Friday Night Live. Image shows from L to R: Hugh Laurie, Dame Edna Everage (Barry Humphries), Jo Brand, Julian Clary, Harry Enfield. Image credit: London Weekend Television.

Friday Night Live
Friday Night Live. Harry Enfield. Image credit: London Weekend Television.

Friday Night Live

A Channel 4 stand-up comedy series which followed on from Saturday Live. Most notable for furthering the careers of comedians like Jo Brand and Harry Enfield

Genre:
Stand-Up
Broadcast:
1988  (Channel 4)
Episodes:
10 (1 series)
Starring:
Ben Elton, Harry Enfield, Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Lee Evans, Moray Hunter, Jack Docherty, Josie Lawrence, Jo Brand, Barry Humphries, Robbie Coltrane
Writers:
Ben Elton, Jack Docherty
Production:
London Weekend Television
& Channel 4 Television Corporation

In 1988, Channel 4's Saturday Live was moved to a Friday evening slot, and this was the result. Hosted by Ben Elton when he was at the top of his game, these ten episodes starred many of the well-known 1980s comedians, including the likes of Josie Lawrence and Hugh Laurie.

The series is notable for some of the new comedians it gave air-time to. For example, Jo Brand's first TV performance was on Friday Night Live.

The real star of the show though was Harry Enfield - he jumped into the comedy super stardom league when he revealed his new characters on this show. His creations, like the now iconic Loadsamoney, perfectly tapped into the 'greed is good' ethos sweeping the nation at the time.