APPEARED:

• Series 13, Episode 6 (with Ian Hislop) 1997

KNOWN AS:

One half of the double act Mel & Sue, who presented Channel 4 celebrity discussion show 'Light Lunch' and later co-hosted ITV showbiz quiz 'Casting Couch'.

INTRODUCTION:

Angus said Perkins was one of the stars of 'Light Lunch', a title which came to Channel 4 executives over a five-course meal at the Dorchester.

BEST QUOTE:

On being shown a clip of a dried-out reservoir, she said: "That's a close-up of Peter Mandelson's tongue the night after Labour won."

ANECDOTES: Revealed that she started smoking at the age of four.

GIVEN A HARD TIME?

Not really, although Paul suggested she started smoking so early because her name was similar to 'Superkings'.

OTHER OBSERVATIONS: None.

COMMENTS FROM THE WEBMASTER:

It was Perkins who did the most to try to brighten up a less than inspiring episode with one or two tasty comments but in the end her efforts failed.  She did well enough, but the whole show was generally a damp squib.

MARKS OUT OF TEN: Seven.

SHOULD THEY INVITE HER BACK? Yes.

APPEARED:

• Series 12, Episode 1 (with Ian Hislop) 1996

APPEARED:

• Series 5, Episode 4 (with Ian Hislop) 1993

• Series 7, Episode 2 (with Paul Merton) 1994

KNOWN AS:

Actress famed for her role in BBC1 sitcoms "Men Behaving Badly" and "Kiss Me Kate" and her improvisation on Channel 4's "Whose Line Is It Anyway?". At the time of her appearances, she was married to Paul Merton, though the couple have now split.

INTRODUCTION:

First time round, Angus pointed out her wedlock to Paul as a way to get on the show and labelled her Mrs Merton; on her second appearance, Angus assured everyone that despite her associations with certain members of the panel, she was a star in her own right - before introducing her as Mrs Paul Merton.

BEST QUOTE:

After her husband said he had never seen a particular seaside postcard which she had just described, she hit back: "You should get out more."

ANECDOTES:

Claimed to have also slept with Angus, which was untrue, though it didn't stop Paul mentioning it throughout the rest of the series.

GIVEN A HARD TIME?

During a hopelessly over-acted "warring couple" routine which they did throughout her second episode, Paul called her a "thicko" after they had hopelessly lost. Looked daggers at Ian when he described them as a "sugar-sweet couple".

OTHER OBSERVATIONS:

She answered the questions well - whenever she gave herself the chance to between swapping insults with Paul - and managed to flirt with both Angus and Ian on her appearances.

COMMENTS FROM THE WEBMASTER:

Quentin was a little-known actress when she first appeared, though she is now one of British TV's most recognisable faces, and it was inevitable that her marriage to Paul would be the subject of many jokes and insults, even though they were all an act. Her second appearance was way over the top, with the "loveless marriage" routine getting hopelessly over-used. A funny woman, but only when it came to having a dig at Paul.

MARKS OUT OF TEN: Seven and six.

SHOULD THEY INVITE HER BACK?

They can try, but there's no way – for both their sakes – that she would agree to appear on a show with her ex-husband. Their split was amicable but the Press would have a field day if she returned, as both are still high on tabloid 'wanted' lists.

APPEARED:

• Series 1, Episode 2 (with Paul Merton) 1990

• Series 2, Episode 9 (with Ian Hislop) 1991

• Series 3, Episode 3 (with Ian Hislop) 1992

KNOWN AS:

Upper-crust actress and mimic who provided many voices for ITV's "Spitting Image" and has starred in numerous comedy shows.

INTRODUCTION:

No details of her first appearance; second time round, Angus reeled off a list of her credits and added she was currently appearing in...this show; for her third appearance, Angus again reeled off a list of shows and added they were what her video was set to record.

BEST QUOTE:

When she correctly selected Alvin Stardust as the Odd One Out because he had never been bankrupt, she added: "But he was married to Liza Goddard, which might be almost as bad."

ANECDOTES: None.

GIVEN A HARD TIME?

Ian accused her of double-standards when she described a Royal aide as "a nice bit of totty", claiming she would have gone mad if a man had said that. She responded well.

OTHER OBSERVATIONS:

No idea about her debut, but never before has a guest boasted two quite so utterly different hairstyles as she did in her second and third appearances. First she had a long, sweeping cut, then suddenly it was short, curled and piled on top. She is also very loud.

COMMENTS FROM THE WEBMASTER:

Ravens got stuck into the show and made many good contributions both in terms of answering the questions and getting the laughs. Her best asset was cracking the gags in the Missing Words round.

MARKS OUT OF TEN: Unable to score her first appearance; eight and eight.

SHOULD THEY INVITE HER BACK?

After a long gap of eight years maybe it's time for them to call her again. She is always good value.

APPEARED:

• Series 3, Episode 7 (with Paul Merton) 1992

• Series 4, Episode 1 (with Paul Merton) 1992

• Christmas Special (with Ian Hislop) 1993

APPEARED:

KNOWN AS:

Outspoken comedian who shot to fame playing members of the same family on cult BBC2 sitcom "The Young Ones" and later had his own BBC2 sketch show "Alexei Sayle's Stuff".

INTRODUCTION:

First time round, Angus quoted Sayle as saying he didn't like to ingratiate with other comedians for the sake of it, so he called him a "fat bastard"; on his second appearance, Angus said Sayle was someone who many people looked up to as a guiding light for the innovation, the precision and the limitless volume of his advertising voiceovers.

BEST QUOTE:

Claiming he only came on the show to get more advertising voice-overs, he spent much of his first appearance shouting: "Looking for auto-insurance? Don't!"

ANECDOTES: None.

GIVEN A HARD TIME?  No. He cuts quite a scary figure, so maybe that's why.

OTHER OBSERVATIONS:

He knew his stuff when it came to answering the questions. It's interesting to note that he got loads of work on commercials since plugging himself on the show, a fact which he talked about at the end of his second appearance. A very physical performer, he also managed to sprawl himself over the desk when Ian claimed his guest was acrobatic.

COMMENTS FROM THE WEBMASTER:

Sayle has always done character comedy, so this was possibly the first time an audience saw him being himself, and they weren't disappointed. He was loud, rude, controversial and lippy and his constant, random shouting of slogans involving car insurance and big box powders provided some light relief during his first appearance, particularly as fellow guest Gerald Kaufman was staid and nervous and barely contributed. Ian absolutely loved having Sayle alongside him, as proved by their matey banter during Sayle's second appearance.

MARKS OUT OF TEN: Nine for his first appearance; eight for his second.

SHOULD THEY INVITE HIM BACK?

He has enough surrealism in him to take the show in many directions, and that often helps it become a classic, so yes.

APPEARED:

• Series 3, Episode 9 (with Ian Hislop) 1993

• Series 4, Episode 1 (with Ian Hislop) 1994

KNOWN AS:

Elitist actor and comedian who was the original star of Channel 4's improvisation show "Whose Line Is It Anyway?". Has appeared in a variety of comedy and stage shows. Last seen playing a barking mad obstetrician in BBC2 fantasy drama "Gormenghast".

INTRODUCTION:

On his first appearance, Angus said he was the man who made "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" what it is today - full of Americans; second time round, Angus merely said he was "the thinking man's John Sessions".

BEST QUOTE:

When given an Odd One Out including Jeffrey Archer, he said: "They've all got medals, except for someone whose name escapes me.  He just meddles."

ANECDOTES: None.

GIVEN A HARD TIME? No.

OTHER OBSERVATIONS:

Managed to spill water all over the desk, interrupting Angus's monologue and forcing fellow guest and cold sufferer Griff Rhys-Jones to hand over a tissue to help him mop up the mess.  Has always found Paul very funny, probably because the two are opposite ends of the comedy spectrum and showed it again with regular laughter, in particular corpsing during his first appearance when Paul rambled on about a "pig in a passage".

COMMENTS FROM THE WEBMASTER:

APPEARED:

• Series 4, Episode 4 (with Ian Hislop) 1992

• Series 4, Episode 10 (with Paul Merton) 1992

• Series 5, Episode 3 (with Ian Hislop) 1993

• Series 9, Episode 6 (with Ian Hislop) 1995

KNOWN AS:

Outstanding natural comedian who also co-hosted BBC2's soccer fanzine show "Fantasy Football League" and his own talk show on BBC1.

INTRODUCTION:

First time round, Angus read a review saying that Skinner's act was a subtle manhandling of the audience, so all the front row of the audience should keep on their coats; on his second appearance, Angus claimed Skinner took half of his name from a boxer and half from a shoe manufacturer - Lilian Bruno; third time round, Angus said Skinner had been on both Ian and Paul's team in the past so they tossed a coin - and Ian lost; on his fourth appearance, Angus said he was both a comedian and a football fan, and to prove it, he supported West Bromwich Albion.

BEST QUOTE:

"Did you see that guy who held up a placard with 'BOO!' on it in front of the Queen and he got done for threatening behaviour?  Had he put an 'M' on the end, would he have got done under the Prevention of Terrorism Act?"

ANECDOTES:

Recalled watching an episode of "Family Fortunes" from its early Bob Monkhouse days in which two contestants got a question very badly and humorously wrong.

GIVEN A HARD TIME? 

Admitted that he had a lot of fun with a Freeman's catalogue which caused Ian to call him 'sad'.  Skinner responded that there was a difference between 'lonely' and 'sad'.

OTHER OBSERVATIONS:

Answered the questions thoroughly and was quite prepared to elaborate to the point of digression on occasions, which took the show in totally different directions.  Also mentioned the audience in the studio - a rare occurrence - saying they looked very 'blue' on TV, like a Smurf convention.

COMMENTS FROM THE WEBMASTER:

At the time of his first appearance, Skinner was well-known only to comedy connoisseurs yet now is one of the most recognisable faces in showbiz.  Always smiling, he delivered his gags with his usual exquisite timing and had Ian in stitches on occasions, which is very difficult to do.  He was totally overshadowed by Stephen Fry during his second appearance, though still managed to do enough to win the audience's approval and was a very good guest.  Like most comics, he is better with scripted material but proved he had enough sharpness in his repertoire to work well on the show. 

MARKS OUT OF TEN: Eight, seven, eight, eight.

SHOULD THEY INVITE HIM BACK? 

He is always capable of something memorable when he appears, so there's no reason why he couldn't do it again.  He is also capable of totally dominating a show on his day, and that can only be a good thing.

APPEARED:

• Series 1, Episode 3 (with Ian Hislop) 1990

• Series 2, Episode 2 (with Ian Hislop) 1991

• Series 3, Episode 1 (with Paul Merton) 1992

• Series 5, Episode 8 (with Ian Hislop) 1993

KNOWN AS:

Giggly and deliberately crude actor and improviser who shot to fame on Channel 4's "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" and has since starred in ITV sitcom "That's Love" and feature film "Peter's Friends". Last seen hosting Channel 5 medical quiz "Tibs And Fibs".

INTRODUCTION:

Paul said he had a nerve for calling someone else a "greaser" while his often lewd completions in the Missing Words round had Ian looking at him in disbelief.  He also tried to crack an obvious joke about a severed ear (though the Webmaster still can't work out what he was going to say) which prompted Paul to have a go at him for being very predictable.

OTHER OBSERVATIONS:

This man could giggle for Britain. He also has a jolliness and innocence about him which lets him get away with his multi-lewd comments, which lesser people would be slaughtered for.

COMMENTS FROM THE WEBMASTER:

Slattery is a naturally funny guy and his enthusiasm is a joy to watch, particularly when he is in battle with Paul.  The two have known each other a long time and are in constant playful banter with each other so this came across well in each episode.  Slattery can also combine his quick wit with a genuine interest and intellectual capacity, much like Ian, so that helps find the right blend between humour and knowledge which a good guest needs.  Did well to keep focus on him for long periods in his last appearance when much attention was being paid to the Tub of Lard.

MARKS OUT OF TEN: Eight; nine; eight and eight.

SHOULD THEY INVITE HIM BACK?

Yes. Not only because he is good value, but also to show he has recovered fully from a recent nervous breakdown.

APPEARED:

• Series 1, Episode 4 (with Ian Hislop) 1990

• Series 8, Episode 2 (with Ian Hislop) 1994

KNOWN AS:

Crusty comedian, compère and playwright, who hosted BBC1 variety show "Paramount City" and wrote the West End stage play "An Evening With Gary Lineker".

INTRODUCTION:

No details of his first appearance; second time round, Angus said Smith used to be part of a double act called Fiasco JobJob, so they would find out which one he was within the next half hour.

BEST QUOTE:

In his second appearance, Smith's captain Ian unleashed his Jimmy Somerville impression for the first time. Smith later said: "Do your Bronski Beat impression again, it gives us a bit more of a human face Ian, rather than the sort of smug one you project otherwise."

ANECDOTES: 

The truth of this is dubious, but having mistakenly altered the name of Michael Hutchence to Michael Hutchinson, he claimed it was a guy he went to school with, who brought a dead dog to the nature table.

GIVEN A HARD TIME? 

Not by anyone else, but by himself. Smith readily admitted over the Hutchinson confusion that he had got it wrong and "should have done 'Celebrity Squares'."

OTHER OBSERVATIONS: 

Smith is the only man whose footwear has been on view during the programme, having removed his shoes and shown one of them to the audience on the grounds that they were too heavy for him. He then decided to take a sock off and show that too.

COMMENTS FROM THE WEBMASTER: 

Smith looks a scraggy and lived-in comedian and has a great drollness in his voice but proved overall that his real comic talent is in his pen. Second time round, in what was generally a disappointing episode in a quiet news week, Smith had the opportunity to dominate matters but didn't take it.

MARKS OUT OF TEN: Unable to score his first appearance; six for his second.

SHOULD THEY INVITE HIM BACK?  No.

APPEARED:

• Series 3, Episode 7 (with Paul Merton) 1992

KNOWN AS:

Character comedian and actor, who was one of Rory Bremner's early sidekicks and later became a semi-regular, with performing partner Jim Sweeney, on Channel 4's "Whose Line Is It Anyway?".

INTRODUCTION:

Angus said he had been in both Sooty and Roland Rat, so his court case was due.

BEST QUOTE:

Unable to answer an Odd One Out question, he looked at the camera and said: "Well, what does this face tell you?  Blank!"

ANECDOTES:

Was very quiet and for a comedian, didn't come up with too many laughs though Paul was so bang on form that day he had little chance.  Also seemed to confirm or agree with every gag Paul made, and had an interest almost to the point of obsession with Paul Gascoigne, who was first seen in the Film Clips round yet was mentioned by Steen later in the same round, in the Tabloid Headlines round and the Missing Words round.

COMMENTS FROM THE WEBMASTER:

Steen is a successful comedian and actor but never high-profile - even to this day - and he struggled to live up to what the show demanded.  Answered the questions well but that was just about all.

MARKS OUT OF TEN: Six.

SHOULD THEY INVITE HIM BACK? 

No.  He's not a sharp enough wit, despite a good improvisation heritage, as it's the wrong sort of show.  His quickness is better suited to being in character rather than being himself.

APPEARED:

• Series 4, Episode 7 (with Paul Merton) 1992

• Series 5, Episode 5 (with Ian Hislop) 1993

• Series 17, Episode 6 (with Ian Hislop) 1999

KNOWN AS:

Actress and comedienne who had many bit parts until shooting to fame on BBC2's ethnic sketch show "Goodness Gracious Me".

INTRODUCTION:

First time round, Angus said she had come on to get away from her hairless, screaming baby, so they didn't pair her with Ian; second time round, Angus said she had starred in "School For Scandal", "All The Fun Of The Fair" and "Easy Money", so two out of three wasn't bad for this show; on her third appearance, Angus quoted her as saying "I love paintings with fat birds in them", which she clearly stole from an article by fellow guest Brian Sewell.

BEST QUOTE:

Talking about a man who glued his buttocks together, she added: "Easy mistake - I've done it many times. In fact, sometimes it's the only effective way to say 'no'."

ANECDOTES: Told of how her Furby never stopped talking, so she had to put a cushion over it, which reverted to a savaging of fellow guest Brian Sewell.

GIVEN A HARD TIME? No.

OTHER OBSERVATIONS: She has a very wicked giggle, particularly when she is giggling at Paul. She seemed to like being alongside him.

COMMENTS FROM THE WEBMASTER:

An unknown when she first appeared, Syal was immediately in her element with so sharp answers and a definite charm about her. She had total confidence and delivered some terrific one-liners while also answering the questions well. Her next two appearances were equally as effective, overcoming the long-standing rift between Angus and Paul over Paul's wife during her second guesting with some good lines, while in the third she enjoyed having a dig at Sewell and his dated opinions.

MARKS OUT OF TEN: Nine, eight and eight.

SHOULD THEY INVITE HER BACK? 

Absolutely. She has become one of the show's most consistent guests. She will always be good value.