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Saturday Live

Comedy

Saturday Live was a British television comedy and music show broadcast by Channel 4 from 1985 to 1987, and in 1988 as Friday Night Live. Influenced by the American show Saturday Night Live, it was produced by Paul Jackson. The series made stars of Ben Elton, Harry Enfield, Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, and featured appearances by Patrick Marber, Morwenna Banks, Chris Barrie, Emo Philips, Craig Ferguson, Craig Charles and many others. The show featured comic duo Adrian Edmondson and Rik Mayall in their act The Dangerous Brothers. All episodes were transmitted live, although some material was pre-recorded. Recordings of shows were edited into compilation repeats, retitled Saturday Almost Live. The show was succeeded by Friday Night Live, a shorter and slightly more tightly-formatted show with Elton as the permanent host, which ran for a single series in 1988. The show's titles consisted of reforming clay animations, highly comparable to early MTV idents.

Jan 25, 19863 seasons30 episodesEndedEN

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Cast spotlight

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Ben Elton

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Harry Enfield

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Stephen Fry

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Hugh Laurie

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Rik Mayall

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Adrian Edmondson

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Seasons

Series 1

10 episodes

Premiered Jan 25, 1986

Series 2

10 episodes

Premiered Feb 7, 1987

Friday Night Live

10 episodes

Premiered Feb 19, 1988

Episodes

1–6 of 10

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Ep 1

Tracey Ullman

Jan 25, 1986

Tracey Ullman Introduction John Sparkes Shadwell (character) music INXS This Time The Oblivion Boys Staring contest Tracey Ullman, Jon Glover, Mac McDonald (pre-filmed) The River Country John Bird An unemployed defence minister (character) Tracey Ullman, Amanda Dickinson Kay Clark (character) (Almost:2) (DVD:SL1) Robin Driscoll, Rebecca Stevens, Pete McCarthy, Tony Haase, Suggs Rich (soap opera parody) Pete McCarthy News Flash Sam Kinison American Stand-up (Almost:4) (DVD:SL1) Pete McCarthy Snooker Wizardz Fire dance Pete McCarthy News Flash John Wells (pre-filmed) A Life of Reilli music Squeeze King George Street Tracey Ullman Stand-up Fry & Laurie Chocolate Goodies (DVD:SL1, FLEE) The Dangerous Brothers (pre-filmed) Canon/Big Stunt (DVD:DB, SL1) Tracey Ullman Betty Tomlinson (character) - Two years on (DVD:SL1) Ben Elton Professional liar (DVD:SL1, FLEE) music Feargal Sharkey You Little Thief (Almost:4)

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Ep 2

Lenny Henry

Feb 1, 1986

The compere was Lenny Henry. Guests included Fry & Laurie, Oblivion Boys, Dangerous Brothers (Rik Mayall & Adrian Edmondson), Ben Elton, Level 42, The Damned with a cameo from Gary Glitter :(

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Ep 3

Pamela Stephenson

Feb 8, 1986

The compere was Pamela Stephenson, and guests included Fry & Laurie, The Oblivion Boys, Dangerous Brothers (Rik Mayall & Adrian Edmondson), Richard Digance, Cliffhanger, Spike Milligan (Cameo only), Denis Healy, Talk Talk, Nigel Planer (Featuring Raw Sex), Ben Elton and The Inspirational Choir

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Ep 4

Chris Barrie

Feb 15, 1986

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Ep 5

Michael Barrymore

Feb 22, 1986

Michael Barrymore Introduction music Colonel Abrams I'm Not Gonna Let You Get The Best of Me The Oblivion Boys Kidnapped Susie Blake Rupert Bear story Michael Barrymore Stand-up and stunt music Mr. Mister Broken Wings Michael Barrymore Singing Harry Enfield, Jon Glover, Helen Lederer (pre-filmed) The Day After (DVD:FLEE) music Johnny Hubcap and the Axles At The Hop Arnold Brown Stand-up Michael Barrymore (Impression) Tommy Cooper Harry Enfield Stavros (character): First appearance (DVD:FLEE) Fry & Laurie Poetry in Parkhurst (DVD:SL1, FLEE) music Ruby Turner Come Go With Me Margaret Smith American stand-up music Mr. Mister Kyrie Craig Charles Poetry (DVD:SL1) Ben Elton Stand-up: Double entendres Michael Barrymore Stand-up and singing We'll Meet Again

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Ep 6

Hale & Pace

Mar 1, 1986

Hale & Pace The Management arrive and introduction music Madness I'll Compete Hale & Pace Proclamation Harry Enfield Stavros (character): My daughter Donna (DVD:SL1, FLEE) music Roger Daltrey Under A Raging Moon Hale & Pace Singing Doctors (DVD:SL1) A Whitney Brown American stand-up Pierre Hollins Alfonse (character) daredevil act Hale & Pace Club 18-30 music The Walkers Hey! Don't Waste My Time Jeremy Hardy Stand-up Hale & Pace St. David's Day music Madness Sweetest Girl Hale & Pace Billy & Johnny (characters) The Wow Show/The Oblivion Boys E.B.T. (DVD:SL1) Norman Pace The world's greatest lover (character) The Dangerous Brothers, Norman Lovett (pre-filmed) Torture (Almost:4) (DVD:DB, SL1) Ben Elton Stand-up: Girlfriend Threw Me Out (DVD:SL1, FLEE) music Madness, Hale & Pace See You Later Alligator / Let's Have A Party / Roll Over Beethoven (Almost:2)

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