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The 11 O'Clock Show

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The 11 O'Clock Show
GenreSatire
Comedy
Presented byBrendon Burns (series 1)
Fred MacAulay (series 1)
Iain Lee (series 1–4)
Daisy Donovan (series 2–4)
Mackenzie Crook (series 2)
Jon Holmes (series 5)
Sarah Alexander (series 5)
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series5
No. of episodes144
Production
Running time30–35 minutes
Production companyTalkback
Original release
NetworkChannel 4
Release30 September 1998 (1998-09-30) –
8 December 2000 (2000-12-08)
Related
Da Ali G Show

The 11 O'Clock Show was a satirical late-night British television comedy series on Channel 4 which featured topical sketches and commentary on news items.[1] It ran between 30 September 1998 and 8 December 2000, most notably hosted by Iain Lee and Daisy Donovan.[2] The show boosted the careers of the previously little-known Ricky Gervais, Sacha Baron Cohen (in character as Ali G), Jimmy Carr, and Mackenzie Crook.[3][4]

Hosts and presenters

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The 11 O'Clock Show underwent a number of line-up changes during its run. There are numerous cases of external-segment reporters becoming studio hosts, and vice versa. Notable presenters and cast members included:

Production

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The 11 O'Clock Show was commissioned by Kevin Lygo who'd recently taken the role of Head of Entertainment at Channel 4. The new Chief Executive, Michael Jackson, wanted a new nightly topical sketch show. The commission was not put out to competitive tender, instead it was given to Peter Finchem's Talkback Productions who had previously produced Brass Eye for the channel.[22]

Harry Thompson produced the new show, he had previously produced The News Quiz on Radio 4 and developed it's transformation for television to create Have I Got News For You, as well as launching successful new formats such as Never Mind The Buzzcocks, The Mary Whitehouse Experience and They Think It's All Over.[23][24]

During development Graham Norton was asked to host the show, but he declined saying he disliked news.[25]

The series launched with Brendan Burns and Fred MacAulay hosting with Iain Lee as the 'roving reporter'. Rich Hall presented a report from the USA in front of the White House, Iain Lee prank called into the previous night's BBC election broadcast with Mo Mowlam, Daisy Donovan made her first appearance in the guise of Pandora Box-Grainger attending a Steve Coogan premiere, and Ali G also first appeared.[26]

The show was broadcast three nights a week. The first series had a two week run, its second series ran for six weeks and the third series had a three month commission.[27]

The 11 O'Clock Show was mostly written, recorded and transmitted on the same day. However the Ali G segments were an exception and were pre-recorded in isolation from the main production. By the third series the show's goal was described internally as to be like a "newspaper on telly, with jokes."[28][29]

James Bobin was a director and writer and helped create the characters of Ali G, Borat and Brüno.[30]

"Ali G was the thing that kept the 11 O'Clock Show going. If we hadn't have had Ali G, the 11 O'Clock Show would have died."[3] - Iain Lee

Mackenzie Crook joined the show in Series 2.[31]

Ricky Gervais (54 episodes) joined The 11 O’Clock Show team for Series 3 replacing Sacha Baron Cohen (45 episodes).[32][33][34]

Writers during the 5 series run of the show included Ben Caudell, Peter Holmes, Shaun Pye, Charlie Skelton, Robin Ince & Charlie Brooker.[35][36]

"the show had been given the specific instruction, unbeknownst to me, to shock. Shock and offend was more important than being funny... The Ali G stuff was hilarious, the Ricky Gervais stuff was divisive but hilarious. But a lot of it wasn't very funny."[3] - Iain Lee

Sarah Alexander joined the show in Series 5.[37]

Controversy

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In January 2000, the show came under criticism from the Broadcasting Standards Commission following viewer complaints about comments made on the show about recently deceased TV presenter Jill Dando, songwriter Bobby Willis (the husband of entertainer Cilla Black) and golfer Payne Stewart.[38]

In January 2000, the Independent Television Commission upheld complaints from viewers for sketches about the 1999 Armenian parliament shooting.[39][40]

Further reading

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  • Brassett, James. "4: Irony and the Liminality of Resistance". The Ironic State: British Comedy and the Everyday Politics of Globalization. Bristol University Press. ISBN 9781529208474.

References

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  1. ↑ "Channel 4's 10 O'Clock Live: The 11 O'Clock Show at 10 O'Clock?". www.telegraph.co.uk. 20 January 2011. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  2. 1 2 "Daisy Donovan: 'I still can't believe I asked Denis Healey if he'd given Margaret Thatcher a pearl necklace'". www.telegraph.co.uk. 10 June 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Bennett, Steve. "Ali G was originally called The Yoof Wanker". chortle.co.uk. Retrieved 14 November 2025.
  4. ↑ "G force | Special reports | guardian.co.uk". www.theguardian.com. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
  5. ↑ Westbrook, Caroline (26 March 2018). "Iain Lee personally apologises to Richard Madeley for 11 O'Clock Show remarks". Metro. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  6. ↑ "The 11 O'Clock Show". nostalgiacentral.com – Nostalgia Central. Retrieved 14 November 2025.
  7. ↑ Ferguson, Euan (29 August 2004). "'I don't mind if they point and laugh'". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  8. ↑ "Inside Comedy - Interviews - Paul Garner". Archived from the original on 26 March 2009.
  9. ↑ "Controversial 11 0'Clock Show faces axe as Channel 4's new line-up launched". the Guardian. 10 November 2000. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  10. ↑ "Why do I squirm whenever Ali G is on the box?". Independent.co.uk. 9 December 1999.
  11. ↑ Popović, Helena (2011). "Audience, Text and Context: Television Comedy and Social Critique" (PDF). Doctoral thesis. Ljubljana: Faculty of Social Sciences, Ljubljana University of Ljubljana. Retrieved 14 November 2025.
  12. ↑ Pilley, Max (25 October 2024). "Ricky Gervais celebrates 26 years since being made redundant, which led to standup success: "I was 37"". NME. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  13. 1 2 Hendry, Steve (8 March 2015). "Fred MacAulay prepares to step down from long-running BBC Scotland radio show". Daily Record. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  14. ↑ "Sarah Alexander: Blonde ambition". The Independent. 9 November 2005. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  15. ↑ "Holmes to present 11 O'Clock Show". the Guardian. 2 October 2000. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  16. ↑ BBC. "BBC - Comedy - People A-Z - Rich Hall". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  17. ↑ "Alex Lowe, comedian news : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide". www.chortle.co.uk. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  18. ↑ "Tommy Vance". The Observer. 4 December 2005. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  19. ↑ "Oi, watch my show". The Scotsman.
  20. ↑ Bennett, Steve (8 May 2019). "Marc Wootton makes hidden camera show in the US : News 2019 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide". www.chortle.co.uk. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
  21. ↑ "Jimmy Carr". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  22. ↑ Brown, Maggie (10 December 2020). A Licence to be Different: The Story of Channel 4. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 229. ISBN 9781839024474.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  23. ↑ Brown, Maggie (9 November 2005). "Harry Thompson". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  24. ↑ "Harry Thompson". The Independent. 9 November 2005. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  25. ↑ Brown, Maggie (10 December 2020). A Licence to be Different: The Story of Channel 4. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 230. ISBN 9781839024474.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  26. ↑ iain Lee Vault (22 February 2020). The 11 O'Clock Show - Series 1 Episode 1. Retrieved 24 July 2026 – via YouTube.
  27. ↑ Brown, Maggie (10 December 2020). A Licence to be Different: The Story of Channel 4. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 230. ISBN 9781839024474.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  28. ↑ "11 O'Clock Show, The – Nostalgia Central". nostalgiacentral.com. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  29. ↑ "Final countdown". The Guardian. 2 November 1999. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  30. ↑ "Flight of the Conchords". HBO. Archived from the original on 23 January 2019. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
  31. ↑ "Past Presenters and Reporters". 11Show. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
  32. ↑ "Ricky Gervais". The Unofficial 11 O'Clock Show page. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
  33. ↑ "Ali G". The Unofficial 11 O'Clock Show page. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
  34. ↑ "11 O'clock Show 2000". The Carr-Tell. 16 March 2025. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
  35. ↑ Guide, British Comedy. "The 11 O'Clock Show cast & crew". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  36. ↑ Letonja, Timotej. "IN CONVERSATION WITH CHARLIE BROOKER". Numéro Netherlands. Retrieved 14 November 2025.
  37. ↑ "Alexander, Sarah (1971-) Biography". Screenonline. British Film Institute. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
  38. ↑ "Channel 4 rapped over Dando". BBC News. 27 January 2000. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
  39. ↑ "Channel 4 rapped over Dando". BBC News. Retrieved 14 November 2025.
  40. ↑ Gibson, Janine (18 January 2000). "Peak Practice sex claims criticised". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 November 2025. In a report published today, the Independent Television Commission upheld 16 complaints from viewers about the edition of the long running ITV drama series.
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