it came too.

[@dahlyiadubonnet]

Ross Noble and Sir Ian, yes more please. I basically just love both! Ross was on QI with Professor Brian Cox and it was bloody hilarious!!! ❤❤❤

[@StruStru2k]

You're doing gods work, str1tsa. Keep it up!

[@exessex3522]

37:19 Donald Rumsfeld makes perfect sense if you just listen to what he says. There are things you know you know, aren't there? There are also things you know you don't know, aren't there? Easy enough to come up with something. How to calculate the surface area of a sphere, for example. I know I don't know that. And in the third category is everything else. I know that a sphere has a surface area but there are trillions of things I don't even know that I know nothing about. You can't say Rumsfeld was wrong and how else could he have expressed what he wanted to say? I know I don't know. Do you know?

[@dusssss631]

It's called the Johari window, but it's convoluted explained here.

[@BumMcFluff]

Exactly. I'm no fan of Rumsfeld, but I was wondering why they found that funny. It makes perfect sense to me.

[@RIXRADvidz]

in these Historical Times, it's nice to go back and re-experience more comfy cozy history. 12:14, well Paul, you got your wish. a nation of befuddled people with BORIS at the helm, leading Britain back to the 17th century, well everyone wants to time travel, here you go.

[@pseudonayme7717]

Typical Britain eh. Whole country lurches even further right at a time when they should so obviously be sprinting left😏

[@justinbowen2509]

@@pseudonayme7717 Likewise in America we Democrats are going for the center when we should be going for the left

[@sabrinafinkel92]

@@pseudonayme7717 Yes, especially after Gove recently spoke about the health care professionals doing a wonderful job...having been been one of the Tories who voted against a pay rise for nurses in 2017. The Conservatives, all but one who had voted against, CHEERED when they carried the vote. The problem us that Corbyn is pointless and would only be a stooge of Momentum. Stalinists or arrogant posh tosspots. Wonderful choice. Happy Easter everyone. And how long will satirical, accurate programmes survive?

[@JJVernig]

He’s (Boris) a step closer, I will have to go in quarantain for two weeks, so you’re already two weeks behind. 😉

[@maddyD350]

Oh Yes. If only the labour party could have saved us. Their track record is so much better.

[@colummccrudden101]

29:23 Kirsty Young is beeeeauuut!

[@michaelgraham7951]

39:51 “Errr… I’m Her Majesty’s… loyal government” 😅

[@mossy642]

2:15 A bit awkward now we know what Clement Freud got up to in his spare time... I suppose it takes one to know one.

[@ethzero]

See Wikipedia: "Child sexual abuse allegations"

[@garethfarman9540]

As much as I dislike the man, I am going to defend Rumsfeld on that speech. It made perfect sense and though a statement of the obvious was something that was refreshing to hear. Especially from a Repugnant.

[@baoboumusic]

It's even an essential truth, and once you get it, a lesson for life.

[@bournemouthisshit]

Boris is bloody great until you realise that he's the Prime Minister! : ((

[@chrisp4170]

He’s a vile moron and always has been.

[@ripdbtpoo1441]

Should have seen it coming. I did, and changed citizenship.

[@Kingtrollface259]

I want a country of people who don't know whats going on ,-Paul Merton. Well he got his wish😂

[@MA-wo5gy]

And Britain fell for bumbling Boris.. 🤦‍♂️

[@adamedge128]

Paul Mertions impressions are spot on! Who knew? 💗

[@susi-emily]

That's the Boris I liked. They're ripping the piss out of him and he's just taking it all in his good natured, genial stride and laughing along. It's nice to see that Boris again, instead of the useless oaf we ended up with as PM.

[@mjwilliamsb2676]

Boris is still that genial, good natured guy, very likeable; but everyone's mistake was not to recognise that, along with those qualities comes a complete inability to pay attention to detail (attention span of a gnat), a mendacious nature and an inability to behave like a responsible adult. Therefore, good on panel shows, absolutely not fit to hold any position of responsibility, as we now all know for sure... but that doesn't change the fact he has strong points on display here.

[@GaryWayneHill64]

12:11 Be careful what you wish for Paul

[@Shub99]

How in the name of everything did the UK vote Johnson into power ?

[@cathyshort]

Just as bewildering as the American people voting in Trump 😂

[@patriciaapetrone]

It's like watching a train wreck in reverse when you see them having fun with Boris Johnson. Those were the days, when his strange take on life was funny and not cringeworthy the way he is today.

[@DeanMoxley87]

33:38 A Classic HIGNFY Moment !!

[@wizlez]

2:13 and he should know

[@Renegade2786]

LMAO. So Jimmy and Rolf weren't the only paedophiles to be on HIGNFY

[@claymorrow4781]

@@Renegade2786 And Jonathan King.

[@claymorrow4781]

@Oliver Bayley It's practically top of the pops!

[@AntonyClayton-eq1ul]

Prophetic words from Paul; at 12:08.

[@alunchurcher7060]

david guest looks like most of the madam Tussaud way works, they never look like humans either, but more like poorly model'd wax that has partly melted.

[@user-tj4zk8im8e]

Clement Freud, Rolf Harris, where's Jimmy saville?

[@catherinehouston3325]

Savile was on an episode at one point

[@garykeys6895]

RIP Sean locke

[@liammullone9647]

Clement Freud is utterly odious, and knowing what he did now makes the first episode pretty hard to watch

[@jaydolan8278]

Boris Johnson should have done stand up 😂

[@Ricimer671]

He did, it was called Prime Ministers Questions.

[@matcampbell6482]

Who's the chap around 33-34 minutes who Ian says went to jail?

[@ethzero]

That would be former Tory MP, Jonathan Aitkin. Definitely worth looking up the Wikipedia article on him.

[@matcampbell6482]

@@ethzero Thank you very much :-)

[@portglasgoejuniors]

Your wish for Boris came true Paul😂😂😂🙄

[@luke-alex]

45:43 "I could not fail to disagree with you less" An impressively convoluted way to say "I don't totally disagree with you". I might use that one! BTW I think Boris is a great host (and a bad PM)!

[@luke-alex]

​@Sam Carter A while after I made this comment, I realised I'd made a mistake, but didn't want to edit it since it had got a few upvotes lol What I then thought it meant was "I disagree with you somewhat" or equivalently "I don't totally agree with you". My explanation was that, he is saying that he definitely _could_ disagree with him less than he currently does. Which means he must currently disagree with him to some extent. The problem here is that "couldn't fail to" doesn't mean "could", it means "do". The problem with _your_ explanation/meaning is that adding "less" is not a negation. Normally "less" appears to implicitly mean "less than I currently do", such as "I couldn't care less" or "I couldn't disagree more". But this construction requires the use of "could" or "couldn't" to make sense. Specifically, "I do disagree with you less" (equivalent to what Boris actually said) doesn't actually make sense. Less than what?

[@michaelcolbourn6719]

"I could not fail to disagree with you less." I have no idea if he agrees or not.

[@sgwh2002]

I don’t know if you call it a quadruple negative or a double, double negative.

[@lizziebkennedy7505]

Is that Kirsty Allsopp?

[@racingBandit98]

11:56 hits a bit differently now.....

[@georginator26]

Ironic premonition is all I can say

[@artvanwag3257]

Boris is like Paul Whitehouse from the Fast show the old man in the Chair ..And i was very Drunk.....

[@trell1111]

""I couldn't fail to disagree with you less" - Boris An example of a narcissist who has been educated throughout his life (directly and indirectly), that intonation and waffle combat logic and actual content: "less" requires there to be a comparison to which there could be 'more', 'less' or the 'same'. Unfortunately, that doesn't exist here, in this context, so the use of the word 'less' is double speak bullshit. That leaves: I couldn't fail to disagree with you. "Fail" means, being unsuccessful, which again is out of context to the conversation and not relevant, so again it's double speak. Which leaves I couldn't disagree with you. Which is double speak for, "Ï agree with you" Effectively, for general reference, the man is a C bomb and he should be curtailed of oxygen sapping services, for which he's currently providing to planet Earth. That's also double speak.

[@davidridersmith5434]

Paul Merton in his prime

[@XU23]

The guy on the far right is easily the funniest.

[@dangrahamdrums]

Hitler?

[@VivekAnandJ]

Damn! I now see what Jon Oliver meant! Boris looks so charmingly idiotic!

[@TesterAnimal1]

Unfortunately it was not an act. Most of us knew this all along. The plebs love being ruled by toffs though.

[@EAW1]

Alan Rick man”nasty mr Boris Johnson CHEATED!!” Turn to 2022 :Truer words have never been uttered

[@artvanwag3257]

Boris Our Leader we are all Doomed...

[@McZorr0101]

I am not one for, so called, cancelling people but I cannot watch clips with Clement Freud in them without feeling rather wheezy.

[@ruby.-aaa]

That Vote Boris badge has lost its humour a bit recently...

[@greenyblueish6138]

Oh Boris when he actually had a hairdesser

[@lilymarinovic1644]

No, the studio had a hairdresser.

[@kane4013]

Too much Boris ☹️

[@iancrawford1140]

one of the best ,thanks to boris.

[@mickmickymick6927]

27:50 Wow Phil Jupitus actually telling a joke instead of just screaming, this must be very old.

[@AndyRossism]

Whatever happened to Boris Johnson?

[@michaelcolbourn6719]

Who?

[@TesterAnimal1]

He’s now making millions being paid to…. SPEAK.

[@AndyRossism]

@@TesterAnimal1 'Nice work if you can get it and you can get it if you lie' to paraphrase the song.

[@couldntmixapotnoodle]

Boris hasn't changed a bit. Now he's running the country.

[@AnonYmous-uw2qm]

Clement Freud ... are you kidding me!!!!!! Everyone knows what he is.... BBC neve stopped defending them have they?

[@lmm2103]

Yeah, it didn't come out till after he'd died, unfortunately

[@bournemouthisshit]

BOJO is entertaining - but NOT as a prime minister.

[@peterporkeresq.2817]

So Boris' hair could look like something resembling human.

[@TJ-el5tm]

Man those clement frued clips ain’t aged well

[@ferraridinoman]

Ha ha! Love old Boris!! (Get well my friend x)

[@Liorte1973]

Paul and Kirsty always seem to be flirting with each other.

[@mickmickymick6927]

Ian and Paul have their heads so far in... the sand if they think the show didn't contribute to Boris' success. He came across great, you can't tell in that show what a crook he is, he comes across as a loveable guy doing his best, I'm not surprised people loved him after that.

[@IoEstasCedonta]

...combed?

[@slatibaadfast]

Done

[@pappyreeves6988]

Oh Boris, my ribs are aching 😆 You really are an absolute Darling..Get Well Soon my friend..I dare not think where we would be without you 🇬🇧

[@alecsmith85]

lol

[@jamiewilkinson8113]

@@alecsmith85 the fact that his cake ain't co9

[@nomadicjam4792]

ohhh this aged like a fine glass of milk. 🤣

I', so glad Boris is the Prime Minister...

[@thelonelybaker2151]

I figured it out, Ozzy Osbourne must have the Corana antibodies. Someone get onto him!

[@Yankee7000]

It wasn’t enough that Hislop won the case but he had to rub Aitken’s nose in it. Poor form. Nobody would ever accuse Ian of having any class......

[@t.p.mckenna]

I think you should refresh your memory of Aitken's huge libel swindle which he very nearly go away with before feeling any sympathy for the man. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Aitken

[@Yankee7000]

T.P. McKenna Perhaps I wasn’t clear enough? Once a court settles a case as happened here, in my book kicking your opponent _after_ that is graceless. I do not recall implying that Aitken is a sympathetic character. If I did than I would excuse myself and chalk it up to inexperience with the English language, which to me, is a second language. I hope this helps.

[@t.p.mckenna]

@@Yankee7000 'Opponent' and remarks like bad form and lack of grace suggest this was some sort of gentlemen's bout. Aitken had been in blatant breach of the ministerial code given that he was the then minister of procurement. He had been where he was reported to be and yet still pursued a legal battle for libel and very nearly walked away with a considerable sum in damages, also making a perjurist of his wife in the process. He was a crook, essentially, and in no code of etiquette would you find the recommendation that one should treat with grace the person who has just attempted to rob you.

[@Yankee7000]

T.P. McKenna Your code of etiquette, sure. Mine? As I have elaborated twice and now a third time: you don’t kick your opponent when they are down, regardless of how vile they have been. You are fully entitled to not entertain that approach as I am to not adopt yours. End of discussion. Thank you.

[@Yankee7000]

Colin Cleveland kindly keep your ad hominems to yourself. You can make your point without resorting to name calling.

[@alunchurcher7060]

BBC making jokes about peado's despite a massive cover up at the BBC for many years. ban the bbc save your money and use it to watch something else.

[@alunchurcher7060]

@tkm795 hhahahahahahaha if you want to support the peados then keep buying a dumb licence its just another tax on us after all. its no more than a tax on entertainment, something which should be free to all. other channels lose money due to people not watching live tv how is that a fair business practice?

[@TesterAnimal1]

@@alunchurcher7060 entertainment free? You some kind of commie?

[@alunchurcher7060]

@@TesterAnimal1 No but BBC should be enforced to get its money by other means and not a tax on someone who owns a TV set, and especially for the millions who never even watch the BBC repeats with a few new programs in between.

[@fredflintstoner596]

Mrs Richards: "I paid for a room with a view!" Basil: (pointing to the lovely view) "That is Torquay, Madam." Mrs Richards: "It's not good enough!" Basil: "May I ask what you were expecting to see out of a Torquay hotel bedroom window? Sydney Opera House, perhaps? the Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Herds of wildebeest sweeping majestically past?..." Mrs Richards: "Don't be silly! I expect to be able to see the sea!" Basil: "You can see the sea, it's over there between the land and the sky." Mrs Richards: "I'm not satisfied. But I shall stay. But I expect a reduction." Basil: "Why?! Because Krakatoa's not erupting at the moment?" kzbin.info/www/bejne/hoCyZZ-oicifhLs

[@HARRY-mh2lg]

Great show apart from no talent merton

[@chrishowgill888]

Minority of one - You

[@jazzhands7771]

Who's that wee blonde bloke beside Paul at the start?

[@rdgrdg1632]

Does merton ever shut up

[@rdgrdg1632]

Should be renamed the paul merton show does he. Ever shut up

[@dangrahamdrums]

No, coz he’s one of the regular panelists.