Thank God You're Here - Paul Merton Page 4

I thought it was comparatively a good ITV saturday night with this and Primeval instead of the usual dross they come out with. Actually entertaining.

I was surprised by Fern but I suppose having a comic actor as a father helped develop her sense of humour.

Who is her dad?

Tony Britton. From like, Don't Wait Up and Robin's Nest 'n' shit.

Image

Well, blow me down. I never knew that.

You'll be saying Philip Schofield's dad was Bob Carolgees next.

The same surname is a bit of a clue though.

I don't think there's much similarity in the names Schofield and Carolgees.

Maybe Philip wanted to make it in showbusiness on his own merits.

Quote: David Chapman @ January 13, 2008, 4:33 PM

The same surname is a bit of a clue though.

Yeah, but something tells me that Lee Evans and Barry Evans aren't related. So not the most reliable markstick.

Quote: zooo @ January 13, 2008, 4:34 PM

Maybe Philip wanted to make it in showbusiness on his own merits.

I saw Philip playing Joseph at the Hammersmith Apollo. When the brothers chucked him down into the pit, Gordon the Gopher stuck his head up. I was thrilled.

Quote: Aaron @ January 13, 2008, 4:09 PM

COMEDY: Thank God You're Here
On: ITV1 London
Date: Saturday 19th January 2008 (starting in 6 days)
Time: 21:00 to 22:00 (1 hour long)

Improvisational comedy show presented by Paul Merton in which star guests are forced to rely on their wits after they are thrust into a set-up which they know nothing about. Tonight's guests include Australian comic Hamish Blake, presenter Clive Anderson, Coronation Street favourite Sally Lindsay and stand-up Michael McIntyre. Plus, Paul Merton steps into his own scene which he knows nothing about.

hmm...I wonder why Hamish is on again so soon.

Anyway Clive Anderson is very witty so he will probably be good.

Sally Lindsey is quite witty aswell and is a former stand up commedienne.

And if Michael McIntyre is the one i'm thinking off then I like him aswell, He's been on Richard and Judy a few times.

Hamish is on it constantly on the Aussie version. So maybe they're transfering him.

Sorry to go off the subject here but I didn't realise Richard O'Sullivan of Man About The House and Robin's Nest fame is now in a retirement home due to illness.

He's 2 years younger than my dad.

Quote: Richard Wells @ January 13, 2008, 4:45 PM

hmm...I wonder why Hamish is on again so soon.

If you'd paid £5,000 to get him here, another £1,000 or so to put him up in a hotel, and another, what, £1 or £2k again just as his fee, wouldn't you want to get as many shows out of him as possible?

Quote: Richard Wells @ January 13, 2008, 4:52 PM

Sorry to go off the subject here but I didn't realise Richard O'Sullivan of Man About The House and Robin's Nest fame is now in a retirement home due to illness.

He's 2 years younger than my dad.

That's sad to hear.

Quote: David Chapman @ January 13, 2008, 8:50 PM

That's sad to hear.

Yea and he's only 63.

I love Paul Merton's work (apart from the Tony Handcock takeoff) ... but I'm not sure about this program?

I have to agree with a lot of comments here about the unexpectedly below par performance from Paul Merton, as he's been doing it for at least twenty years. What may be the problem is that the actors in the scenes are more-or-less working to a script and than can constrain the performer who's there purely to improvise. Improvisation is a two-way street and improvisations worked (generally) better in the 'Whose Line Is It Anyway' days because all the performers were experienced improvisers, who knew and had worked regulary with each other.

That said, I'm not a great fan of improvisation. And it tends to most enjoyable when you watch it live in a fairly intimate venue.