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 releasedDirectorProducers
First releasedLast releasedNetwork
Live Shows
Saturday Live Pilot show 90 mins112 January 1985 (1985-01-12) Channel 4 Paul Jackson Paul Jackson
Series 1 90 mins1025 January 1986 (1986-01-25)29 March 1986 (1986-03-29) Channel 4 Geoff Posner Geoff Posner and Paul Jackson
Series 2 75 mins107 February 1987 (1987-02-07)11 April 1987 (1987-04-11) Channel 4 Ian Hamilton Geoff Posner and Geoffrey Perkins
Friday Night Live Series 1 75 mins1019 February 1988 (1988-02-19)29 April 1988 (1988-04-29) Channel 4 Ian Hamilton Geoff Posner and Geoffrey Perkins
Saturday Live Series 3 60 mins81 June 1996 (1996-06-01)20 July 1996 (1996-07-20) ITV Ian HamiltonIan Hamilton and Susie Dark
Highlights Shows
Best Of Saturday LivePilot show highlights60 mins14 January 1986 (1986-01-04) ITV Paul Jackson Paul Jackson
Saturday Almost LiveSeries 1 highlights60 mins613 September 1986 (1986-09-13)18 October 1986 (1986-10-18) Channel 4 Geoff Posner Geoff Posner and Paul Jackson
Series 2 highlights60 mins83 October 1987 (1987-10-03)21 November 1987 (1987-11-21) Channel 4 Ian Hamilton Geoff Posner and Geoffrey Perkins
Friday Night Almost LiveSeries 1 highlights60 mins812 October 1988 (1988-10-12)30 November 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 release date
~ Lenny Henry 90 mins.12 January 1985 (1985-01-12)

  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 release date
1 Tracey Ullman 90 mins.25 January 1986 (1986-01-25)

2 Lenny Henry 90 mins.1 February 1986 (1986-02-01)

3 Pamela Stephenson 90 mins.8 February 1986 (1986-02-08)

4 Chris Barrie 90 mins.15 February 1986 (1986-02-15)

5 Michael Barrymore 90 mins.22 February 1986 (1986-02-22)

6 Hale & Pace 90 mins.1 March 1986 (1986-03-01)

7 Ben Elton 90 mins.8 March 1986 (1986-03-08)

8 Fascinating Aïda 90 mins.15 March 1986 (1986-03-15)

9 Peter Cook 90 mins.22 March 1986 (1986-03-22)

10 Steven Wright 90 mins.29 March 1986 (1986-03-29)

  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 release date
~ Hale & Pace 45mins.22 April 1986 (1986-04-22)

Saturday Live - Series 2

[7]

ShowHostAir Time (with ads)Original release date
1 Ben Elton 75 mins.7 February 1987 (1987-02-07)

2 Ben Elton 75 mins.14 February 1987 (1987-02-14)

3 Ben Elton 75 mins.21 February 1987 (1987-02-21)

4 Ben Elton 75 mins.28 February 1987 (1987-02-28)

5 Ben Elton 75 mins.7 March 1987 (1987-03-07)

6 Ben Elton 75 mins.14 March 1987 (1987-03-14)

7 Ben Elton 75 mins.21 March 1987 (1987-03-21)

8 Ben Elton 75 mins.28 March 1987 (1987-03-28)

9 Ben Elton 75 mins.4 April 1987 (1987-04-04)

10 Ben Elton 75 mins.11 April 1987 (1987-04-11)

  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 release date
1 Ben Elton 75 mins.19 February 1988 (1988-02-19)

2 Ben Elton 75 mins.26 February 1988 (1988-02-26)

3 Ben Elton 75 mins.4 March 1988 (1988-03-04)

4 Ben Elton 75 mins.11 March 1988 (1988-03-11)

5 Ben Elton 75 mins.18 March 1988 (1988-03-18)

6 Ben Elton 75 mins.25 March 1988 (1988-03-25)

7 Ben Elton 75 mins.8 April 1988 (1988-04-08)

8 Ben Elton 75 mins.15 April 1988 (1988-04-15)

9 Ben Elton 75 mins.22 April 1988 (1988-04-22)

10 Ben Elton 75 mins.29 April 1988 (1988-04-29)

  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 release date
~ Ben Elton 60 mins.12 March 1993 (1993-03-12)

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 release date
1 Lee Hurst 60 mins.1 June 1996 (1996-06-01)

* Details incomplete

2 Lee Hurst 60 mins.8 June 1996 (1996-06-08)

* Details incomplete

3 Lee Hurst 60 mins.15 June 1996 (1996-06-15)

* Details incomplete

4 Lee Hurst 60 mins.22 June 1996 (1996-06-22)

* Details incomplete

5 Lee Hurst 60 mins.29 June 1996 (1996-06-29)

* Details incomplete

6 Lee Hurst 60 mins.6 July 1996 (1996-07-06)

* Details incomplete

7 Lee Hurst 60 mins.13 July 1996 (1996-07-13)

* Details incomplete

8 Lee Hurst 60 mins.20 July 1996 (1996-07-20)

* Details incomplete

Saturday Live Again!

One-off 2007 special.

ShowHostAir TimeOriginal release date
~ Marcus Brigstocke 90 mins.1 December 2007 (2007-12-01)

* 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 release date
~ Ben Elton 95 mins.21 October 2022 (2022-10-21)

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