HIGNFY

GN of course the guest presenter/host has a script to follow and jokes. That was obvious tonight especially (as I said wooden) but are you suggesting that Paul Merton and Ian Hislop and their guests are scripted?

I doubt it or some of the guests just wouldn't appear, especially those who get a roasting, like Nigel Farrage the other week. And there are weeks when one of the team leaders are not 'on form' as it were.

Humour, like music, is very individual and what can have one person chuckling can leave another cold.

But you are not forced by law, as we were, to buy that product.

Don't buy it then. Watch something else.

Rose you are not 'buying' anything. If you can prove you never watch any BBC channel you do not have to pay a licence.

But of course you are entitled to say you didn't find tonight's HIGNIFY funny and others are entitled to say they did. I can't stand soaps or golf, but I know some very intelligent quite clever people who do.

Miaow back again.

Thought I may get some reasoned responses for and against - thanks to those who did!

They were reasoned responses weren't they?

#cantwin

The BBC trust have said they want more gender equality in humour etc. This has had an impact on R4 with more female comedians being given work, rather than falling back on the same old same old list of chaps. There are still too many "comedy" programmes on BBC that are drawing on the same pool of "talent" that has been ruling the roost for 30 years.

Didn't see it (yet). What was said that insulting?

Paul Merton's boredom is an act. He's at his dryest when he has his bored look on.

that was insulting

What baffles me is why so many people don't seem to understand that saying insulting things is allowed in a free society. Perhaps they think it shouldn't be allowed – i.e. they approve of censorship?

Then we're back to the old, old question: who decides?

Aka that same article (and others) explained that everyone taking part sees the whole programme beforehand, in other words, they get to plan their responses. Perhaps the unscripted bit is just that the guests don't know what's coming "quip-wise". It just doesn't come across as spontaneous to me, for the most part.

Bags I agree that people can be insulting in a free society. I guess it then depends on whether the audience finds it funny or not. Many comedies of course depend on "put-downs" for laughs. The very popular Big Bang Theory (or "Friends, but with Nerds") is one.

I like it - everyone who watches it knows that anyone is fair game - and I do not find the humour unkind. Merton is very funny - it is interesting because he had a psychotic episode in his youth and his humour is full of "knight's move thinking" that sometimes accompanies that illness - it is good to see it put to good use - the tortuous connections he makes are fascinating.

I will continue to watch, but, as with all these programmes, some weeks are better than others. It sometimes gives an interesting insight into the characters of politicians when they appear on the show. Some cannot loosen up and take a joke against their party (even though they must know what is coming!), and others are right in there.

I enjoy the programme, long may it continue . I accept they are going to mock without favour , my choice to watch

Mishap, I have a bit of that - knight's move thinking. My family say I have a grasshopper brain. I've never had a psychotic episode though, I often find people will look at me as if "Where on earth did that come from?"

Sorry GN I don't believe that article. My own experience of dealing with the press is that they 'never let the truth get in the way of a good story'.

There is too much spontaneity.

Agree with Bags observations about Paul Merton.

As far as I know - having met a scriptwriter - the presenter has everything scripted, but the panellists have a preview of the topics that will come up so that they can prepare their (hopefully) witty responses, leaving room for more spontaneous give-and-take among them. After the recording, the whole thing is thoroughly edited.

Each to his own. If you don't like it, don't watch it. Personally I find it hilarious, with one or two hiccups now and then. In these days of political correctness invading every darn thing, I find it heartening that HIGNFY is still allowed to be on.

It's, just my thoughts, a tired old format now. Does it still get good viewing figures? I haven't watched it for years.

I really like but agree its not as good as it used to be. I long for a really good satirical programme in the genre of TWTWTW- I wonder if we have anyone who could produce that now.

Well, I watched it and I don't understand why people are so upset (although the comment about the woman looking like a bigot was uncalled for) but I suspect it was poking fun at Gordon Brown more than the woman herself.

As with any comedy show, some weeks are better than others. I still look forward to watching it.

annodomini

I enjoy HIGNFY but agree that John Cooper Clark had no place on it.

I have no idea who he is and each time he's on I find myself wondering 'why is he on' - he doesn't seem to having anything useful to add.

Kirsty Young didn't seem quite herself. She looked puffy, her hair was lank and she seemed to have missed out on make-up.

I noticed that too. I really like Kirsty Young (she has a 'wicked' sense of humour) but she almost looked unwell.

I still enjoy it and Kirsty always presents it well but I do miss Angus Deayton's acid delivery. I'm with when why John Cooper Clark I know he's a poet but hardly a political pundit and well passed his best. He looked like a really aged rocker. Funny how people remark on Kirsty looking puffy with lank hair and not on the fact that Merton and the comedian were hardly examples of sartorial elegance. In other words scruffy. Men on TV could dress as a bag spuds and no one would comment, a woman with her hair out of place receives loads of comments. So unfair.

're Kirsty, my first thought was 'uh oh, too much botox'.