Whose Line is it Anyway? (often known as simply Whose Line? or WLIIA) is a British improvisational comedy series, which was originally hosted by Clive Anderson on Channel 4 and ran from 23 September 1988 to 4 February 1999. During the course of the programme, 136 episodes of Whose Line is it Anyway? aired, including three specials over 10 series. The final series coincided with the first season of the American series; Ryan Stiles, Colin Mochrie, and Wayne Brady, who all appeared in the British series, are all regular performers on the American version.
Whose Line is it Anyway? is a short-form improvisational comedy television show created by Dan Patterson and Mark Leveson, and hosted by Clive Anderson. Beginning as a BBC radio programme, it was successfully adapted for television after its acquisition by Channel 4, and aired ten series from 23 September 1988 to 4 February 1999.
Improvisational theatre, often called improvisation or improv, is the form of theatre, often comedy, in which most or all of what is performed is unplanned or unscripted: created spontaneously by the performers. In its purest form, the dialogue, action, story, and characters are created collaboratively by the players as the improvisation unfolds in present time, without use of an already prepared, written script.
Clive Stuart Anderson is an English television and radio presenter, comedy writer and former barrister. Winner of a British Comedy Award in 1991, Anderson began experimenting with comedy and writing comedic scripts during his 15-year legal career, before starring in Whose Line Is It Anyway? on BBC Radio 4, then later Channel 4. He has also hosted a number of radio programmes, and made guest appearances on Have I Got News for You, Mock the Week and QI.
Contents
- Series overview
- Episodes
- Series 1 (1988)
- Series 2 (1989–90)
- Series 3 (1991)
- Series 4 (1992)
- Series 5 (1993)
- Series 6 (1994–95)
- Series 7 (1995)
- Series 8 (1996)
- Series 9 (1997–98)
- Series 10 (1998–99)
- Comic Relief specials
- See also
- References
The show consists of a panel of four performers who create characters, scenes and songs on the spot, in the style of short-form improvisation games, many taken from theatresports. Topics for the games are based on either audience suggestions or predetermined prompts from the host. Both the British and the American shows ostensibly take the form of a game show with the host arbitrarily assigning points and likewise choosing a winner at the end of each episode. However, the show lacks the true stakes and competition of a game show (by design). The "game show" format is simply part of the comedy.
Theatresports is a form of improvisational theatre, which uses the format of a competition for dramatic effect. Opposing teams can perform scenes based on audience suggestions, with ratings by the audience or by a panel of judges. Developed by director Keith Johnstone in Calgary, Alberta, in 1977, the concept of Theatre sports originated in Johnstone's observations of techniques used in professional wrestling to generate heat, or audience reaction.
A game show is a type of radio, television, or stage show in which contestants, individually or as teams, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles, usually for money or prizes. Alternatively, a gameshow can be a demonstrative program about a game [while usually retaining the spirit of an awards ceremony]. In the former, contestants may be invited from a pool of public applicants. Game shows often reward players with prizes such as cash, trips and goods and services provided by the show's sponsor prize suppliers.
