The Bubble. David Mitchell. Copyright: Hat Trick Productions
The Bubble

The Bubble

  • TV panel show
  • BBC Two
  • 2010
  • 6 episodes (1 series)

David Mitchell hosts this show in which panellists are shut away from the news for four days before having to guess which topical stories are real.

Press clippings Page 2

The Bubble is yet another new topical panel show designed to capture the Have I Got News for You/QI audience. Its twist is to sequester participants away for three days without access to any media, and then show them a series of news and gossip stories. They must decide which are real and which are made-up. David Mitchell presents. Frank Skinner, Victoria Coren and comic Reginald D. Hunter are The Bubble's first victims.

The Telegraph, 19th February 2010

This new comedy quiz show is based on the premise that some news stories are so preposterous that they might as well have been made up. A group of comedians and celebrities are locked away for four days in a media-free "bubble", without access to phones, TV, newspapers or the internet. Oddly enough, there was no shortage of volunteers. When they emerge, the host David Mitchell confronts them with reports, headlines and images, some real and some invented. They have to distinguish one from the other. Frank Skinner and Victoria Coren are the contestants tonight, while future guests include Marcus Brigstocke, Clive Anderson, Sue Perkins and Germaine Greer. Already a big success in Israel and Poland, the quiz looks likely be a lot of fun.

David Chater & Alex Hardy, The Times, 19th February 2010

There was once a bloke in a bubble...

. . . who wasn't allowed any contact with the outside world. So he ended up telling stories like this.

Frank Skinner, The Times, 19th February 2010

David Mitchell hosts a new comedy-news quiz. Now that's what we call a game-changer. No previews available, as it's going to be topical news from the week, but it sounds like Celebrity Big Brother meets Call My Bluff and Mr & Mrs: three slebs are locked in a "media-free zone" for three days and, on exiting, have to pick out the genuine news stories from the invented ones. Tonight, it's the turn of Frank Skinner, Reginald D. Hunter and some poker player to sort out the headlines from the head-lies.

The Guardian, 19th February 2010

This is an odd one, a current affairs panel show that sounds like a weird hybrid of Have I Got News for You, Would I Lie to You? and Big Brother. Each week, three celebrity contestants will be locked away in a "media-free zone" without access to phones, television and the internet. After four days they will emerge, blinking into the light, to take their places in a television studio where The Bubble's quizmaster, the frighteningly learned and erudite David Mitchell, will question them on the week's news. But not just any news. The Bubble aims to dig out bizarre news and magazine stories so improbable they sound made up, and put them alongside fake items. It's down to the contestants to guess which ones are true. The Bubble's first participants are Frank Skinner, Reginald D. Hunter and Victoria Coren. We are told the format has done well overseas - but will The Bubble burst over here?

Alison Graham, Radio Times, 19th February 2010

A new topical news format sees celeb panelists locked away in a media-free zone for three days. So far so good. Anything that gets Frank Skinner off the streets, even briefly, gets my vote.

But then, worse luck, they're let out to answer questions from quiz-master David Mitchell. Can they spot real news stories from fakes and should we care?

Other guests this week include the very funny ­Reginald D Hunter and Victoria Coren. Fingers crossed that Katie Price and Peter Andre can both be enticed to enter this media-free bubble and that a junior researcher "accidentally" loses the key.

Jane Simon, The Mirror, 19th February 2010

Do we need another comedy news quiz? Clearly, yes... In this one, three celebs are supposedly locked in a media-free zone for three days, then on release are asked to guess which are real out of the news stories they are subsequently presented with. The ubiquitous David Mitchell hosts, so you're in safe hands.

Sharon Lougher, Metro, 19th February 2010

David Mitchell explains why he does so many panel shows

David Mitchell, 35, is best known for his comedy work with Robert Webb on Peep Show and their sketch show That Mitchell And Webb Look. His new topical panel show The Bubble starts tomorrow night on BBC2.

Andrew Williams, Metro, 18th February 2010

Sense of humour failure as BBC boycotts its own comedy

ITV and Sky agree to contribute to new series - but Corporation refuses.

Ian Burrell, The Independent, 17th February 2010

BBC forbids news presenters from going on The Bubble

The BBC has forbidden its news presenters from appearing on one of its own comedy shows over concerns viewers could become confused.

The Telegraph, 17th February 2010

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