Have I Got News For You

I was under the impression that Have I Got News For You would return for a brand new series with a brand new permanent host, but apparently this is not the case:

[Taken from BBC Press Office]

Available at BBC Press Office

I'm sure it will continue to be top quality entertainment, but I fear they may be stretching the guest host concept to the absolute limit, just because there has been a boost in ratings.

What if they keep it permanently. Guest presenter every week, as a change in the format.

I think they've taken this guest host business far enough now and they ought to settle on somebody permanent, however good or bad they may be in any particular person's opinion.

After all, half the reason for guest hosts is for the two stars, Ian and Paul, to extract the urine out of them; so they might just as well have Angus back and continue extracting it out of him.

Sounds interesting..... hope we don't get a 'runaround' of presenters, though, if they keep it to guest presenters.

I'm sure it's all an attempt to keep the guest hosts going until it becomes socially acceptable to bring Angus back. Whatever he did (and I'm not condoning any of it I hasten add) the chemistry between him, Merton and Hislop just hasn't been bettered by anyone else.

I'm all in favour of bringing Angus back. BUUUUTTTT. Surely in, say, 15 years time (if HIGNFY existed then), there would be sniggers every time he made a joke about someone taking cocaine. The question is... is Angus' position untenable for a period of time or for the remaining time?

I vote for Boris as host

Boris was great. He had a Richard Whitely sort of air about him, as if he doesn't really know what the hell is going on.

cwathen, you're right about the chemistry, but I'm not all that sure Angus would want to come back. Did you watch the last episode he ever made? Paul and Ian took no prisoners at all, OK so the show is based on taking the slash, but this was one step too far in my opinion. I suspect Angus was genuinely hurt by some of their comments, and for that reason I can't imagine he'd want to go through it all again. And knowing Merton & Hislop it would be a very long time before they let it drop.

Plus Merton has said in an interview since that he didn't really like Angus, whether this was a pathetic attempt to get a laugh (again) or whether it was true, it does change the way people think about the trio.

After what Paul Merton has said about Angus, he aint coming back.

[rant mode]

During Angus' final couple of weeks as HIGNFY host, Ian f*cking Hislop ruined it all. I hate that man. The permenant "f*ck off" look on Ian's face during Angus' post-scandal episodes was childishly pathetic. It was as if Angus' misdemeanours somehow PERSONALLY offended him (Ian). Which is ridiculous.

If Ian simply felt that Angus' position was now untenable (i.e. it's a bit hypocritical having a host who mocks others' misdemeanours, when he himself now had some), then his on-screen behaviour was NOT the appropriate way to deal with it. Pathetic little man.

Judging by the way that Angus has mocked himself post-HIGNFY-sacking (e.g. at the British Comedy Awards), I get the impression that in real life, he isn't actually so arrogant as to believe that he's holier-than-thou, whiter-than-white, answerable-to-none etc.

Although his role as HIGNFY host required him to talk as if he was holier-than-thou, it was clearly JUST a ROLE. The nature of the show required it, but I doubt he really thinks of himself thusly.

Ian Hislop, on the other hand, I feel is arrogant anough to believe he's perfect. Therefore I f*cking well HATE him. It was only Angus' last few HIGNFY's that caused me to notice this about Ian. The sh*te.

At the very same moment that Ian was giving Angus all those sh*tty looks, who knows what as-yet-unrevealed skeletons-in-the-closet of his own were lurking?

I would LOVE for a mistress or something to come forward and dirty Ian Hislops name. His behaviour on Angus' last few HIGNFY's should have got him sacked, let alone Angus. Don't talk to me about Ian f*cking Hislop!!!!

[/rant mode]

[bleedin' obvious]

So you don't like Ian Hislop then . . . ?

[/bleedin' obvious]

Well at the height of the storm, the Daily Mirror did try a campaign to get the most dirt out of Hislop but failed in their request despite several attempts to get the readers of the rag to phone in with any dirt.