List of Saturday Live (British TV series) episodes

Last updated

Below is an episode list for both the British TV series Saturday Live and Friday Night Live which were essentially the same production. The series originally aired on Channel 4 between 1985 and 1988, but it briefly returned in 1996, and there have also been a number of one-off special shows. [1] This was a variety show transmitted live, showcasing a mix of comedy and music. For the pilot and the first 3 series, after the live shows aired, they were edited into shorter compilation shows which were shown a few months after each series ended.

Contents

Overview

Series

SeriesSeasonSlot TimeEpisodesOriginally airedNetworkDirectorProducers
Live Shows
Saturday Live Pilot show 90 mins1January 12, 1985 (1985-01-12) Channel 4 Paul Jackson Paul Jackson
Series 1 90 mins10January 25, 1986 (1986-01-25)March 29, 1986 (1986-03-29) Channel 4 Geoff Posner Geoff Posner and Paul Jackson
Series 2 75 mins10February 7, 1987 (1987-02-07)April 11, 1987 (1987-04-11) Channel 4 Ian Hamilton Geoff Posner and Geoffrey Perkins
Friday Night Live Series 1 75 mins10February 19, 1988 (1988-02-19)April 29, 1988 (1988-04-29) Channel 4 Ian Hamilton Geoff Posner and Geoffrey Perkins
Saturday Live Series 3 60 mins8June 1, 1996 (1996-06-01)July 20, 1996 (1996-07-20) ITV Ian HamiltonIan Hamilton and Susie Dark
Highlights Shows
Best Of Saturday LivePilot show highlights60 mins1January 4, 1986 (1986-01-04) ITV Paul Jackson Paul Jackson
Saturday Almost LiveSeries 1 highlights60 mins6September 13, 1986 (1986-09-13)October 18, 1986 (1986-10-18) Channel 4 Geoff Posner Geoff Posner and Paul Jackson
Series 2 highlights60 mins8October 3, 1987 (1987-10-03)November 21, 1987 (1987-11-21) Channel 4 Ian Hamilton Geoff Posner and Geoffrey Perkins
Friday Night Almost LiveSeries 1 highlights60 mins8October 12, 1988 (1988-10-12)November 30, 1988 (1988-11-30) Channel 4 Ian Hamilton Geoff Posner and Geoffrey Perkins

Specials

TitleDescriptionSlot TimeAir DateNetworkDirectorProducers
Saturday Live
Re-edited show for ITV's 1986 Golden Rose of Montreux entry [2]
45 mins22 April 1986 Channel 4 Geoff Posner Geoff Posner and Geoffrey Perkins
Friday Night Live Lives Again!
Comic Relief Special [3]
60 mins12 March 1993 BBC1  ? ?
Saturday Live Again!
One-off 20th anniversary revival show
90 mins1 December 2007 ITV Geoff Posner Geoff Posner and David Tyler
Friday Night Live
One-off revival for Channel 4's 40th anniversary
95 mins21 October 2022 Channel 4 Geoff Posner Susie Hall

Episodes

Full episodes of the live shows have never subsequently been aired since their original showing, nor have they been made commercially available. Instead, individual performances have been re-edited into compilation shows aired by Channel 4 in the same year, or for DVD compilations released between 2007 and 2009. [4]

Where known, the lists below are annotated to indicate if an individual performance later appeared in a re-edited show, or in a DVD release.

All performers and performances are listed in their original running order for each show.

Saturday Live (Pilot)

[5]

ShowHostAir Time (with ads)Original air date
~ Lenny Henry 90 mins.12/01/1985 (12/01/1985)

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Appears in "Best of Saturday Live"
  1. Appears in edited show submitted by ITV for their 1986 Golden Rose of Montreux festival entry. Aired by Channel 4 22/04/1986.
  1. Appears on DVD "The Dangerous Brothers - Dangervision"

Saturday Live - Series 1

[6]

ShowHostAir Time (with ads)Original air date
1 Tracey Ullman 90 mins.25/01/1986 (25/01/1986)

2 Lenny Henry 90 mins.01/02/1986 (01/02/1986)

3 Pamela Stephenson 90 mins.08/02/1986 (08/02/1986)

4 Chris Barrie 90 mins.15/02/1986 (15/02/1986)

5 Michael Barrymore 90 mins.22/02/1986 (22/02/1986)

6 Hale & Pace 90 mins.01/03/1986 (01/03/1986)

7 Ben Elton 90 mins.08/03/1986 (08/03/1986)

8 Fascinating Aïda 90 mins.15/03/1986 (15/03/1986)

9 Peter Cook 90 mins.22/03/1986 (22/03/1986)

10 Steven Wright 90 mins.29/03/1986 (29/03/1986)

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Appears in "Saturday Almost Live", series 1, episode 2
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Appears in "Saturday Almost Live", series 1, episode 4
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Appears in "Saturday Almost Live", series 1, episode 6
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Appears in "Saturday Almost Live", series 1, episode 1
  5. 1 2 3 Appears in "Saturday Almost Live", series 1, episode 3
  6. 1 2 3 4 Appears in "Saturday Almost Live", series 1, episode 5
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Appears in edited show submitted by ITV for their 1986 Golden Rose of Montreux festival entry. Aired by Channel 4 22/04/1986.
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 Appears on Network On Air DVD
    "Saturday Live - The Best Of Series 1"
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 Appears on Network On Air DVD
    "Saturday Live - Fry And Laurie, Harry Enfield And Ben Elton"
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Appears on DVD
    "The Dangerous Brothers - Dangervision"

Saturday Live (Golden Rose of Montreux 1986 entry)

Re-edited show for ITV's 1986 Golden Rose of Montreux entry. Material used is mostly from S1E06, but also taking the Dangerous Brothers sketch from the pilot show, and the Blind Date sketch from S1E04.

ShowHostAir Time (with ads)Original air date
~ Hale & Pace 45mins.22/04/1986 (22/04/1986)

Saturday Live - Series 2

[7]

ShowHostAir Time (with ads)Original air date
1 Ben Elton 75 mins.07/02/1987 (07/02/1987)

2 Ben Elton 75 mins.14/02/1987 (14/02/1987)

3 Ben Elton 75 mins.21/02/1987 (21/02/1987)

4 Ben Elton 75 mins.28/02/1987 (28/02/1987)

5 Ben Elton 75 mins.07/03/1987 (07/03/1987)

6 Ben Elton 75 mins.14/03/1987 (14/03/1987)

7 Ben Elton 75 mins.21/03/87 (21/03/87)

8 Ben Elton 75 mins.28/03/1987 (28/03/1987)

9 Ben Elton 75 mins.04/04/1987 (04/04/1987)

10 Ben Elton 75 mins.11/04/1987 (11/04/1987)

  1. 1 2 3 4 Appears in "Saturday Almost Live", series 1, episode 1
  2. 1 2 Appears in "Saturday Almost Live", series 1, episode 2
  3. 1 2 3 4 Appears in "Saturday Almost Live", series 1, episode 7
  4. 1 2 3 Appears in "Saturday Almost Live", series 1, episode 3
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Appears in "Saturday Almost Live", series 1, episode 4
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Appears in "Saturday Almost Live", series 1, episode 5
  7. 1 2 3 4 Appears in "Saturday Almost Live", series 1, episode 6
  8. 1 2 3 Appears in "Saturday Almost Live", series 1, episode 8

Friday Night Live - Series 1

[8]

ShowHostAir Time (with ads)Original air date
1 Ben Elton 75 mins.19/02/1988 (19/02/1988)

2 Ben Elton 75 mins.26/02/1988 (26/02/1988)

3 Ben Elton 75 mins.04/03/1988 (04/03/1988)

4 Ben Elton 75 mins.11/03/1988 (11/03/1988)

5 Ben Elton 75 mins.18/03/1988 (18/03/1988)

6 Ben Elton 75 mins.25/03/1988 (25/03/1988)

7 Ben Elton 75 mins.08/04/1988 (08/04/1988)

8 Ben Elton 75 mins.15/04/1988 (15/04/1988)

9 Ben Elton 75 mins.22/04/1988 (22/04/1988)

10 Ben Elton 75 mins.29/04/1988 (29/04/1988)

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Appears in "Friday Night Almost Live", series 1, episode 1
  2. 1 2 3 Appears in "Friday Night Almost Live", series 1, episode 2
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Appears in "Friday Night Almost Live", series 1, episode 3
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Appears in "Friday Night Almost Live", series 1, episode 4
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Appears in "Friday Night Almost Live", series 1, episode 5
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Appears in "Friday Night Almost Live", series 1, episode 6
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Appears in "Friday Night Almost Live", series 1, episode 7
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Appears in "Friday Night Almost Live", series 1, episode 8

Friday Night Live Lives Again! (Comic Relief Special)

Shown as part of BBC's Red Nose Day telethon for Comic Relief.

ShowHostAir TimeOriginal air date
~ Ben Elton 60 mins.12/03/1993 (12/03/1993)

Saturday Live - Series 3

[9]
This series was directed by Ian Hamilton, and produced by Ian Hamilton and Susie Dark. [10]

ShowHostAir Time (with ads)Original air date
1 Lee Hurst 60 mins.01/06/1996 (01/06/1996)

* Details incomplete

2 Lee Hurst 60 mins.08/06/1996 (08/06/1996)

* Details incomplete

3 Lee Hurst 60 mins.15/06/1996 (15/06/1996)

* Details incomplete

4 Lee Hurst 60 mins.22/06/1996 (22/06/1996)

* Details incomplete

5 Lee Hurst 60 mins.29/06/1996 (29/06/1996)

* Details incomplete

6 Lee Hurst 60 mins.06/07/1996 (06/07/1996)

* Details incomplete

7 Lee Hurst 60 mins.13/07/1996 (13/07/1996)

* Details incomplete

8 Lee Hurst 60 mins.20/07/1996 (20/07/1996)

* Details incomplete

Saturday Live Again!

One-off 2007 special

ShowHostAir TimeOriginal air date
~ Marcus Brigstocke 90 mins.1/12/2007 (1/12/2007)

* Details incomplete

Friday Night Live (Channel 4's 40th anniversary show)

A one-off show commissioned to celebrate 40 years of Channel 4 which began broadcasting in November 1982.

ShowHostAir TimeOriginal air date
~ Ben Elton 95 mins.21/10/2022 (21/10/2022)

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Goodies</span> Trio of British comedians known for the TV series of the same name

The Goodies were a trio of British comedians: Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graeme Garden and Bill Oddie. The trio created, wrote for and performed in their eponymous television comedy show from 1970 until 1982, combining sketches and situation comedy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ben Elton</span> British comedian, author, playwright, actor, and director

Benjamin Charles Elton is a British comedian, actor, author, playwright, lyricist and director. He was a part of London's alternative comedy movement of the 1980s and became a writer on the sitcoms The Young Ones and Blackadder, as well as continuing as a stand-up comedian on stage and television. His style in the 1980s was left-wing political satire. He has published many novels in dystopian, comedy, and crime genres, as well as written the musicals The Beautiful Game (2000), We Will Rock You (2002), Tonight's the Night (2003), and Love Never Dies (2010).

Fridays was a late-night live comedy show that aired on ABC on Friday nights from April 11, 1980, to April 23, 1982.

<i>The Young Ones</i> (TV series) British sitcom (1982–1984)

The Young Ones is a British sitcom written by Rik Mayall, Ben Elton, and Lise Mayer, starring Adrian Edmondson, Mayall, Nigel Planer, Christopher Ryan, and Alexei Sayle, and broadcast on BBC Two for two series, first shown in 1982 and 1984. The show focused on the lives of four dissimilar students and their landlord's family on different plots that often included anarchic, offbeat, surreal humour. The show often included slapstick gags, visual humour and surreal jokes sometimes acted out by puppets, with each episode also featuring a notable selection of guest stars and musical numbers from various performers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geoffrey Perkins</span> British comedy writer, producer and actor

Geoffrey Howard Perkins was a British comedy producer, writer and performer. He was BBC head of comedy between 1995 and 2001, and produced the first two radio series of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. He is one of the people credited with creating the panel game Mornington Crescent for I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue. In December 2008 he posthumously received an Outstanding Contribution to Comedy Award.

<i>Jeeves and Wooster</i> British comedy-drama television series (1990–1993)

Jeeves and Wooster is a British comedy-drama television series adapted by Clive Exton from P. G. Wodehouse's "Jeeves" stories. It aired on the ITV network from 22 April 1990 to 20 June 1993, with the last series nominated for a British Academy Television Award for Best Drama Series. Set in the UK and the US in an unspecified period between the late 1920s and the 1930s, the series starred Hugh Laurie as Bertie Wooster, an affable young gentleman and member of the idle rich, and Stephen Fry as Jeeves, his highly intelligent and competent valet. Bertie and his friends, who are mainly members of the Drones Club, are extricated from all manner of societal misadventures by the indispensable Jeeves.

<i>The Facts of Life</i> (TV series) American sitcom

The Facts of Life is an American television sitcom created by Dick Clair and Jenna McMahon and a spin-off of Diff'rent Strokes that originally aired on NBC from August 24, 1979, to May 7, 1988, making it one of the longest-running sitcoms of the 1980s. The series focuses on Edna Garrett, as she becomes a housemother at the fictional Eastland School, an all-girls boarding school in Peekskill, New York.

Kevin Paul Jackson, credited as Paul Jackson; sometimes as K. Paul Jackson, is an English television director, producer and executive, known for his production roles within the BBC, ITV, and previously, Carlton and Granada. His most famous television work includes The Two Ronnies and The Young Ones, and as the original producer for the sci-fi sitcom Red Dwarf. In 2006, Jackson was named Director of Comedy and Entertainment at ITV.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fry and Laurie</span> British comedy duo

Fry and Laurie are an English comedy double act, mostly active in the 1980s and 1990s, composed of Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie. The two met in 1980 through mutual friend Emma Thompson while all three attended the University of Cambridge. Following appearances on TV sketch show Alfresco, The Young Ones, and revue series Saturday Live, they gained prominence on television sketch comedy A Bit of Fry & Laurie, actress Deborah Norton appearing in many of the sketches in the first series.

<i>A Country Practice</i> Australian television series

A Country Practice is an Australian television soap opera/serial which was broadcast on the Seven Network from 18 November 1981 until 22 November 1993, and subsequently on Network Ten from 13 April 1994 to 5 November 1994. Altogether, 14 seasons and 1,088 episodes were produced.

The Chart Show is a weekly syndicated music video programme, which ran in the United Kingdom from April 1986 until August 1998, with revivals in 2003 and 2008–2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Dangerous Brothers</span>

The Dangerous Brothers was a stage and TV act by anarchic comedy duo Rik Mayall and Ade Edmondson, performing respectively as "Richard Dangerous" and "Sir Adrian Dangerous". Originally appearing on stage in London at the comedy club The Comic Strip, the characters were well developed before appearing on TV. First appearing on television on a one-off 1980 BBC TV show Boom Boom Out Go The Lights, they were also featured in a TV short documentary film The Comic Strip, directed by Julien Temple, before they appeared in a number of brief sketches in the TV programme Saturday Live from 1985 and into its first series in 1986.

USA Up All Night was an American cable television series that aired weekly on Friday and Saturday nights on the USA Network. The show aired from 1989 to 1998. Throughout its run, the program was hosted by Gilbert Gottfried, Caroline Schlitt, and finally Rhonda Shear.

Saturday Live is a British television comedy and music show, made by LWT and initially broadcast on Channel 4 from 1985 to 1988, with a brief revival on ITV in 1996. A few one-off editions have also been screened sporadically, including a contribution to the BBC's 1993 Comic Relief telethon. It was based on the American sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live but otherwise had no direct connection to the show.

Night Network, Night Time and Night Shift were names given to the overnight schedule of the ITV network in the United Kingdom. The first ITV company began 24-hour broadcasting in 1986, with all of the companies broadcasting through the night by the end of 1988. At first, individual companies created their own services; however, before too long, many of the smaller ITV stations began simulcasting or networking services from others.

<i>Alfresco</i> (TV series) British TV comedy sketch series (1983–1984)

Alfresco is a British sketch comedy television series starring Robbie Coltrane, Ben Elton, Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Siobhan Redmond and Emma Thompson, produced by Granada Television and broadcast by ITV from 1 May 1983 to 2 June 1984. Running for two series, it totalled 13 episodes and was named Alfresco because, unusually for a comedy sketch show of the time, it was shot on location rather than in a studio.

<i>The Graham Norton Show</i> British comedy chat show, broadcast on BBC One

The Graham Norton Show is a British comedy talk show presented by Graham Norton. It was initially broadcast on BBC Two, from 22 February 2007, before moving to BBC One in October 2009. It currently airs on Friday evenings, with Norton succeeding Friday Night with Jonathan Ross in BBC One's prestigious late-Friday-evening slot in 2010.

<i>Would I Lie to You?</i> (British game show) British TV comedy panel game show (since 2007)

Would I Lie to You? is a British comedy panel show aired on BBC One, made by Zeppotron for the BBC. It was first broadcast on 16 June 2007, starring David Mitchell and Lee Mack as team captains. The show was originally presented by Angus Deayton, and since 2009 has been hosted by Rob Brydon.

This is a list of British television related events from 1992.

This is a list of British television related events from 1987.

References

  1. "BFI ScreenOnline: Saturday Live / Friday Night Live". British Film Institute. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
  2. "BBC Comedy Guide - Saturday Live". Archived from the original on 16 January 2005. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
  3. "BBC Comedy Guide - Friday Night Live". Archived from the original on 4 February 2005. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
  4. "Saturday Live DVDs". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
  5. "12-18 Jan 1985". TV Times. January 1985. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  6. "1986 Issues". TV Times. 1986. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  7. "1987 Issues". TV Times. 1987. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  8. "1988 Issues". TV Times. 1988. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  9. "1996 Issues". TV Times. 1986. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  10. "Saturday Live (1996) Full Cast & Crew". IMDb . Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  11. 1 2 Later cut from the streaming show on All 4