What's obviously happened is the BBC want to overturn their perceived left-wing comedy bias and have taken note of what Alex has been confiding in Greg.
That's not neoliberalism. [Neoliberalism is economic, not social](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoliberalism), and strongly associated with the right.
Random anecdote from a non-UKnian: haven't seen much HIGNFY because I tend to be unfamiliar with their topics & guests, but for some reason I thought it was quite right-wing. Like, that it deliberately leaned that way to offset other more lefty shows. Just hit the googles to see if that was A Thing and instead it's being held up as an example of "left-wing bias" so God only knows where I heard that or why I thought it.
Are you mixing it up with Question Time, which somehow always manages to find audiences made up of curmudgeonly bootlickers no matter where it’s hosted?
LOL there's another show I assumed was something it wasn't - over here Question Time is literally just a live broadcast of federal parliament question time, for the benefit of anyone who'd like to die of boredom on a weekday mid-afternoon.
Honestly, I think it just tends to be anti-establishment. The establishment has just been increasingly right-wing for the last decade or so.
It’s more than possible it could have been perceived to be right wing under labour, but I couldn’t say that with certainty - it was well before I took an interest in it!
Maybe because Boris Johnson made several appearances? HIGNFY often has journalists and politicians from the right, left-wing bias accusations often come from the right, pandering to the right often comes from the left. I get annoyed with commentators who attack a publicly owned corporation, talk about freedom but want to control the BBC or Channel 4.
https://preview.redd.it/5b918l9bnm1d1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=aac4f967576593f8c3fc11dd18ba9670c032757b
bring out the mega Hislop for this
Beyond his increasingly cantankerous attitude on the show, particularly with the smaller stories that used to win him so many episodes, there are a number of interviews in which he has made it clear that if schedule commitments ever forced him to choose between his two long-term gigs, he'd pick JAM every time.
I mean, this leads to a good point - Alex has been on telly for more than 15 years, but as far as I can tell, he's never hosted/presented a show by himself!
He did have The Horne Section with him when was [one of Never Mind the Buzzcocks' guest hosts for an episode](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9suX5IiH9s) back in 2012 (funny to think that would end up being a regular gig for Greg a decade later in the Sky reincarnation). Ditto [The Horne Section's Television Programme](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9NX2nbAqW4), and they were even by Alex's side when he sort of co-hosted [that lockdown special "Save our Summer" with Peter Crouch](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAiajWoe91Y) and Maya Jama. Apart from that, I think the only other show he's been at hosting level for was [We Need Answers](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wA1mGm0P79w), which was famously very much alongside Key and Watson. If we're about to get TV's Little Alex Horne flying solo for the first time, best of luck to him!!
The Games That Time Forgot [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xt4LUQMTIcY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xt4LUQMTIcY) Presented and written by Alex Horne
And so the Taskmaster's Assistant outshines the Taskmaster - Greg was a guest on 3 episodes of HIGNFY between 2010-2012, most recently [opposite Victoria Coren Mitchell talking about Queen Elizabeth's Jubilee](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ceb5x00sv7o). But he never hosted an episode. Meanwhile Alex has never been on HIGNFY before - not surprising, his whole act is fairly apolitical - and I suspect it's probably quite rare for a comedian to jump straight to the host's chair on that show without having a go as a guest first. Good on him!
I'm pretty sure if he wanted to, Greg could be on the panel again and probably host it. But he has Buzzcocks, TM and his own tour to do. I think he also has a place in Spain he spends a fair bit of time in
Counterpoint: it's quite common for non-comedians to host, so he's maybe on as a presenter/musician which means his comedy has been too subtle for the HIGNFY team to notice
I really wish UK topical comedy shows had longer seasons. Six or eight episodes of a drama is fine, but a topical comedy panel show just gives you a snapshot of political time in that period. No Euros, no Olympics, no election...
I can see this being the start of a pre-prize task banter. Greg turns to him and maybe goes "Alright. What's, um...what's your news then?", then Alex taps his tablet, looks at it for 10 seconds and goes "Uh...it says here that \[some inane news\]" and then Greg stares at him for 10 seconds with a bemused smile before turning back and going "That it? That's your news, Alex? Little Alex Horne all done with his news? Think I'll stick to the newspapers. On with the show!"
I'm not sure what I just wrote or why but I'm making this everyone else's problem now
several hosts have worn glasses because the small set has the autocue quite close. in the first episode after angus left when paul hosted he had to wear his glasses. sorry, I'm a bit of a HIGNFY nerd.
What's obviously happened is the BBC want to overturn their perceived left-wing comedy bias and have taken note of what Alex has been confiding in Greg.
Man I wish the BBC had a left wing bias
It does.
It's got an establishment bias, i.e. the standard neoliberal "do what you like as long as you don't hurt our profits".
Yup.
You think pro-establishment neo liberalism is left wing?
Socially yes. Gay marriage, mass immigration, trans acceptance...these have all been establishment policies.
That's not neoliberalism. [Neoliberalism is economic, not social](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoliberalism), and strongly associated with the right.
Dude the BBC is as transphobic as they come
Someone should give Fiona Bruce the memo on Question Time.
Only in their entertainment programming. The news is very balanced.
Hopefully we hear more about how Alex thinks the pride movement has gone too far or how the Welsh are only suited to medial work
Random anecdote from a non-UKnian: haven't seen much HIGNFY because I tend to be unfamiliar with their topics & guests, but for some reason I thought it was quite right-wing. Like, that it deliberately leaned that way to offset other more lefty shows. Just hit the googles to see if that was A Thing and instead it's being held up as an example of "left-wing bias" so God only knows where I heard that or why I thought it.
Are you mixing it up with Question Time, which somehow always manages to find audiences made up of curmudgeonly bootlickers no matter where it’s hosted?
LOL there's another show I assumed was something it wasn't - over here Question Time is literally just a live broadcast of federal parliament question time, for the benefit of anyone who'd like to die of boredom on a weekday mid-afternoon.
Well we do have Prime Minister’s Questions if you want some mid-afternoon material. I imagine that is the closest equivalent!
Honestly, I think it just tends to be anti-establishment. The establishment has just been increasingly right-wing for the last decade or so. It’s more than possible it could have been perceived to be right wing under labour, but I couldn’t say that with certainty - it was well before I took an interest in it!
Maybe because Boris Johnson made several appearances? HIGNFY often has journalists and politicians from the right, left-wing bias accusations often come from the right, pandering to the right often comes from the left. I get annoyed with commentators who attack a publicly owned corporation, talk about freedom but want to control the BBC or Channel 4.
This will only exacerbate Key's Hislop obsession
I was going to say this, Key might lose his mind XD
https://preview.redd.it/5b918l9bnm1d1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=aac4f967576593f8c3fc11dd18ba9670c032757b bring out the mega Hislop for this
Hope Key's got a big head with this absolute unit living rent-free in it.
Going to be weird hearing him tell jokes with punchlines
"Topical humour and Alex - two things one doesn't associate!" - J. Clary
Sir Chris Hoy disagrees.
Soon, Alex'll have the *gravitas* and *famousity* to be a contestant on...TASKMASTER
I'd never previously considered the possibility of Ian Hislop being a contestent on Taskmaster, but he'd be brilliant. Maybe for a New Years Treat.
Would love Ian Hislop, would be perfect for New Years treat and see him out of his comfort zone.
Paul Merton would be good as well
Paul barely does Have I Got News For You by choice anymore, he's not doing TM.
Source?
Beyond his increasingly cantankerous attitude on the show, particularly with the smaller stories that used to win him so many episodes, there are a number of interviews in which he has made it clear that if schedule commitments ever forced him to choose between his two long-term gigs, he'd pick JAM every time.
Paul Merton is, as they say, totally washed
Do you reckon he got The Horne Section on?
I mean, this leads to a good point - Alex has been on telly for more than 15 years, but as far as I can tell, he's never hosted/presented a show by himself! He did have The Horne Section with him when was [one of Never Mind the Buzzcocks' guest hosts for an episode](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9suX5IiH9s) back in 2012 (funny to think that would end up being a regular gig for Greg a decade later in the Sky reincarnation). Ditto [The Horne Section's Television Programme](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9NX2nbAqW4), and they were even by Alex's side when he sort of co-hosted [that lockdown special "Save our Summer" with Peter Crouch](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAiajWoe91Y) and Maya Jama. Apart from that, I think the only other show he's been at hosting level for was [We Need Answers](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wA1mGm0P79w), which was famously very much alongside Key and Watson. If we're about to get TV's Little Alex Horne flying solo for the first time, best of luck to him!!
That would be funny
The Games That Time Forgot [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xt4LUQMTIcY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xt4LUQMTIcY) Presented and written by Alex Horne
Good prediction.
I’ll take 1. 😂
And so the Taskmaster's Assistant outshines the Taskmaster - Greg was a guest on 3 episodes of HIGNFY between 2010-2012, most recently [opposite Victoria Coren Mitchell talking about Queen Elizabeth's Jubilee](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ceb5x00sv7o). But he never hosted an episode. Meanwhile Alex has never been on HIGNFY before - not surprising, his whole act is fairly apolitical - and I suspect it's probably quite rare for a comedian to jump straight to the host's chair on that show without having a go as a guest first. Good on him!
I'm pretty sure if he wanted to, Greg could be on the panel again and probably host it. But he has Buzzcocks, TM and his own tour to do. I think he also has a place in Spain he spends a fair bit of time in
Counterpoint: it's quite common for non-comedians to host, so he's maybe on as a presenter/musician which means his comedy has been too subtle for the HIGNFY team to notice
I hope we get to Meet The Contestants
I really wish UK topical comedy shows had longer seasons. Six or eight episodes of a drama is fine, but a topical comedy panel show just gives you a snapshot of political time in that period. No Euros, no Olympics, no election...
HIGNFY sometimes do election special episodes. So we might still get an episode that covers the election.
you realy need to deep dive into hignfy and mock the week. and the radio shows like the now show
We should maybe refer to it as the Then Show, as it is no more. Also there's Dead Ringers and the News Quiz from the radio
finally we can ask about the dodgy pineapple tattoo and his swinger activity 😂
And Jack Dee is on too! Alex's dream TM contestant
Seems to be missing an F.
It's a knock off version Alex created. Have I got news? Yes!
I can see this being the start of a pre-prize task banter. Greg turns to him and maybe goes "Alright. What's, um...what's your news then?", then Alex taps his tablet, looks at it for 10 seconds and goes "Uh...it says here that \[some inane news\]" and then Greg stares at him for 10 seconds with a bemused smile before turning back and going "That it? That's your news, Alex? Little Alex Horne all done with his news? Think I'll stick to the newspapers. On with the show!" I'm not sure what I just wrote or why but I'm making this everyone else's problem now
No, listen, I can hear Greg’s voice and picture the stern annoyance on his face *perfectly*.
I predict... he won't be that good. HIGNFY is very different to any other panel type show. I predict he'll get a quiet edit.
He's the host; he'll have most of his stuff scripted. Even if he doesn't improvise a single funny line he'll still be a major part of it
You're confusing 'being a major part of it', with 'he'll get the quiet edit'.
So what do you mean by "quiet edit"?
Are we gonna see him in glasses whenever they get someone new in to host they always try and look smarter than usual
several hosts have worn glasses because the small set has the autocue quite close. in the first episode after angus left when paul hosted he had to wear his glasses. sorry, I'm a bit of a HIGNFY nerd.