EPISODE 1:


"Good evening and welcome to the show that has done for Fleet Street what Fleet Street has done for David Mellor."

FIRST BROADCAST: 16th October 1992
TEAMS: Ian Hislop &
John Sessions; Paul Merton & Griff Rhys-Jones

 

ROUND ONE - FILM CLIPS:


Ian & John:   Government's closure of the majority of Britain's coal mines

Paul & Griff:   Madonna's visit to London to promote her book "Sex"

Ian & John:   Government announce another slump in the economy

Paul & Griff:   Speed cameras set up in London


Scores: Ian & John 4; Paul & Griff 4


ROUND TWO - TABLOID HEADLINES:

Paul:  ‘PARROT THAT GOT IT IN THE NECK’

Parrot strangled by neighbour after it had been trained to squawk his name over and over again

Griff:  RATS ESCAPE

New thief-proof police car stolen in Newcastle

John:  WILLIAM'S ROYAL FLUSH

Prince William pushes fellow pupil's head down the toilet

Ian:  BUBBLE BURSTS FOR EINSTEIN DRUG

Drug company fined for false claims about their 'intelligence drug'


Scores: Ian & John 7; Paul & Griff 8

 

ROUND THREE - ARCHIVE:

Ian & John - footage of Paul Boateng MP playing a judge wearing ladies' underwear

Paul & Griff - car crashes as bureaucrat gives TV interview denying the road is an accident blackspot

Scores: Ian & John 9; Paul & Griff 10


ROUND FOUR - ODD ONE OUT:

Paul - George Bush; Bill Clinton; Batman; Robin Hood

(Batman, as all the others descend from Sherwood Forest families)

Griff - Terry Waite; Frank Bough; He-Man; Max Clifford

(Clifford, as all the others have been tied up)

John - Woody Allen; Amanda de Cadanet; Chris Eubank; Derek Jameson

(Allen, as all the others spent time in a children's home)

Ian - Terry Wogan; Norman Lamont; John Major; Onan

(Onan, as all the others were merchant bankers)

Scores: Ian & John 11; Paul & Griff 12


ROUND FIVE - MISSING WORDS:

Ian & John:

ARRESTING CHILDREN IS __________ SAY POLICE

__________ MAY BE FIRST BLACK POPE

GORBACHEV FUMES AS POLICE EVICT HIM FROM __________

LAMONT LEFT IN __________ AFTER SPEECH

PRINCESS ROYAL DEFIES VETS OVER __________

Paul & Griff

FERGIE POPS INTO HOUSE TO DO __________

PRIME MINISTER WAS AWARE __________ HAD BEEN MASSAGED

JASON'S A __________ DISC BY STAR KING

CHURCH MAY ADVERTISE __________ IN PRESS

FARMER TELLS HOW HE PUT __________ IN MAJOR'S EAR


Final Scores: Ian & John 17; Paul & Griff 16

 


 

EPISODE 2:

 

“Good evening and welcome to the programme which the Brighton Evening Argus this week encapsulated in one sentence." (picture of the trio shown with the caption 'disturbing story of insanity and murder')

FIRST BROADCAST: 23rd October 1992
TEAMS: Ian Hislop &
David Baddiel; Paul Merton & Charles Kennedy MP


ROUND ONE - FILM CLIPS:

Ian & David:   The Queen visits Germany

Paul & Charles:   Coal dumped on Michael Heseltine's driveway

Ian & David:   Withdrawal of Jesus puppet by "Spitting Image" after Muslim complaints

Paul & Charles:   Row between the chairman and Director-General of the BBC

Scores: Ian & David 5; Paul & Charles 2


ROUND TWO - TABLOID HEADLINES:

Paul:  ‘YOU MUST BE DENTAL, DOC’

Dentist burglar in Munich who breaks into people's houses to clean and fill their teeth as they sleep

Charles:  THE GAY RITES THAT ANGERED ARCHBISHOP CAREY

The publication of a gay prayer book

David:  YICKES! NOW IT'S THE BROKEN HAND OF GOD

Ex-footballer and self-proclaimed Son of God David Icke breaks his hand in goalkeeping comeback

Ian:  FERGIE'S £1M FURY

The Duchess of York sues the photographer who took her topless pictures


Scores: Ian & David 9; Paul & Charles 4


ROUND THREE - ARCHIVE:

Ian & David - charity worker queuing in the January sales gets his donation cheque eaten by a goat

Paul & Charles - chimpanzee throws faeces at zookeeper during TV interview


Scores: Ian & David 9; Paul & Charles 6

ROUND FOUR - ODD ONE OUT:

Paul - Clint Eastwood; Lisa Stansfield; Roy Hattersley; a carpet mite

(the carpet mite, as all the others suffer from allergies)

Charles - Madonna; Prince Edward; Johnny Bryan; Antonio de Sancha

(Prince Edward, as all the others are self-confessed toe suckers)

David - Teresa Gorman; David Essex; Sally Gunnell; Mary Whitehouse

(Essex, as all the others are Essex girls)

Ian - Salvador Dali; the Dalai Lama; Paul Raymond; Alfred Hitchcock
(Raymond, as all the others have edited "Vogue" magazine)

 

Scores: Ian & David 11; Paul & Charles 8

ROUND FIVE - MISSING WORDS:

Paul & Charles:

BBC SELLS ELDORADO TO __________

PEROT CHASES BUSH IN __________

TORY MPS MAY __________ THEIR WHIPS

THE QUEEN'S __________ ARE SPACED OUT

CHURCH URGED TO SELL ITS __________

 

Ian & David:

SATELLITES SPOT HUGE __________ IN ITALY

MAJOR LOOKS INTO __________

ASHDOWN WARNS MPS AGAINST __________

UPROAR, SHOCK AND SHAME AS HESELTINE CHASES __________

KINNOCK IS REFUSED __________ JOB

Scores: Ian & David 16; Paul & Charles 16

*As the scores were tied, the Caption Competition was used as a tiebreaker and Paul was awarded the extra point for the best caption.


Final Scores: Ian & David 16; Paul & Charles 17

*A prize was awarded to the winners - a copy of the book everyone was talking about.  "Sex" - by J.G.  Bennett.

 


 

EPISODE 3:

 

"Good evening and tonight an orgy of fun, frolic and gay abandon, but first we have to get the programme out of the way."

FIRST BROADCAST: 30th October 1992
TEAMS: Ian Hislop &
Danny Baker; Paul Merton & Annabel Giles


ROUND ONE - FILM CLIPS:

Ian & Danny:   Suggestions that John Major is going mad

Paul & Annabel:   Four year old French pop star

Ian & Danny:   Trouble in Hong Kong for governor Chris Patten

Paul & Annabel:   MOT tests introduced in the Scilly Isles

Scores: Ian & Danny 4; Paul & Annabel 3


ROUND TWO - TABLOID HEADLINES:

Paul:  ‘ANNE'S FEAR OVER NUCLEAR DEER’

Deer near Balmoral have excess radiation in their antlers

Annabel:  ER, SORRY, THE END OF THE WORLD ISN'T NIGH

Fanatics in South Korea announce the end of the world, which then didn't happen

Danny:  HEDGEHOGS ON HEDGE OF A BREAKDOWN

Anxiety attacks and trauma being suffered by hedgehogs

Ian:  THE MAN WHO BROKE THE BANK OF ENGLAND

American stockbroker earns millions of pounds in taxpayers' money after betting on the ERM collapse


Scores: Ian & Danny 8; Paul & Annabel 5

ROUND THREE - ARCHIVE:

Ian & Danny - early morning police visit for Robert Maxwell's daughter in law Pandora

Paul & Annabel - birthday cake smashed into the face of Paul Gascoigne

Scores: Ian & Danny 10; Paul & Annabel 6

ROUND FOUR - ODD ONE OUT:

Paul - Mr Keith Oates of Chester; Mrs Sharwa Sadiki of East Yule; Mr Robert Black of Glasgow; Mr Gwyn Jones of Aberystwyth

(Black, as all the others are BBC governors)

Annabel - Cyril Smith; Madonna; Tim Curry; Captain Kirk

(Smith, as all the others have worn corsets)

Danny - Princess Margaret; Richard Branson; Carla Lane; Eton school
(Princess Margaret, as all the others own islands)

Ian - Cliff Richard; the Bishop of Galway; Samantha Fox; Stephen Fry

(the Bishop, as all the others are celibate)


Scores: Ian & Danny 12; Paul & Annabel 7

ROUND FIVE - MISSING WORDS:

Paul & Annabel:

PRIESTS TO __________ IF SYNOD REBUFFS WOMEN

BBC RIDDLED WITH __________ SAYS TV CHIEF

SMITH IS CAUGHT IN __________

MAJOR TO RISK ALL ON __________

HESELTINE COMES OUT __________

Ian & Danny: 

ALIENS RUSH FOR RIGHTS IN __________

PARANOID PEROT SCORES __________

FARMERS FIND __________ IN PEAS

YOUNG PEOPLE __________ ABOUT RADIO 1

OUTCRY AT £3M BILL TO PUT MAGGIE IN __________


Final Scores: Ian & Danny 13; Paul and Annabel 11

 


 

EPISODE 4:


"Good evening and before the next inexplicable BBC2 logo, a short programme. And before any of you comment on my voice, let me tell you that's the last time I French kiss Bill Clinton."

FIRST BROADCAST: 6th November 1992
TEAMS: Ian Hislop &
Frank Skinner; Paul Merton & Jerry Hayes MP

 

ROUND ONE - FILM CLIPS:

 

Ian & Frank - the Government narrowly win the Commons vote on Maastricht

Paul & Jerry:   Bill Clinton becomes the new American president

Ian & Frank:   The Prince and Princess of Wales visit Korea

Paul & Jerry:   EC rule that fishermen must wear hairnets to protect their produce

Scores: Ian & Frank 4; Paul & Jerry 4

ROUND TWO - TABLOID HEADLINES:

Paul:  ‘IT'S MR KATE ADIE’

TV cameraman changes his name to Kate Adie in order to get more work in war zones

Jerry:  BRITISH BURGLARY CORPORATION

Sets, costumes and props stolen in a spate of thefts from the BBC

Frank:  CHILDREN TO PUT THEIR PARENTS IN THE DOCK

New Act of Parliament allows children to divorce their parents

Ian:  GALILEO WINS, 359 YEARS LATE

The Pope finally pardons Galileo after accepting his claim that the Earth was not the centre of the universe

 

Scores: Ian & Frank 8; Paul & Jerry 8


ROUND THREE - ARCHIVE:

Ian & Frank - pile of drums blow away during gusty Royal ceremony

Paul & Jerry - theatre group cover Prince Charles in shaving foam


Scores: Ian & Frank 10; Paul & Jerry 8


ROUND FOUR - ODD ONE OUT:

Paul - Michael Winner; Sinead O'Connor; LaToya Jackson; Ronald Reagan Jr
(Winner, as all the others have publicly criticised their parents)

Jerry - David Mellor, Norman Lamont, Michael Heseltine; Bill Oddie

(Mellor, as all the others are ornithologists)

Frank - Elton John; Kevin Maxwell; Frank Warren; Jimmy Hill

(Warren, as all the others have been chairmen of football clubs)

Ian - John Gummer; Ayatollah Khameni; Toqua Mada; the Bishop of Durham

(the Bishop, as all the others believe in miracles)


Scores: Ian & Frank 13; Paul & Jerry 12

ROUND FIVE - MISSING WORDS:

Paul & Jerry:

LAMONT WANTS FIVE __________ TO WATCH THE ECONOMY

CHANNEL 4 CELEBRATES 10 YEARS OF __________

THE GERMANS SAY YES TO __________

FERGIE FIGHTS TO KEEP __________

MOTHERS BLANCH AS MAJOR UNVEILS NAKED __________

Ian & Frank:

FATE OF WORLD ECONOMY HANGS ON __________

BUSES TO USE __________ FOR TRIAL PERIOD

MAJOR WOOS TORIES WITH SOFT __________

DIANA TURNS ON __________ IN A PACT WITH CHARLES

LAMONT SAYS NO PLANS TO __________ THE QUEEN


Final Scores: Ian & Frank 13; Paul & Jerry 18

 


 

EPISODE 5:

 

"Good evening and welcome to the programme where the participants exhibit slightly worse manners than the Blue Peter elephant."

FIRST BROADCAST: 13th November 1992
TEAMS: Ian Hislop &
Rory Bremner; Paul Merton & Ken Livingstone MP


ROUND ONE - FILM CLIPS:

Ian & Rory:   The ordination of the first women priests

Paul & Ken:   Talks with the EC collapse over subsidies to French farmers

Ian & Rory:   Acquittal of Matrix Churchill in arms-to-Iraq trial

Paul & Ken:   Sale of Stonehenge and other ancient monuments


Scores: Ian & Rory 4; Paul & Ken 4

ROUND TWO - TABLOID HEADLINES:

Paul:  ‘NIKE'S SOLE SURVIVORS HIT THE BEACHES’

Slick of Nike trainers wash up on the California coast, two years after the ship carrying them sank

Ken:  THERE'S NO NOOKIE IN HEAVEN

The Pope says sex doesn't happen in Heaven

Rory:  HALF A FISH FINGER DIET

Government draw up £10 per week menu for the poor

Ian:  KEEP YOUR NOSE OUT OF ULSTER

Angry reactions over Clinton's wish to send an envoy over to solve Northern Ireland's problems


Scores: Ian & Rory 8; Paul & Ken 8


ROUND THREE - ARCHIVE:

Ian & Rory:   Small boy repeatedly tries to kick David Steel

Paul & Ken:   Farmer coats council office with manure over planning dispute

 

Scores: Ian & Rory 8; Paul & Ken 10

ROUND FOUR - ODD ONE OUT:

Paul - Sonny Bono; a box of Bonio; Bosca the dog; Dame Shirley Porter

(the box of Bonio, as all the others have been Mayors)

Ken - Sue Lawley; Kenny Dalglish; Harold Wilson; Ben Elton

(Dalglish, as all the others have presented chat shows)

Rory - Nigel Mansell; David Gower; Gary Numan; Stevie Wonder

(Gower, as all the others are pilots)

Ian - Magnus Magnusson; Robert Kilroy-Silk; Sir Michael Checkland; Sir Harry Secombe

(Kilroy-Silk, as all the others have children working at the BBC)

Scores: Ian & Rory 10; Paul & Ken 11

ROUND FIVE - MISSING WORDS:

Ian & Rory

__________ TO HEAD ARMS FOR IRAQ CASE INQUIRY

BUSH ACCUSED OF PLANTING __________ IN CLINTON'S __________

__________ MAY BE MOVED TO MOON

PM SUCKED INTO __________

Paul & Ken:

A NEW BREED OF DAIRY FARMER MILKS 90,000 __________

CHARLES'S SECRET BEDTIME __________

YELTSIN DELIVERS __________ AND HANDS THE QUEEN AN INVITATION

BLUSHING VIEWERS BACK TV SEX BUT NOT IN __________


*From this episode, the Missing Words round was reduced from five headlines per team to four.


Final Scores: Ian & Rory 17; Paul & Ken 13


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