This 3 hour special features TV chat show fails on a monumental scale. Boozy guests, stroppy hosts, technical trouble and on-screen bust-ups are just some of the things that have left chat show hosts flailing, guests red-faced and viewers gobsmacked.
We hear from the people who were there as they recall chat shows’ most toe-curling moments. Highlights include a rare interview with Stan Boardman about his infamous ‘Fokker’ joke he told live on the Des O’Conner’s chat show, immortalising him as a comedian and resulting in Des’ show never going out live again; motor-mouth Katie Hopkins tripping herself up on live TV with one of her rants; Spike Milligan handling an unexpected guest on Wogan in a way that only he could – an expletive laden put down; and TV veteran Eamonn Holmes lifts the lid on his worst interview ever, with a practically mute David Blaine.
More highlights include a frosty welcome for Brigitte Neilson from chat show hostJoan Rivers who goes on an X-Rated tirade revealing exactly how little she thinks of her guest; David Icke storming out of an interview with controversial chat show host Richard Littlejohn; and Denzel Washington revealing a rather nasty side to himself while plugging his latest film on Australian TV.
Plus, chat show legend Russell Harty takes an unfortunate blow to the groin; Gloria Hunniford struggles to deal with interviewing an uncontrollable Freddie Starr not once but on two occasions; and Eurovision superstar Katrina Buchanan suffers a catalogue of cringe-worthy technical failures during a live Irish TV chat show.
There are also rare moments of imperfection from TV chat show heavyweights Clive James, David Frost and Graham Norton.
Celebrities commentating on clips include John Stapleton, Melinda Messenger, Sherrie Hewson, Anne Diamond & James Whale.
The voiceover is by chat show legend Gloria Hunniford.
Rating 1.048m and a 6.9% share. Beating BBC1, ITV & Ch4 after 23.15.
Consolidated rating 1.2 million and a 6.42% share. 10th Highest Rating Channel 5 Programme of the week.