APPEARED:

• Series 10, Episode 5 (with Paul Merton) 1995

INTRODUCTION:

Angus said she was a female MP who pinched Harvey Proctor's seat, and there's not many women who can say that.

BEST QUOTE:

When Angus said a dodgy impression by Paul of Ringo Starr was 'too musically accurate', Gorman remarked: "But too musically horrible if you get it in your left ear."

ANECDOTES:

Briefly told of her famous spat with her local council over her lack of planning permission on her mock-Tudor home.

GIVEN A HARD TIME? Ian had a bash at her over her renowned attempt to bring down the Government in a row about Europe.  But as she was more than prepared to ridicule her own party, they didn't need to give her a hard time.

OTHER OBSERVATIONS:

She kept saying that some of the dialogue from the four men in the studio was disgusting, yet followed most of those rebukes up with enormous giggles.  She had a very endearing giggle indeed - even when she laughed at something she'd said which wasn't funny, her follow-up giggle still got the audience in stitches.  Fellow guest Neil Morrissey flirted with her blatantly, albeit for comedy effect, but she loved it.

COMMENTS FROM THE WEBMASTER:

Gorman was such a paradox.  She kept scolding the others for their gutter-language and expressions, yet still found herself laughing uncontrollably at times and having a an absolute whale of a time on the show.  She was funny, bright, unforgiving to anyone she didn't agree with, and had a refreshing line in frivolous criticism of her own party, something which many stuffier Conservative guests refused to use in any form.  She wasn't brilliant at answering the questions, but was more than game for a giggle, and in the end, came across as a thoroughly charming and entertaining guest.

MARKS OUT OF TEN: Eight.

SHOULD THEY INVITE HER BACK?

It's difficult to understand why they haven't already.  She was the first Conservative on the show to not let politics rule her performance.  Hopefully, she'll return.

APPEARED:

• Series 13, Episode 4 (with Paul Merton and Christine Hamilton) 1997

KNOWN AS:
Former Conservative MP embroiled in a 'cash-for-questions' scandal who lost his seat a week before appearing on the show and lost a libel battle over the scandal to Harrods boss Mohammed Al Fayed in 1999.

INTRODUCTION: Angus introduced Hamilton and his wife together, stating that
they had brought the reputation of the Conservative party into serious disrepute by being happily married.

BEST QUOTE: "It's much better telling political jokes than being one."

ANECDOTES: None.

GIVEN A HARD TIME?

Er, just slightly! Paul left him alone, as he and his wife were actively taking part in the show and understood what it was about.  But Ian clearly wasn't going to let the appearance of Neil Hamilton go without a dig or twenty at both him and his party, particularly as it was a week after he had lost his seat and the Tories had been trounced in the election.  Ian slyly reminded Hamilton that his replacement as Tatton MP 'wouldn't rig votes, because he is straight' and when Hamilton said there was muted applause, Ian shouted: "Okay, let's try Neil Hamilton's straight!" which got even more muted applause.  Ian also reminded everyone of a Private Eye cover which had Hamilton saying it would take ten grand in a brown envelope to make him resign, while Angus reeled off a long list of freebies which Hamilton had got from the Ritz from Mohamed Al Fayed, though Hamilton continued to deny 'any dishonesty or impropriety'.  And to cap it all, Hamilton was handed a large brown envelope at the end by Angus, who said it contained his fee.

OTHER OBSERVATIONS: Despite all that had happened to him, he absolutely loved being there.

COMMENTS FROM THE WEBMASTER:

Much criticism was made of the show for allowing Hamilton to appear after all that had happened (indeed, it was a last-minute decision as only his wife was booked, but the couple turned up together and said they'd both like to do it) but in the end, it was obviously going to become a classic.  And, it has to be said, much of that was down to Hamilton's willingness to send himself up, take the digs and comments proudly on the chin and slag off his own party and its main figures.  Considering the pressure and public humiliation the man had just gone through (and many would say, deservedly) you can't argue that he did a fine job.

MARKS OUT OF TEN: Eight.

SHOULD THEY INVITE HIM BACK? Would he dare do it without his very scary wife alongside him? We'll see.  Doubtful he'd be invited, but you never know...

APPEARED:

• Series 6, Episode 2 (with Paul Merton) 1993

Angus revealed that bookies were quoting odds on him appearing as Hattersley had previously pulled out of the show no less than three times, so he turned up at the BBC with several briefcases.

BEST QUOTE:

When Hattersley finally made it to the studio, it was worth the wait. He was sharp, concise, funny and self-deprecating and the audience warmed to him. His bulimia comment proved he was also unafraid to be controversial and it was a well-rounded performance, particularly as he also had the nerve to answer people back when they had a dig at him. His knowledge of the Tub of Lard incident also proved he knew the show and how it worked. It's difficult to ask any more of a political guest.

MARKS OUT OF TEN: Eight.

SHOULD THEY INVITE HIM BACK? 

The Tub of Lard incident would probably be revived again in a rather dull way as Hattersley has kept a low profile since leaving the Commons, so best let him go out on a high.

APPEARED:

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

Angus revealed that Hayes was Ken Livingstone's favourite Tory, which he compared to being like Ian Paisley's favourite Catholic.

BEST QUOTE:

Seeing an American presidential candidate coming out from behind the curtain of a polling booth after voting, Hayes said: "He's just made a sperm donation."

ANECDOTES:

Told of how he saw a false leg in the back of the BBC chairman's car when he cadged a lift. The driver said the chairman liked to keep a spare leg in the event of an emergency.

GIVEN A HARD TIME?  No, surprisingly.

OTHER OBSERVATIONS:

Refreshingly unafraid to ridicule his own party, as proved in the Caption Competition when he satirised the antics of former PM Margaret Thatcher. Also laughed heartily when fellow guest Frank Skinner claimed in an Odd One Out round that three Tory MPs were baddies, whereas Bill Oddie was a goodie.

COMMENTS FROM THE WEBMASTER:

Hayes is another politician who has kept abreast of public life and popular culture and had a flamboyant streak in him which worked so well that he was hardly given a difficult time by any of the regulars.  He answered the questions well, was occasionally risqué and laughed at Paul a hell of a lot. A good guest.

MARKS OUT OF TEN: Eight.

SHOULD THEY INVITE HIM BACK?  Normally, yes. But he has been hit by a major sex scandal since his last appearance and a lot of criticism was made of Private Eye about a decision to put a photo of his children on the front page when satirising the scandal. He and Ian would be at serious loggerheads - do we want to see Hayes suffer? In any event, it is unlikely that he would ever agree.

APPEARED:

• Series 8, Episode 6 (with Paul Merton) 1994

• Series 18, Episode 3 (with Ian Hislop) 1999

On her first appearance, Angus said she gave up a career in films to become a Labour MP, bidding the world of fantasy and make-believe a fond hello; second time round, Angus quoted Jackson saying she was flattered by John Prescott throwing his weight behind her Mayoral campaign, though the word should have been 'flattened'.

BEST QUOTE:

When shown a photo of herself wearing a wedding veil while smoking, she said: "It looks like I'm doing an advert for fire-retardant curtains."

ANECDOTES:

Told of how she and the other Labour candidates on a female-only list for her seat were dubbed as the Spice Girls, and she was Old Spice.

GIVEN A HARD TIME? 

She accused Angus of patronising her during a special round about political party slogans. Got a hell of a hammering from Ian about the abolition of hereditary peers. He claimed that the new peers would be full of Tony Blair's mates who had handed the Labour Party a lot of money, to which Jackson couldn't respond. Was left out of a special round about Mayoral candidates, as Angus said it was only for serious contenders for the post.

OTHER OBSERVATIONS:

Has a variety of emotions - no-one goes from stroppy and sour to hysterical and smiley quite as quickly as she does. She is one of the few people on the show who could cut Angus completely dead.

COMMENTS FROM THE WEBMASTER:

Difficult one to judge, as Jackson had phases where the viewer wanted to kick the telly in one minute, then adopt her as their surrogate mother the next. First time round, she was very sour and nervous, accusing all and sundry of patronising her if they helped her answer a question or congratulated her on getting one right. In her second appearance, which was dominated by the hereditary peers and London mayor stories, she vehemently tried to defend the actions of her party and its leader, but it seemed clear she knew that the ridiculing she got from others made sense and she was fighting a losing battle. However, when her sense of humour showed, it was cutting and funny and she wasn't afraid to send herself up. But she did take some jibes a little too gravely.

MARKS OUT OF TEN: Eight for her first appearance; seven for her second.

SHOULD THEY INVITE HER BACK? 

She may be worth another stab as she can give good value providing her own career isn't topical at the time of her appearance, which was the problem the second time she guested.