The Andrew Neil Show (2019 TV programme)

Last updated

The Andrew Neil Show
The Andrew Neil Show.jpg
Genre Politics
Directed byJanet McAllen
Presented by Andrew Neil
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
Production
ProducerHugh Milbourn
Editor Rob Burley
Running time30 minutes
Original release
Network BBC Two
Release4 September 2019 (2019-09-04) – 11 March 2020 (2020-03-11)
Related

The Andrew Neil Show is a BBC political programme presented by Andrew Neil. It was broadcast on BBC Two every Wednesday evening. [1] It was launched on 4 September 2019 and returned for a second series on 8 January 2020. [2] The show came off-air during the COVID-19 pandemic on 11 March 2020 and was then cancelled as a result of budget cuts at the BBC. [3]

Contents

Background

Neil's long-running politics and current affairs programme This Week ended in July 2019 following his decision to "step down from late-night broadcasting". His lunchtime Daily Politics show ended in 2018 after 15 years. [4]

A programme, also called The Andrew Neil Show, aired on daytime BBC Two, three times per week on weekday afternoons during 1996, where viewers would have the opportunity to question newsmakers via phone, fax and email. The latter part of the programme was simulcast on BBC World, which gave it an international feel. [5]

The second incarnation of The Andrew Neil Show was first announced on 29 August 2019 in a statement from the BBC's press office. Ahead of the announcement, Rob Burley, the editor of BBC live political programmes, tweeted a teaser of the programme's logo, a superimposed 'A' and 'N'. [6] Upon announcement, Neil said: "I'm delighted to be fronting a weekly show in prime time on BBC Two that will be on top of the story, whatever direction it takes. The autumn of 2019 is destined to be one of the most intriguing and significant in British politics for at least a generation". [7] [8] Neil continued to present Politics Live on BBC Two every Thursday lunchtime in addition to the programme. [9]

Format

The Andrew Neil Show aired at 7 pm on Wednesdays and focused on Brexit. [10] It rounded up political events of the week and featured interviews with key politicians. [11] Other BBC journalists frequently appeared on the show to offer their analysis, with BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg being the most frequent guest.[ citation needed ] Other journalists that appeared included Hugh Pym and Adam Fleming.[ citation needed ]

Episodes

Series 1

No. in
season
GuestsOriginal release date
1 Rishi Sunak and John Healey September 4, 2019 (2019-09-04)
2 Kwasi Kwarteng and Nigel Farage September 11, 2019 (2019-09-11)
3 Layla Moran and Andy McDonald September 18, 2019 (2019-09-18)
4 Robert Jenrick, Kirsty Blackman and Nick Thomas-Symonds September 25, 2019 (2019-09-25)
5 Tony Blair and Zion Lights October 9, 2019 (2019-10-09) [a]
6 Brandon Lewis, Philip Hammond and Jenny Chapman October 16, 2019 (2019-10-16)
7 Robert Buckland and Alastair Campbell October 23, 2019 (2019-10-23)
8 Jo Swinson and James Cleverly October 30, 2019 (2019-10-30)
9 Nadhim Zahawi and Andy McDonald November 6, 2019 (2019-11-06)
10 Jonathan Ashworth and David Linden November 13, 2019 (2019-11-13)
11 Brandon Lewis and Sir Ed Davey November 20, 2019 (2019-11-20)
12 Barry Gardiner and Robert Buckland November 27, 2019 (2019-11-27)
13 Andy McDonald, Siân Berry, Ben Habib and Michael Heseltine December 11, 2019 (2019-12-11) [b] [c]

Series 2

No. in
season
GuestsOriginal release date
1 Clive Lewis and Mark Dubowitz January 8, 2020 (2020-01-08)
2 Lisa Nandy January 15, 2020 (2020-01-15)
3 Emily Thornberry January 22, 2020 (2020-01-22)
4 Peter Mandelson and David Davis January 29, 2020 (2020-01-29)
5 John Whittingdale, Nathalie Loiseau and Jonathan HallFebruary 5, 2020 (2020-02-05)
6 Andy Burnham and Tom Tugendhat February 12, 2020 (2020-02-12)
7 Tobias Ellwood and Ian Murray February 26, 2020 (2020-02-26) [d]
8 Keir Starmer and Rebecca Long-Bailey March 4, 2020 (2020-03-04) [e]
9 Susan Michie and John McDonnell March 11, 2020 (2020-03-11) [f]


Reception

The Telegraph gave the programme five stars, saying "Neil is back and taking no nonsense from either the left or the right". [16]

The first episode of the programme was watched by an average of 800,000 viewers. [17] According to Neil, the programme "was beating Channel 4 News every time it was on". [18]

Notes

  1. There was no programme on 2 October 2019 due to BBC Two live coverage of the World Athletics Championships in Qatar. [12]
  2. There was no programme on 4 December 2019 due to Neil's interview with Jo Swinson in The Andrew Neil Interviews. [13]
  3. This episode was an hour long due to the 2019 general election taking place the next day. [14]
  4. There was no programme on 19 February 2020 due to the February parliamentary recess.
  5. This episode was an hour long as Neil interviewed two of the candidates in the 2020 Labour Party leadership election.
  6. There was no programme after 11 March 2020 due to the BBC scaling back its programming in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. [15]

References

  1. "Andrew Neil to host new BBC political programme". Media Centre. 29 August 2019. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
  2. BBC News Press Team [@BBCNewsPR] (11 December 2019). "Great news that The Andrew Neil Show will be back on @BBCTwo for a second series on 8th January 2020 for our weekly dose of #Brexit analysis, political news and interviews with @afneil direct from #Westminster" (Tweet) via Twitter.
  3. "The Andrew Neil Show ends as BBC News unveils cuts". BBC News. 15 July 2020. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  4. "Andrew Neil talks Brexit in new BBC Two show". BBC News. 29 August 2019. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
  5. "The Andrew Neil Show". BBC Genome. 6 February 1996.
  6. Burley, Rob [@RobBurl] (29 August 2019). "pic.twitter.com/mITLLUFa9F" (Tweet) via Twitter.
  7. Martin, Laura (29 August 2019). "Andrew Neil to return to the BBC with a new weekly politics show". inews. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
  8. Parfitt, Tom (29 August 2019). "Andrew Neil to host new BBC political show as Brexit looms". The Independent. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
  9. Media, P. A. (29 August 2019). "Andrew Neil to front primetime politics roundup show on BBC". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 30 August 2019.
  10. Walker, James (29 August 2019). "BBC launches new half-hour politics show fronted by Andrew Neil". Press Gazette. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
  11. Diver, Tony (29 August 2019). "Andrew Neil to be given his own Brexit show, BBC announces". The Telegraph. ISSN   0307-1235 . Retrieved 30 August 2019.
  12. Burley, Rob [@RobBurl] (2 October 2019). "Just a reminder that #andrewneilshow takes a break tonight because of the World Athletics Championship. Not much going on anyway ... @afneil will be back next Wednesday, #brexitcast will be back on your TVs tomorrow night after Question Time" (Tweet) via Twitter.
  13. Burley, Rob [@RobBurl] (4 December 2019). "Tonight at 7.30pm on BBC1 ⁦@LibDems⁩ leader ⁦@joswinson⁩ talks to ⁦@afneil⁩ #andrewneilinterviews" (Tweet) via Twitter.
  14. Burley, Rob [@RobBurl] (11 December 2019). "On election eve, @afneil with a bumper hour long Christmas edition of the #andrewneilshow with guests Lord Heseltine ⁦@AndyMcDonaldMP⁩ ⁦@sianberry⁩ ⁦@benhabib6⁩ - we invited the Conservatives to take part but no guest was available. #ge2019" (Tweet) via Twitter.
  15. Evans, Mel (17 March 2020). "BBC scaling back news output amid coronavirus with shows including Victoria Derbyshire replaced". Metro. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  16. Bennett, Asa (4 September 2019). "The Andrew Neil Show, review: the BBC's arch interrogator is back and taking no nonsense from either the left or the right". The Telegraph. ISSN   0307-1235 . Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  17. Walker, James (5 September 2019). "BBC Andrew Neil Show launch watched by average audience of 800,000". Press Gazette. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  18. "Andrew Neil admits he was 'unhappy' at the BBC on Good Morning Britain". The Herald. 28 September 2020. Retrieved 28 September 2020.