Not the Nine O'Clock News

Not the Nine O'Clock News (1979-1982)

EndedVariety showComedy

Not the Nine O'Clock News is a television comedy sketch show which was broadcast on BBC2 from 1979 to 1982. Originally shown as a comedy alternative to the Nine O'Clock News on BBC1. It featured satirical sketches on current news stories and popular culture, as well as parody songs, comedy sketches, re-edited videos, and spoof television formats. The show featured Rowan Atkinson, Pamela Stephenson, Mel Smith, and Griff Rhys Jones, as well as Chris Langham in the first series.

Streaming

Watch Now

Network
Scheduleevery Monday at 21:00 (25 min)

Recent Episodes

EpisodeNameAirdate
S04E06ShameMar 8, 1982
S04E05Made in WalesMar 1, 1982
S04E04Show Twenty FiveFeb 22, 1982
S04E03Hi Se Seo An Naught Ag A Naoi ChlogFeb 15, 1982
S04E02Show Twenty ThreeFeb 8, 1982
View all episodesView all seasons

Frequently Asked Questions  Warning: Spoilers

When did 'Not the Nine O'Clock News' premiere?

'Not the Nine O'Clock News' premiered on October 16, 1979.

Who were the four main cast members of the show?

The four main cast members of 'Not the Nine O'Clock News' were Rowan Atkinson, Pamela Stephenson, Mel Smith, and Griff Rhys Jones.

What was the format of the show?

'Not the Nine O'Clock News' was a sketch comedy show, with each episode featuring a mix of pre-recorded and live sketches.

Who was the show's producer?

The producer of 'Not the Nine O'Clock News' was John Lloyd.

Which famous comedian was a guest writer for some episodes of the show?

Richard Curtis was a guest writer for some episodes of 'Not the Nine O'Clock News'.

Who wrote the show's musical themes?

The show's musical themes were written by Howard Goodall.

What was the show's target audience?

The target audience for 'Not the Nine O'Clock News' was young adults.

How many series were produced?

'Not the Nine O'Clock News' ran for four series.

Did the show have a studio audience?

Yes, 'Not the Nine O'Clock News' had a live studio audience.

What was the show's most popular recurring sketch?

The show's most popular recurring sketch was "Gerald the Gorilla".

Did the show use political satire?

Yes, 'Not the Nine O'Clock News' used political satire extensively in its sketches.

What was the show's most controversial sketch?

The most controversial sketch from 'Not the Nine O'Clock News' was "Kinda Lingers", which parodied the Band Aid single, "Do They Know It's Christmas?".

What was the show's budget?

The budget for 'Not the Nine O'Clock News' was relatively low, with each episode costing around \u00a350,000 to produce.

Cast

View all cast

Characters

View all characters

Recently Updated Shows

Recently updated shows that might be of your interest.
Fightland
Running

Fightland

Fightland follows a disgraced, formerly incarcerated boxing champion who returns to London to seek vengeance against the crime family he thinks betrayed him. With edge-of-seat action and populated by dangerous characters, this is a world of money and power never seen before.

On the night Duke Kilroy becomes world heavyweight champion, a vicious assault leaves his brother, Calvin, dead, causing Duke to snap and results in him spending eight years in a U.S. prison. Upon his release, and after having made a sinister discovery, Duke returns home seeking vengeance against the man he believes set him up -- the criminal kingpin and former promoter, Kingsley Marshall. But Kingsley has vanished, leaving his children and wife, Joy, who happens to be the love of Duke's life, to pick up the pieces.

Working with a cartel desperate to control London's drug market, Duke begins a high-risk game of infiltrating Kingsley's empire to destroy it from within and smoke out his enemy. But amidst a volatile criminal landscape, and competing influences threatening to pull him off course, Duke will need to channel everything that made him a champion fighter into his bloody pursuit to win the ultimate victory - revenge for his brother.

Doc
Running

Doc

Doc centers on the hard-charging, brilliant Dr. Amy Larsen, Chief of Internal and Family Medicine at Westside Hospital in Minneapolis. After a brain injury erases the last eight years of her life, Amy must navigate an unfamiliar world where she has no recollection of patients she's treated, colleagues she's crossed, the soulmate she divorced, the man she now loves and the tragedy that caused her to push everyone away. She can rely only on her estranged 17-year-old daughter, whom she remembers as a 9-year-old, and a handful of devoted friends, as she struggles to continue practicing medicine, despite having lost nearly a decade of knowledge and experience.

Boston Blue
Running

Boston Blue

In Boston Blue, NYPD Detective Danny Reagan takes a position with Boston PD. Once in Boston, he is paired with Detective Lena Silver, the eldest daughter of a prominent law enforcement family.

GenreDrama, Crime
Dark Matter
Running

Dark Matter

Hailed as one of the best sci-fi novels of the decade, Dark Matter is a story about the road not taken. The series follows Jason Dessen, a physicist, professor, and family man who – one night while walking home on the streets of Chicago – is abducted into an alternate version of his life. Wonder quickly turns to nightmare when he tries to return to his reality amid the multiverse of lives he could have lived. In this labyrinth of mind-bending realities, he embarks on a harrowing journey to get back to his true family and save them from the most terrifying, unbeatable foe imaginable: himself.

Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage
Running

Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage

Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage follows Georgie and Mandy as they raise their young family in Texas while navigating the challenges of adulthood, parenting and marriage.