Paul Merton's last ever Room 101 (with Ian Hislop) tonight 10pm BBC2

krish · 09-02-2007, 7:43 PM

Room 101
10:00pm - 10:30pm
BBC2

From Radio Times (invisotext spoilers) ...

Quote:

It's Paul Merton's final show as presenter, so there's an end-of-term feel to proceedings. "My guest tonight is someone I've been arguing with for 16 years," he announces, as he introduces "ex-Aston Villa and England centre forward" Ian Hislop. The two are chalk and cheese and have sparred for so long on Have I Got News for You that it's good to see what appear to be hints of real warmth between them, although naturally Hislop goes out of his way to choose pet hates close to Merton's heart, including the Beatles (horror!) and Charlie Chaplin. Less controversial is his bid to condemn former Daily Mirror editor Piers Morgan, with whom he has a long-running feud. There are the usual jaw-dropping clips, including a cruel moment from Morgan's US talent show, and footage from a dire 1970s music programme in which a jazz chanteuse sings a version of Love Tastes like Strawberries that makes you want to tear your own teeth out and throw them at her. Then, at the last, Merton signs off with a musical flourish of his own that makes an entirely fitting finale.

Pezerinno · 09-02-2007, 9:47 PM

Thanks for the heads up. Do you know why he is leaving the show?

krish · 09-02-2007, 9:51 PM

no idea ... but it will return with a new host apparantly

THE GFP · 09-02-2007, 11:23 PM

paul is a weird bloke

in the late 80's he was big and had prime time bbc shows but then drifted into nothingness tv wise

much like lenny henry who really was a talentless wife cheating 1 idea wonder

krish · 10-02-2007, 12:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by THE GFP

paul is a weird bloke

in the late 80's he was big and had prime time bbc shows but then drifted into nothingness tv wise

as I recall he he first made it big on Whose Line Is It Anyway (Radio 4, Ch4 - 1988), then had his own 2-series sketch show (Ch4), then HIGNIY came along (BBC2/1), and he took over from Nick Hancock on 101 (BBC2); he was also very funny on Radio 4's Just A Minute

- not too sure about your recollection of his career ... he's only moved to prime time TV with HIGNFY's move to BBC1 a few years ago; looked after a late wife who was terminally ill, and has recently done a documentary series on his heroes of silent comedy for BBC4

FruitBat · 10-02-2007, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krish

he was also very funny on Radio 4's Just A Minute

Was? Still is. Did you hear the "TV" episode a couple of weeks ago?

Quote:

Originally Posted by krish

he's only moved to prime time TV with HIGNFY's move to BBC1 a few years ago

That show has been going for ages. More than 15 years anyhow.

krish · 10-02-2007, 1:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FruitBat

Was? Still is. Did you hear the "TV" episode a couple of weeks ago?

I don't think it works well on TV, so never bother with it ... its a daytime show isn't it?

Quote:

Originally Posted by FruitBat

That show has been going for ages. More than 15 years anyhow.

Yes of course, but I was really referring to its move from BBC2 to BBC1 prime time to convince the earlier poster that Merton is probably more successul on prime time mainstream media now than he used to be. I also remember him with the comedy store players (which he still does occasionally), and he's probably the most successful of the Whose Line alumni (the TV/comedy careers of John Sessions, Clive Anderson, Josie Lawrence, Tony Slattery et al having long since peaked)

FruitBat · 10-02-2007, 2:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krish

I don't think it works well on TV, so never bother with it ... its a daytime show isn't it?

Sorry, I've misled you there. The "TV" episode (on the radio as normal) involved a discussion of someone dressed as a TV. The speaker meant transvestite, but this led to a debate about whether it was possible to be dressed up as a television. It's never going to be as funny second hand.

Incidentally, Just a Minute is one of the 6:30pm comedies on Radio 4. Very useful if you're stuck in traffic coming home from work. Mondays 6:30pm-7:00pm and repeated Sundays at 12:00 midday.