Have I Got News For You. Image shows left to right: Ian Hislop, Paul Merton. Credit: Matt Crockett
Have I Got News For You

Have I Got News For You

  • TV panel show
  • BBC One / BBC Two
  • 1990 - 2024
  • 600 episodes (67 series)

Long-running topical panel game with a strong political slant, featuring team captains Ian Hislop and Paul Merton. Also features Angus Deayton.

Episode menu

Series 61, Episode 3

Have I Got News For You. Victoria Coren Mitchell
Victoria Coren Mitchell guest presents the third episode - it is her 14th time in the host's chair. Joining the writer and presenter is Josh Widdicombe and author, academic and host of BBC Four's Britain's Lost Masterpieces, Emma Dabiri.

Preview clips

Further details

Victoria Coren Mitchell is in the host's chair, joined by comedian Josh Widdicombe and author, academic and host of BBC Four's Britain's Lost Masterpieces Emma Dabiri.

Joining the regular team captains Ian Hislop and Paul Merton, the new series continues to record in studio with a virtual audience, in the week that saw politicians out on the campaign trail for the upcoming local elections, questions being raised about texts sent to Boris Johnson by Sir James Dyson, Labour leader Keir Starmer being kicked out of a pub and a legal dispute between Aldi and Marks & Spencer about the similarities between their respective chocolate caterpillar cakes.

Immediate attention however was paid to 12 of Europe's biggest football clubs this week announcing plans for a new European Super League, only for 9 of the 12 involved to withdraw from the scheme within 48 hours following outrage and protests from football fans, politicians and the game's governing bodies.

"This is the new Super League that was put forward on Monday and had sort of completely fallen over by Wednesday," said Paul Merton.

"And I think people's objection was that it was all to do with money... is that a new thing in football?" joked Victoria Coren Mitchell.

"No I think their objection mainly was that you could be in this league, but there'd be no relegation. If you were one of the teams that wasn't in this league, you couldn't get into the league. So essentially it was a series of exhibition matches where if you lost, it didn't matter," pointed out Merton.

"...bit like this!" laughed Ian Hislop.

"If there was relegation in this, Ian would be in some sort of semi-amateur dramatic version of this somewhere in a church hall in Tunbridge Wells, but, you know, he's not...!" joked Merton.

"I actually found it all very inspiring. I didn't expect to be inspired by football fans but honestly, the way they demonstrated the people power to actually make a change happen, in that way and so rapidly, was kind of inspiring. Especially in these times you know where people can feel quite powerless about decisions that are made," said panellist Emma Dabiri.

"I thought it was a brilliant 48 hours. Genuinely, I'm going to say it, that 48 hours is the most I've enjoyed football in my lifetime. And I say that as a football fan. You had anger, excitement, that's why I'm into football... and then... we won! I've never experienced that before, it was everything!" beamed panellist Josh Widdicombe.

"Which team to do you support?" asked Merton.

"Plymouth..." Widdicombe replied, "...we weren't in the 12."

"You're lucky to be in the 92, aren't you?" joked Merton.

"Boris Johnson said that he would drop a 'legislative bomb' (to stop the European Super League). What did he mean by that?" asked Coren Mitchell.

"It's amazing how fast he can actually get legislation through, or threaten to, when it's something really important... like football. Any other sort of major bill takes years to pass through the Commons," pointed out Hislop.

"This was the European Super League, with 12 top clubs all competing for the title of 'Europe's Greediest B****rd'," joked Coren Mitchell, before continuing.

"Labour also came out against the plan. Keir Starmer has a lot in common with the average football supporter. After all, only this week he was thrown out of a pub."

Notes

Paul and Emma won, 5 points to 4.

Broadcast details

Date
Friday 23rd April 2021
Time
9pm
Channel
BBC One
Length
30 minutes
Recorded
  • Thursday 22nd April 2021, 18:15 at Zoom (Virtual)

Repeats

Show past repeats

Date Time Channel
Monday 26th April 2021 10:00pm
45 minute version
BBC2
Sunday 23rd January 2022 9:00pm
60 minute version
Dave
Monday 24th January 2022 2:00am
50 minute version
Dave
Friday 1st July 2022 1:00am Dave
Tuesday 2nd August 2022 11:40pm
45 minute version
BBC1
Sunday 26th February 2023 12:15am
60 minute version
Dave
Tuesday 11th July 2023 10:00pm
60 minute version
Dave
Tuesday 21st November 2023 1:00am
60 minute version
Dave
Tuesday 21st November 2023 11:00pm
60 minute version
Dave
Friday 29th December 2023 2:00am
55 minute version
Dave

Cast & crew

Cast
Ian Hislop Team Captain
Paul Merton Team Captain
Guest cast
Victoria Coren Mitchell Host / Presenter
Josh Widdicombe Guest
Emma Dabiri Guest
Writing team
Pete Sinclair Writer (Additional Material)
Colin Swash Writer (Additional Material)
Rob Colley Writer (Additional Material)
Ged Parsons Writer (Additional Material)
Kevin Day Writer (Additional Material)
Shaun Pye Writer (Additional Material)
Katie Storey Writer (Additional Material)
Domenico Farelli Writer (Additional Material)
Emma Moran Writer (Additional Material)
Mike Rayment Writer (Additional Material)
Laura Lexx Writer (Additional Material)
Production team
Martin Lord Director
Jo Bunting Series Producer
Jo Maney Producer
Richard Wilson Executive Producer
Katie Taylor Executive Producer
Simon Brook Editor
Jon Ellis Editor
Rich Ellis (as Richard Ellis) Editor
Nick Pratt Editor
Andrew Selzer Editor
Jonathan Paul Green Production Designer
Mikki Rain Production Designer
Hugo Keating Production Designer
Karen Jackson Costume Designer
Peter Raby Lighting Designer
George Webley (as Big George) Composer
Phil Hewson Graphics
David Ward Graphics

Video

The European Super League

The panel look at the failed proposal for a new football league.

Featuring: Ian Hislop, Paul Merton, Victoria Coren Mitchell, Josh Widdicombe & Emma Dabiri.

Share this page