Saturday Live Again!
In 2007, ITVs Director of Comedy & Entertainment, Paul Jackson - who happened to be the originator of Saturday Live - realized that it had been 21 years since the pilot of Saturday Live (then hosted by Lenny Henry). To celebrate this seminal show, ITV commissioned a one-off live 90m special aired on December the 1st 2007.
Originally aired in 1985 as a one-off special and then running for 32 more shows, Saturday Live was the launchpad for some of Britain’s best-loved comedians, including Ben Elton, Harry Enfield, Rik Mayall, Adrian Edmondson, Stephen Fry & Hugh Laurie, Lee Evans, Julian Clary and Jo Brand, providing their first comedic platform on mainstream TV. This was the time when comedy found its true voice, tearing itself away from mother-in-law jokes and sitcoms set in suburbia. Saturday Live re-shaped the landscape. From Ben Elton’s legendary satirical monologues about “Thatch” and “Normo Tebbs” to Rik Mayall & Adrian Edmondson as The Dangerous Brothers hijacking the programme by blowing up a wall and their trousers in that order, Saturday Live was new, innovative and in-your-face.
Famous items include Julian Clary’s first appearance as ‘The Joan Collins Fan Club’ trussed up in finest rubber, Harry Enfield giving birth to two of the most iconic characters of the 1980’s, Stavros and Loadsamoney, Meatloaf forgetting his lines in a sketch with Stephen Fry and nearly saying the f-word live on air...
The new show - called “Saturday Live Again!”, was hosted by Marcus Brigstocke, and shot in the same studio as the original - LWT1, with the same inflatables and with Ben Elton amongst the comedy, musical and variety guests.
The show was a fantastic occasion on the night, and ineradicable memories include watching two fully-grown runners lugging around The Human Slinky’s costume in a massive suitcase, hiring in a special fridge for magician Pete Firman’s maggots, and best of all, having to track down a bizarre American soda-based concoction called "Gatorade" as part of the rider for Bon Jovi. Eventually we got it through a website who supplies the UK, and who now send us electronic updates from the world of Stateside soft drinks every month. And a Christmas card.
Saturday Live Again!
First Tx: 01/12/07 ITV 21.40
Hosted by | Marcus Brigstocke |
and starring | Bon Jovi |
Jimmy Carr | |
Jo Caulfield | |
Jeremy Lion | Justin Edwards |
Ben Elton | |
Jocelyn Jee Esien | |
Pete Firman | |
Hard Fi | |
The Human Slinky | |
Lee Mack | |
David Mitchell | |
& | Robert Webb |
We Are Klang | Greg Davies |
Steve Hall | |
Marek Larwood | |
Bon Jovi | |
and special guest | Myleene Klass |
Additional material by | Nick Doody |
Mark Evans | |
Simon Evans | |
Dan Gaster | |
Matt Kirshen | |
Title Music | |
Directed by | Geoff Posner |
Produced by | Geoff Posner |
David Tyler |
Saturday Live Again!
Check out the photo gallery here
Do your homework about the origins of Saturday Live here. It's on Wikipedia, so you might have to rootle around a bit.
If you want to know more about the amazing Human Slinky you could have a peek at his website here
If you loved the giant inflatables and need something similar (don't we all!) you can check out their website here
Take it further ...
Facebook: | Stills gallery |