Product Description

This title contains four of the best episodes of the comedy news show, including an appearance by the late Linda Smith, as well as Simon Hoggart's final edition as Chairman. "The News Quiz", one of Britain's funniest and quirkiest panel games, has been providing headlines and punchlines since it first aired in 1977. In these four episodes, among the panellists offering wit and wisdom on both national and parochial events are Alan Coren, Andy Hamilton, Jeremy Hardy, Fred MacAulay and Francis Wheen. Together with guest stars including Phill Jupitus, Linda Smith, Sandi Toksvig and Fi Glover, they wade through the biggest news stories (and some of the smallest) and face questions on topics as diverse as David Cameron, giant Japanese jellyfish, loans for peerages, Blue Peter badges and rollerblading policemen. Chairman Simon Hoggart presides over the proceedings, whilst newsreaders Harriet Cass and Peter Donaldson read a selection of the funniest cuttings.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #151928 in Books
• Published on: 2006-10-02
• Released on: 2006-10-02
• Formats: Audiobook, Soundtrack
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Audio CD

Customer Reviews

If Dick Cheney doesn't get you, the drunken elks will.
Released in 2006, this CD contains 4 complete episodes under chair, Simon Hoggart (17 June 2005, 10 December 2005, 17 February 2006, 31 March 2006).Includes an episode with the wonderful acerbic wit of the late Linda Smith.

In which we learn of:
Michael Jackson's acquittal, Geldof's attack on ebay ticket sales, problems with drunken elks and their bicycle stealing activities, Cameron's early days as Tory leader, American rendition flights, civil partnerships, The shed-boat-shed Turner Prize, the announcement of the smoking ban, chip and pin, Dick Cheney shoots his friend, cash for peerages, Blue Peter badge restrictions, Apple v Apple,problems with policemen on rollerblades.

Very good first CD...
Previous CDs of The News Quiz have been by topic, i.e. taking small bits out of many episodes to illustrate a general narrative. This double-CD set is four complete episodes of the Radio 4 programme, i.e. similar to the CD releases of Just a Minute and I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue.

Are these episodes good enough to spend your money on, as opposed to listening to them on BBC7? For me, there has to be a great performance by at least one of the panellists. After all, I don't think there has been any bad episodes of this programme, but to worth your money, there has to be a stand-out reason to rehear them.

The first two episodes definitely are. In the first the late Linda Smith produces a superb performance, and in the second Sandi Toksvig reminds everybody how great a panellist she was. Nobody really shines in the third episode (though there is a nice leitmotif of "Who am I?"), and the fourth episode was presumably chosen because it was the chair's last.

As I said, I don't think there are any really bad episodes of the News Quiz, so I wouldn't give a release less than 3 stars. But with only 2 episodes that I would have wanted to buy, I can only give this release 4 stars.

I wish I had said that!
I was a bit concerned that when Sandi Toksvig took over as chairperson that 'The News Quiz' it would not be quite the same even though I like her and some of the past episodes when she had been a panelist especially when the late Linda Smith was also on, had been hilarious. Well I need not have worried as this selection proves & I for one will be buying more of these CDs