Host the Week

Even so, you'd think they just ride it out.

I quite liked Fast and Loose, think it deserved another series to give it a bit more of a chance to bed in. Some of the participants were a little annoying though. I didn't think it was that similar to Whose Line though, yes it was improv but the games were very different

It's worth remembering too that Mock The Week started with an improv element which was gradually phased out over the first few series

They're all lead by Dan Patterson, the man behind Whose Line. It's ironic to think how improv was such a big factor of Mock the Week and nowadays it's been spoiled by claims from other comedians that almost all of the jokes are prepared beforehand.

Knowing how panels shows are made that's probably always been the case.

Yeah it's the standard way of doing things - they let the panelists know about topics covered so they get a chance to prepare some material.

I know. My point was it contradicts the improv aspect of the show.

Maybe that always happened and we just didn't realise? That's kinda how TV works.

Ant's not in a good way. I think Scarlet & Dec might be a thing in the future.

Which it doesn't have, and it's far better without

Of course, it's how every modern panel show works, and some of the ancient ones too

Well, indeed, and as long as it's funny it doesn't matter how they're doing it. Rather people doing properly thought out material they know works than spending ages trying to think of something. And it's a bit overstated on shows like HIGNFY and Mock The Week because they're obviously going to talk about what's in the news.

The worst bit is pretending you're improvising when you're blatantly shoehorning in a bit of your standup.

If you watched the old Whose Line Is It Anyway, either the UK or US version, and think that all the jokes and material used on the show were completely off the cuff by the performers then and there.... well, I'm sorry to burst your bubble but it wasn't. All shows like this have the performers given details of what will be happening so they can prepare material. Just watch Mock The Week and see how every performer, when telling their joke, always "adjusts" their position when they talk so they can sneakily look down at a piece of paper on the desk so they can read off a joke they've already prepared. Once you see it, it is obvious that they were doing it and you watch for it every time. Same with Whose Line... The contestants knew what games were going to be played and where possible, prepared lines or jokes to be said during them, especially with the ones using props, masks, questions from the audience etc. which were able to be planned well in advance of recording.

I believe Adam Buxton also revealed when he was a panellist on Have I Got News For You that the producers approached him with jokes to say on the show if he needed any extra help and not able to make up his own based on the material they were going to discuss, which he was told of in advance of the recording.

If it transpires that Would I Lie To You is scripted, I'm selling my television.