View source for The Mighty Boosh

{{Short description|British comedy troupe}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2012}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}
{{Infobox comedian
| name              = The Mighty Boosh
| image             = The mighty boosh nme take over.jpg
| imagesize         = 
| caption           = '''The Mighty Boosh'''<br />From left to right: [[List of recurring characters from The Mighty Boosh#Howard Moon|Howard Moon]] ([[Julian Barratt]]), [[List of recurring characters from The Mighty Boosh#Bollo|Bollo]] ([[Dave Brown (comedian)|Dave Brown]]), [[List of recurring characters from The Mighty Boosh#Naboo the Enigma|Naboo the Enigma]] ([[Michael Fielding]]), [[List of recurring characters from The Mighty Boosh#Vince Noir|Vince Noir]] ([[Noel Fielding]]) and [[List of recurring characters from The Mighty Boosh#Bob Fossil|Bob Fossil]] ([[Rich Fulcher]])
| nationality       = British
| medium            = Theatre, radio, television
| active            = 1998–2009, 2013
| genre             = [[Double act]], [[surreal humour]], [[New wave music|new wave]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/the-mighty-boosh?page=3|title=The Mighty Boosh|work=The Guardian}}</ref>
| subject           = [[Surrealism]], [[fashion victim]]s, fantasy, music
<!-- | influences        = [[Reeves & Mortimer]], [[The Goodies]], [[Mr. Bean]], [[Monty Python]], [[Frank Zappa]], [[Basil Brush]], [[The Young Ones (TV series)|The Young Ones]] -->
| notable_work      =
{{nowrap|''[[The Mighty Boosh (1998 stage show)|The Mighty Boosh]]'' (stage show, 1998)<br />''[[Arctic Boosh]]'' (stage show, 1999)}}<br />''[[Autoboosh]]'' (2000)<br />''[[The Boosh (radio series)|The Boosh]]'' (2001)<br />''[[The Mighty Boosh (TV series)|The Mighty Boosh]]'' (TV, 2004–2007)<br />''[[The Mighty Boosh (2006 stage show)|The Mighty Boosh Live]]'' (2006)<br />''[[The Mighty Book of Boosh]]'' (Book, 2008)<br />''[[The Mighty Boosh Live: Future Sailors Tour]]'' (2008–09)<br />''The Mighty Decider'' ([[iPhone]] app, 2010)
| current_members   =
[[Julian Barratt]]<br />[[Noel Fielding]]<br />[[Dave Brown (comedian)|Dave Brown]]<br />[[Michael Fielding]]<br />[[Rich Fulcher]]
| website           = [http://www.themightyboosh.com/ The Mighty Boosh Online websites]
| footnotes         =
}}

'''The Mighty Boosh''' is a British comedy troupe featuring comedians [[Julian Barratt]] and [[Noel Fielding]]. Developed from three stage shows, [[The Mighty Boosh (1998 stage show)|''The Mighty Boosh'']], [[Arctic Boosh|''Arctic Boosh'' (1999)]] and [[Autoboosh|''Autoboosh'' (2000)]] as well as a six-episode [[The Boosh (radio series)|radio series]], it has since spanned a total of 20 television episodes for [[BBC Three]] which aired from 2004 to 2007,<ref name="Guardian April 2016">{{cite news |last=Freeman |first= Hadley|date=24 April 2016|title= Julian Barratt: 'I have trouble keeping a lid on the self-hatred'|url= https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2016/apr/24/julian-barratt-trouble-keeping-lid-on-self-hatred-mighty-boosh-flowers|work=The Guardian |access-date=30 August 2024|quote=Barratt... ...initially thought he’d be a musician and set off as a teenager to pursue that dream: “You know the well-known saying: leave home at 17 and make your fortune in London as a jazz drummer,... ...This, after various detours, led him to comedy, where he met Fielding, and the two bonded over a shared love of Vic and Bob.}}</ref><ref name="radio show Boosh">{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2007/10_october/24/boosh_writers.shtml|title=The Mighty Boosh|date=24 October 2007|work=BBC|access-date=4 September 2024}}</ref><ref name="Mighty Boosh A History"/> and two live tours of the UK, as well as two live shows in the United States. The first television series is set in a zoo operated by Bob Fossil, the second in a flat and the third in a secondhand shop in [[Dalston]] called Nabootique.<ref name="naming">{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZ0Gondz_0g&feature=relmfu  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/qZ0Gondz_0g |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=How The Mighty Boosh got its name&nbsp;– Exclusive Mike Fielding Interview&nbsp;– BBC |via=YouTube |date=25 June 2009 |access-date=7 December 2012}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref name= "Boosh Guardian 2006">{{Cite news|url=https://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/news/668198.mighty-boosh-star-fielding-questions/|title=Mighty Boosh star is Fielding our questions |last=Menhinnitt |first=Daniel |date=4 January 2006|work=The Guardian|access-date=11 September 2024}}</ref>

The style of humour in the Mighty Boosh is often described as being [[Surreal humour|surreal]],<ref name="September 2019 Jonathan Ross 2nd">{{cite web 
|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HJ9u6bHG_I&t=573s
|title=The History of The Mighty Boosh 
|date=24 September 2019 
|website= Youtube
|publisher=Absolute Jokes 
|access-date=4 September 2024 
|quote= Ross: "And did you perform as solo acts ever did you do like stand up..."  Barratt:  "yeah, yeah, that's how we sort of met really on the circuit, doing stand up, yeah."  Ross: "But, but was it similar to the Boosh stuff, 'cos the Boosh stuff it seems to be so much of a partnership I can't imagine it being taken apart and being served up separately." Barratt: "We were both doing quite surreal stuff, eh..."  Fielding: "It was quite weird wasn't it, a lot weirder than the show in a way..."  Barratt: "...but we sort of, when we first met we kind of liked each others comedy but we didn't know that it would work, we didn't know whether it was gonna cancel each other out and make...." Fielding: "Yeah, too weird to make sort of, straight..."  Barratt: "...might just become geography or something else or... this sort of thing, but it worked for some reason..." With Fielding adding "We had quite a good chemistry straight away."}}</ref><ref name="Guardian 2013 Boosh">{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2013/sep/14/mighty-boosh-fielding-comeback-show|title=Interview A new view of the Mighty Boosh |last=Raphael |first=Amy |date=14 September 2013|work=The Guardian|access-date=10 September 2024 |quote="When Noel Fielding and Julian Barratt, the principal members of the Mighty Boosh, started doing gigs in 1997, they had decided to be the new Goodies. It was a flip reference to the zany 70s show; their own successful BBC series owes more to The Goon Show, Tony Hancock, Monty Python and Vic and Bob."}}</ref><ref name="New wave comedy">{{cite journal|last=van Tricht|first=Isla|title=New Wave Comedy: Post-funny?|journal=The Yorker|date=5 March 2012|url=http://www.theyorker.co.uk/arts/featuresand%20multimedia/10733|access-date=22 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120512105531/http://theyorker.co.uk/arts/featuresand%20multimedia/10733|archive-date=12 May 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name= "Observer 2007">{{cite news| last = Raphael | first = Amy | title = Boys from the Boosh | newspaper = [[The Observer]] | date = 21 October 2007 | url = http://observer.guardian.co.uk/magazine/story/0,,2193898,00.html | access-date = 29 March 2008 |quote=Both wanted to get their material heard; neither had found anyone to work with who remotely understood what was going on in their head. It was a huge relief when they chanced upon one another and decided to be the new Goodies.... ...What they take from the classic Seventies series is more the spirit of... ...silly and surreal comedy.}}</ref><ref name="Getting Surreal 2015">{{cite web |url=https://honisoit.com/2015/04/getting-surreal-with-noel-fielding/ |title=Getting Surreal with Noel Fielding |last=Gallagher |first=Sophie |date=22 April 2015|website=Honi Soit |access-date= 3 September 2024}}</ref> as well as being escapist<ref name="Guardian 2013 Boosh"/> and new wave comedy.<ref name="New wave comedy"/>

Various members of The Mighty Boosh have appeared in a number of different comedy series including ''[[Nathan Barley]]'', ''[[Snuff Box]]'' and ''[[Noel Fielding's Luxury Comedy]]''. Regular Boosh collaborators include [[Michael Fielding]], [[Rich Fulcher]], [[Dave Brown (comedian)|Dave Brown]],<ref name="velvet onion January 2012">{{cite web |title=The Man Who Brings Noel's Dreams to Life |url=http://thevelvetonion.com/2012/01/23/the-man-who-brings-noels-dreams-to-life/ |date=23 January 2012 |publisher=The Velvet Onion |access-date=10 September 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230827060149/https://thevelvetonion.com/2012/01/23/the-man-who-brings-noels-dreams-to-life/|archive-date=27 August 2023}}</ref> [[Nigel Coan]],<ref name="velvet onion January 2012"/> [[Richard Ayoade]] and [[Matt Berry]]. The troupe is named after a childhood hairstyle of co-star Michael Fielding.<ref name="naming"/><ref name="September 2019 Jonathan Ross">{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HJ9u6bHG_I&t=97s |title=The History of The Mighty Boosh |date=24 September 2019 |website= Youtube|publisher=Absolute Jokes |access-date=4 September 2024 |quote=Jonathan Ross:"Where did the name the Mighty Boosh originate and does it mean anything?" Fielding: "My brother whos in the green room who plays... ...Naboo he had sort of curly hair when he was little... ...and he had a little friend who... ..used to go "you've got a Mighty Boosh".}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:Cast of the Mighty Boosh - 2009.jpg|thumb|right|220px|The cast of the Mighty Boosh at comic-con; from left to right Julian Barratt, Noel Fielding, Michael Fielding, Rich Fulcher and Dave Brown. 2009]]
[[File:The Mighty Boosh - Brighton Dome - 11 February 2006.jpg|thumb|right|220px|A performance of the stageshow [[The Mighty Boosh (2006 stage show)|''The Mighty Boosh Live'']] at the Brighton Dome. From left to right; Rich Fulcher, Noel Fielding, Julian Barratt, Dave Brown. February 2006]]

Noel Fielding first met Mighty Boosh collaborator [[Dave Brown (comedian)|Dave Brown]] whilst Fielding was studying a foundation course in fine arts<ref name= "Boosh Guardian 2006"/><ref name="the Guardian-2011">{{cite web |date=20 November 2011 |title=Noel Fielding: a brush with comic genius {{!}} interview |url=http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2011/nov/20/noel-fielding-mighty-boosh-art |last=Kellaway |first=Kate |access-date=23 January 2022 |website=the Guardian}}</ref> at the [[Croydon College|Croydon School of Art]].<ref name= "Boosh Guardian 2006"/><ref name="Jones-2007">{{cite news |last=Jones |first=Sam |title=He's a Mick Jagger of comedy ... sweet but unbelievably mischievous and naughty, like a very cheeky puppy |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2007/dec/14/comedy.arts |date=14 December 2007 |access-date=18 October 2014 |location=London}}</ref><ref name="the Guardian-2011" /> Then from 1992 to 1995 Fielding studied Graphic Design and Advertising at Buckinghamshire College of Higher Education<ref name="Mighty Boosh back at university">{{cite web |url=http://bucks.ac.uk/content/newsroom/2011/noelfielding |publisher=Bucks New University |access-date=10 September 2010 |title=Mighty Boosh stars back at university to receive honorary master's degrees |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150911055600/http://bucks.ac.uk/content/newsroom/2011/noelfielding |archive-date=11 September 2015 |df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref name="Bucks October 2014">{{cite web |title=Well-known TV stars to be among honorary graduates at Buckinghamshire New University |url=http://bucks.ac.uk/content/newsroom/2011/tvgraduates |access-date=5 October 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006113026/http://bucks.ac.uk/content/newsroom/2011/tvgraduates#.VDHTHSldVnI |archive-date=6 October 2014}}</ref><ref name="Jones-2007"/> and whilst there both Dave Brown and [[Nigel Coan]] were studying the same course as Fielding<ref name="velvet onion January 2012"/> and all three shared a student house together.<ref name="velvet onion January 2012"/>  After they had lived together in student housing, Fielding, Brown and Coan then later lived together in a flat in Hackney in London.<ref name="Youtube-2013 - Part 1">{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fanCHWsmSq4 |title=Interview Part 1: Noel Fielding on turning 40 |date=21 May 2013|website=Youtube |publisher=VelvetOnionOfficial |access-date=8 August 2024}}</ref>

Noel Fielding and Julian Barratt first met when in 1997 they both appeared on the same comedy bill at a pub in north London.<ref name= "Observer 2007"/> In 2006 Fielding said that "We were doing stand-up and were on the same bill together. I was on first and usually you can only have about one weird comedian on a line-up. He’d been doing it a bit longer than me... [Barratt was like]'...Let’s write together'. I’ve been stuck with him ever since and that was about eight years ago or something."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://leftlion.co.uk/features/2006/12/interview-with-noel-fielding-from-the-mighty-boosh-bake-off-nathan-barley-julian-barrett/|title=Interview: Noel Fielding|date=2006|work=Left Lion|access-date=1 September 2024}}</ref> While Fielding and [[Dave Brown (comedian)|Dave Brown]] were both art students at Buckinghamshire College of Higher Education "They were both regular visitors to the Hellfire Comedy nights next to the [[Wycombe Swan]] Theatre in [[High Wycombe]], which is where Noel first met future Boosh co-creator, Julian Barratt".<ref name="Mighty Boosh back at university"/><ref name=booshnight>{{cite episode| title = The Mighty Boosh: A Journey Through Time and Space| series = The Mighty Boosh| series-link = The Mighty Boosh (TV series)| airdate = 22 March 2008}}</ref>

Whilst Barratt and Fielding were on The Jonathan Ross Show, Ross asked them "And did you perform as solo acts ever, did you do like stand up..." with Barratt responding "yeah, yeah, that's how we sort of met really on the circuit, doing stand up, yeah.", with Ross responding "But, but was it similar to the Boosh stuff, 'cos the Boosh stuff it seems to be so much of a partnership I can't imagine it being taken apart and being served up separately.", with Barratt responding that "We were both doing quite surreal stuff, eh...", with Fielding adding "It was quite weird wasn't it, a lot weirder than the show in a way...", with Barratt continuing "...but we sort of, when we first met we kind of liked each others comedy but we didn't know that it would work, we didn't know whether it was gonna cancel each other out and make....", with Fielding responding "Yeah, too weird to make sort of, straight...", with Barratt continuing  "...might just become geography or something else or... this sort of thing, but it worked for some reason...", with Fielding adding "We had quite a good chemistry straight away."<ref name="September 2019 Jonathan Ross 2nd"/>

On the day they met they both went back to Julian's place that night where Barratt played music on his Akai sampler whilst Fielding used a ping-pong ball to make an eye patch.<ref name= "Observer 2007"/> The pair soon found that they shared common interests in music and comedy which included Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer<ref name="Guardian April 2016"/><ref name= "Observer 2007"/> and it was also commented that "Both wanted to get their material heard; neither had found anyone to work with who remotely understood what was going on in their head. It was a huge relief when they chanced upon one another and decided to be the new [[The Goodies|Goodies]]... ...What they take from the classic Seventies series is more the spirit of... ...silly and surreal comedy."<ref name= "Observer 2007"/><ref name="Guardian 2013 Boosh"/> Fielding has commented on their shared interest in music that "I was sort of a bit more rock n roll and pop and he [Julian Barratt] was a bit more jazz but then we sort of met in the middle with electro... but Julian was... I think he left university to join a band, we were both in bands before we were in the Boosh, so we sort of came from that background. Lot of our friends were in bands."<ref name="Youtube 2016">{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MON23mYsLyM |title=The Mighty Boosh's Noel Fielding in studio q |date=30 March 2016|website=Youtube |publisher=Q with Tom Power |access-date=29 August 2024}}</ref> It has also been commented that Barratt "...had dropped out of an American studies course at Reading University"<ref name= "Observer 2007"/> and Barratt has also commented that when he was seventeen "We went to stay with a friend of a friend’s uncle but we came back after three days. We thought we’d make inroads into the jazz scene in London – we’d read biographies about guys who got gigs at Ronnie Scott’s and got spotted and immediately taken into someone’s band. So we told our parents we were leaving home. They gave us two days and we lasted three...".<ref name=BigIssue>{{cite web |url=https://www.bigissue.com/culture/music/julian-barratt-im-interested-communicating-pompous-person/ |title=Julian Barratt: "I'm interested in communicating a pompous person" |last=Graham|first=Jane |date=27 April 2017 |website=Bigissue.com |publisher=The Big Issue |access-date= 30 August 2024}}</ref> It was also commented that "...both [Fielding and Barratt] had fathers who loved Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart, and who encouraged their sons to avoid getting proper jobs."<ref name= "Observer 2007"/>

On his beginnings in stand up Barratt has commented that "I was never like Noel [Fielding] or Lee Mack, who are just funny all the time. No one ever said to me, you should be a comedian mate. But I watched a lot of stand-up at uni – people like Mark Lamarr, Sean Hughes, Eddie Izzard, just standing on a stage doing these phenomenal routines. And I could see how you could do it. So I started doing it myself, and I was so shocked when it worked.  I remember one time I completely forgot what I was about to say, and I just ran out of the venue."<ref name=BigIssue/> It has also been commented that this occurred "...during his first standup sketch at Reading University..." and that he "...ran through the back door mid-act and through fields to a lake."<ref name=Guardian2011/>  Barrett has further commented that after he left the venue "...the manager came out after me and said: 'Get back in there, it’s going well.' So I went back. I suppose that was a big turning point for me."<ref name=BigIssue/>

Barratt and Fielding have commented on the beginning of the Mighty boosh, with Barratt commenting that "We performed together for the first time in... ... was it in that show by [[Stewart Lee]]?", with Fielding replying "yeah, Stewart Lee's show, Moby Dick and King Dong (At the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, 1997)... ...Julian played King Dong's penis...", with Barratt replying "...an enormous penis...", and then with Fielding replying "...a perfect King Dong... ...then we thought lets do a show together."<ref name="Mighty Boosh A History">{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sGCf0vZzDY |title=Mighty Boosh A History |date=2005 |website=Youtube |publisher= Baby Cow productions|access-date=2 September 2024}}</ref>

Sometime in around 1998<ref name="Mighty Boosh A History"/> they then put on their first comedy show and it was commented by [[Nigel Coan]] with whom they collaborated with on Mighty Boosh that "They did their first gig at Oranje Boom Boom which is sort of in Chinatown in London, and ah, which was ridiculous, I mean it was really, like, ridiculous costumes and um, they didn't know what... they really [didn't] know what they were doing... ...It was very raw, but it was, it was hilarious..."<ref name="Mighty Boosh A History"/> After Barratt and Fielding's first performance together at Oranje Boom Boom at bar De Hems, in London in April 1998,<ref name="Mighty Boosh A History"/> they developed their [[zookeeper]] characters, [[List of recurring characters from The Mighty Boosh#Howard Moon|Howard Moon]] and [[List of recurring characters from The Mighty Boosh#Vince Noir|Vince Noir]], in a series of sketches for [[Comedy Central (British TV channel)|Paramount Comedy]]’s ''[[Unnatural Acts (TV series)|Unnatural Acts]]'' with Barratt commenting that "Early on we had Rich Fulcher, we were working on a sketch show...".<ref name="Mighty Boosh A History"/>

Nigle Coan has commented further on them developing the Mighty boosh "...They thought lets do a show, an Edinburgh show. I think they started to think about doing that. So they got a gig at Hen and Chickens...".<ref name="Mighty Boosh A History"/> [[Dave Brown (comedian)|Dave Brown]] who also collaborated on the Mighty Boosh with them commented further on their time at the Hen and chickens which is a theatre bar in Islington, London, "They would use the Hen and Chickens as this kind of... place to, a platform to just try stuff out and it was just a great little place they could do a regular spot... ...where they would probably write and have ideas in the week, try stuff out for half of that and then for the rest of it, it would just be improv and mucking about. Then they took the, um, took [[The Mighty Boosh (1998 stage show)|''The Mighty Boosh'']] up to Edinburgh and then two more shows  [[Arctic Boosh|''Arctic Boosh'' (1999)]], [[Autoboosh|''Autoboosh'' (2000)]]...".<ref name="Mighty Boosh A History"/>

Fielding and Barratt commented on their time at the Hen and Chickens, with Fielding commenting that "...cos it'd be stand up and people would come on and do straight stand up. And then we used to put potted plants all around the gig and music on... ...to try and make it into a sort of play... people couldn't believe the audacity. It got some sort of reputation as being sort of enigmatic but we're just really unprofessional. We didn't know anything about theatre or what you did."<ref name="Mighty Boosh A History"/> with Barratt responding to Fielding  "Speak for yourself, I was in a Sartre play at university I'll have you know. ''Huis Clos''."<ref name="Mighty Boosh A History"/> Fielding has commented further on their first live show, [[The Mighty Boosh (1998 stage show)|''The Mighty Boosh'']], “Julian had a song about a mammoth that he wanted to sing to a girl in the audience, and I had a few ideas for some weird sketches... ...We started working on our ideas together... ...We were zookeepers and we got sucked through our bosses’ eyes and into a magic forest..."<ref name="Noel Fielding interview - Taras Wray">{{cite web |url=https://beat.com.au/noel-fielding/ |title=Noel Fielding |last1=Wray |first1=Tyson |last2=Taras |first2=Nick |website=beat.com.au|publisher=Beat Magazine|access-date=4 September 2024|quote=}}</ref>

[[Michael Fielding]] and [[Richard Ayoade]] both performed with the Mighty Boosh in 2002<ref name="Mighty Boosh A History"/> during a live run through of a Mighty Boosh pilot.<ref name="Mighty Boosh A History"/> [[Richard Ayoade]] played adventurer [[List of recurring characters from The Mighty Boosh#Dixon Bainbridge|Dixon Bainbridge]], but [[Matt Berry]] replaced him in the first television series, since Ayoade was under contract with [[Channel 4]].<ref name="ReferenceA">''Inside the Zooniverse'', The Mighty Boosh: Series 1, BBCDVD1553.</ref> Ayoade returned in the second and third series as a belligerent [[shaman]] named [[List of recurring The Mighty Boosh characters#Saboo|Saboo]]. The name "Mighty Boosh" was originally a phrase used by a friend of Michael Fielding's to describe the hair that Michael had as a child.<ref name="naming" /><ref name="September 2019 Jonathan Ross"/>

[[File:Vince Noir and Howard Moon - The Mighty Boosh Live - Stageshow - Brighton Dome - 11 February 2006.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Noel Fielding and Julian Barratt as Vince Noir and Howard Moon in the stageshow ''The Mighty Boosh Live'' at the Brighton Dome. February 2006]]
[[File:The Mighty Boosh - Brighton Dome - 11 February 2006 - 2.jpg|thumb|right|A performance of the stageshow [[The Mighty Boosh (2006 stage show)|''The Mighty Boosh Live'']] at the Brighton Dome. From left to right; Noel Fielding, Julian Barret, Dave Brown. February 2006]]
All three of the Mighty Boosh stage shows – ''[[The Mighty Boosh (1998 stage show)|The Mighty Boosh]]'' (1998), ''[[Arctic Boosh]]'' (1999) and ''[[Autoboosh]]'' (2000) – were taken to the [[Edinburgh Fringe]] and with the success of ''Autoboosh'', a [[The Boosh (radio series)|radio series]] was commissioned by the [[BBC]]. Produced by [[Danny Wallace (humorist)|Danny Wallace]], ''The Boosh'' radio show was a six-part<ref name="radio show Boosh"/> series that was first broadcast in 2001 on [[BBC London 94.9|BBC London Live]], later transferring to [[BBC Radio 4]],<ref name="radio show Boosh"/> and Barratt has humorously commented that "...so we did a radio show, we did, we sort of recorded it in a sort of old railway sort of arch... [with Fielding adding] in Shoreditch... ....built our studio out of weird... little children's toys...".<ref name="Mighty Boosh A History"/>

From the radio show Fielding and Barratt were given a half-hour television pilot of the same name, and Barratt has commented that "...we wanted to get on TV but it'd been a lot of trouble because they thought it was eh, the scripts we sort of gave them were sort of like massive epic adeventures that sounded like it would cost them a million pounds to make so they said this isn't, I dont know how this is going to work on stage, well actually what happened is...", with Fielding adding "We wrote it for Channel 4 originally...", and Barratt replying "[we spoke to them]...before we'd done a stage show and they said how is this going to work on TV cos it is ridiculous. So we wrote, we did a stage show and then they said hows that going to work on TV because its really good live, so, perhaps we should've done it inside a television set."<ref name="Mighty Boosh A History"/> In 2013 Fielding has also commented that "I would love to do a Boosh film I really would. I hope we do cos I feel like thats what we started out wanting to do. We really wanted to do a film, really,... ...we wanted to do a film, and then we thought alright we'll do a live show. We didn't really know how to do a live show we thought we'd just learn, and then we sort of... ...we did a radio show, we did a TV show, we never quite got around to doing a film..."<ref name="Youtube 2013 - part 5"/> In 2008 Fielding commented that "A film is the first thing we ever wanted to do, so we've always come up with ideas and stuck them in a drawer."<ref name="Guardian 2014 Boosh"/> and in 2014 it was commented that "The pair have written two film scripts in the past, though neither made it to production. One was a "Rocky Horror Picture Show type thing," according to Fielding, in which Barratt played a character who has woken up believing himself to be the last man on earth. The other was an Arctic adventure – 'because we always liked the Arctic'."<ref name="Guardian 2014 Boosh"/>

The [[The Mighty Boosh (series 1)|first 8-part series]] was then commissioned for BBC Three, directed by [[Paul King (director)|Paul King]] and broadcast in 2004, with a [[The Mighty Boosh (series 2)|second]] series of 6 episodes the next year. The second series moved away from the zoo setting to show [[List of recurring characters from The Mighty Boosh#Howard Moon|Howard]], [[List of recurring characters from The Mighty Boosh#Vince Noir|Vince]], [[Naboo the Enigma|Naboo]] the shaman and [[List of recurring characters from The Mighty Boosh#Bollo|Bollo]] the talking [[ape]] living in a [[apartment|flat]] in [[Dalston]].<ref>[[BBC]]. [https://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/mightyboosh/interviews/ Where is series two set?], [[bbc.co.uk]].</ref> In 2006, the Boosh returned to theatre with ''[[The Mighty Boosh (2006 stage show)|The Mighty Boosh Live]]'', which featured a new story entitled "The Ruby of Kukundu".

Fielding has commented in relation to touring that "The touring lifestyle is quite hard... ...In the boosh tour we did a 100 day tour and we had one day off a week to travel and we were playing arenas and we partied every single night and we got up for sound check at six o'clock. So we were like Dracula. I was like Dracula. So I'd wake up at six, do a sound check, wake up, do the show, go to a party, stay up till five in the morning, sleep all day, every day for a hundred... ."<ref name="Youtube 2016"/> Fielding has further commented about the Mighty Boosh that "It was crazy cos we were just going.... ...it was never mean't to be, we were never mean't to be playing the O2 and Wembley and being on the cover of Time Out and... ...being on Jonathan Ross I dont think we ever thought that would happen... ...We always sort of just made it in our bedroom and then brought it out and stuff happened. We were as surprised as anyone when we won the Perrier and we were surprised when it got put on telly. We were like 'Wow this is great' we weren't ever sort of planning it. Like... ..we didn't even know if we could make a living from it."<ref name="Youtube 2013 - part 5">{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8f1n_vugFg |title=Interview 5: Noel Fielding on The Mighty Boosh |date=26 June 2013 |website=Youtube |publisher=VelvetOnionOfficial |access-date=8 August 2024}}</ref> Fielding has commented further that “We always thought we’d make one show and that’d be the end of it. But after we won the Perrier, everyone was telling us that we had to do another, which we did and brought it to Melbourne and won the Barry, and then we made a radio show that won the Douglas Adams Award. We won loads. It was manic. We always thought we’d do a couple of years together and go our separate ways. We went from stages to the radio show to television to live shows. It went on and on.”<ref name="Noel Fielding interview - Taras Wray"/> Barratt has also commented that “Me and Noel went to HBO once and pitched this really ludicrous idea about us driving around in a haunted car and they just stared at us. Literally stared at us!... ...Luckily, we were together so we could laugh about it..."<ref name="Guardian April 2016"/>

[[File:Howard Moon - The Mighty Boosh Live - Stageshow - Brighton Dome - 11 February 2006.jpg|thumb|right|220px|Howard Moon sending the audience into "...a jazz trance." at the ''Mighty Boosh Live'' stage show. Brighton Dome. February 2006]]
Fielding commented in 2015 that whilst creating ''[[Noel Fielding's Luxury Comedy]]'' that "Originally I used to do all the paintings for the animations. This meant that I was filming in the day and staying up until 5 am painting. After three weeks of this I started to feel unusual so Ivana Zorn, who is Nigel Coan's partner, now does a majority of the painting and I just design the main characters. Nigel animates everything like a futuristic goose."<ref name=2015reddit>{{cite web |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/41kwog/i_am_noel_fielding_comedian_actor_artist_and/ |title=I am Noel Fielding comedian, actor, artist and musician, one half of The Mighty Boosh ! I take many forms. |date=2015 |website=reddit |access-date=26 October 2024}}</ref>
Fielding formed "Secret Peter Productions"<ref name="2014 Boosh Guardian 2nd">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2014/may/18/food-tales-noel-fielding-mighty-boosh|title=Noel Fielding: What I craved after those Mighty Boosh shows was milk|last=Hind|first=John|date=18 May 2014 |work=The Guardian|access-date=10 September 2024}}</ref> with [[Nigel Coan]] who, along with Fielding and Zorn, helped to animate series 1 and 2 of the Mighty Boosh TV show, ''An evening with Noel Fielding'' and ''Noel Fielding's Luxury Comedy''.<ref name="IMDB Nigel Coan">{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2276744/ |title=Nigel Coan |date= |website=imdb.com |publisher=IMDB |access-date= 2 September 2024}}</ref><ref name="velvet onion January 2012"/> Coan also directed ''Noel Fielding's Luxury Comedy'' as well as helping to write it along with Fielding.<ref name="velvet onion January 2012"/>  Dave Brown also contributed to graphics for the Mighty Boosh<ref name="Mighty Boosh back at university"/> including the DVD cover art for the ''Mighty Boosh Live'' 2006 stage show.<ref name="The History of The Mighty Boosh">{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HJ9u6bHG_I&t=367s |title=The History of The Mighty Boosh |date=24 September 2019 |website= Youtube|publisher=Absolute Jokes |access-date=4 September 2024 |quote=Jonathan Ross:"And this is all your artwork in'it?" (Referring to the DVD cover of the 2006 ''Mighty Boosh Live ''stage show) Noel Fielding: "Well actually, um, Bollo did that. He's a graphic designer."}}</ref><ref name="Mighty Boosh back at university"/> Brown also "...designed and compiled ''The Mighty Book of Boosh''..."<ref name="Mighty Boosh back at university"/> as well as all the publishing output for the Mighty Boosh.<ref name="Mighty Boosh back at university"/> It has been commented that Barratt  "...composed all the music for The Mighty Boosh."<ref name=Guardian2011>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2011/jun/05/julian-barratt-gogol-government-inspector|title=Julian Barratt: 'Pain – that's what life is all about, isn't it?' |author=Kate Kellaway|date=5 June 2011|work=The Guardian |access-date=1 September 2024}}</ref><ref name= "Observer 2007"/> with Barratt also commenting that "I write the music, eh, but we both sort of write, we both write the lyrics, and we, I do the music mostly..." with Fielding replying to Barratt that "I have a go at the melodies then he goes away and makes it..." and then with Barratt replying "...tweaks, tweaks it a bit".<ref name="Jonathan Ross November 2007">{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gSWTSVILwo |title=Friday Night with Jonathan Ross  |date=30 November 2007 |website=Youtube |access-date=5 September 2024 |quote=Barratt: "My dad and mum are both in it... ...Cos my dad was in the last series and she said why don't you put me in it? So um, i said OK and i put her in it but I dressed her up as a sort of yellow aubergine..."}}</ref> Fielding also made drawings that formed a basis for the characters costumes and make-up in the Mighty boosh TV show.<ref name="September 2024">{{Cite web|url=https://shows.acast.com/talkart/episodes/noelfielding-acast6fea0928|title=Noel Fielding |website=acast|date=25 September 2020|publisher=Talk Art|access-date=26 October 2024}}</ref><ref name="Jonathan Ross November 2007"/> Regular Boosh collaborators include [[Michael Fielding]], [[Rich Fulcher]], [[Dave Brown (comedian)|Dave Brown]],<ref name="velvet onion January 2012"/> [[Nigel Coan]],<ref name="velvet onion January 2012"/> [[Richard Ayoade]], [[Matt Berry]]<ref name="Mighty Boosh A History"/> and Ivanna Zorn.<ref name="velvet onion January 2012"/><ref name=2015reddit/> In 2002<ref name="Mighty Boosh A History"/> during a live run through of a Mighty Boosh pilot<ref name="Mighty Boosh A History"/> [[Richard Ayoade]] played adventurer [[List of recurring characters from The Mighty Boosh#Dixon Bainbridge|Dixon Bainbridge]], but [[Matt Berry]] replaced him in the first television series, since Ayoade was under contract with [[Channel 4]].<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

Fielding has further commented that "'I think our show is magical and fantastical. We tell very intricate, weird stories. Vince Noir is quite modern, a bit of an indie kid; Howard Moon is... ...eccentric... ...and we rely heavily on Julian's music and my animation... ...It's such a weird shambles of stuff.'"<ref name= "Observer 2007"/> It was also commented that the Mighty Boosh "... almost didn't make it to television. Around 2000, Barratt and Fielding disappeared into development hell. They had done a sketch show for Radio 4, but no one was sure how to translate their act on to TV. That's until Steve Coogan, who had seen them in Edinburgh in 1999 when they were performing as Arctic Boosh, moved things along. His production company... ...sold the concept to the BBC simply by saying: 'If we were young, we'd want to be them.'"<ref name= "Observer 2007"/> From August 2008 to January 2009 they went on tour for a second time with a new stage show of the [[The Mighty Boosh Live: Future Sailors Tour|Mighty Boosh]].<ref name="Guardian 2014 Boosh">{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2014/jan/08/mighty-boosh-noel-fielding-debunks-movie-rumour|title=Noel Fielding debunks rumours of Mighty Boosh tour and movie|date=8 January 2014|last=Trueman|first=Matt4|work=The Guardian|access-date=10 September 2024}}</ref>

After two years away from television, the Boosh returned in November 2007. Set in Naboo's second-hand shop below the flat, the [[The Mighty Boosh (series 3)|third series]] drew approximately 1 million viewers with its first episode,<ref>{{cite news | last = Barber | first = Nicholas | title = Noel Fielding: The comedian is returning to his first love&nbsp;– painting | newspaper = [[The Independent]] | date = 9 December 2007 | url = http://news.independent.co.uk/people/profiles/article3229391.ece | access-date = 29 March 2008 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071220022255/http://news.independent.co.uk/people/profiles/article3229391.ece | archive-date = 20 December 2007 | df = dmy-all }}</ref> and in light of its success, BBC Three broadcast an [[The Mighty Boosh#The Mighty Boosh Night|entire night]] of ''The Mighty Boosh'' on 22 March 2008, which included a new documentary and 6 of Barratt and Fielding's favourite episodes from all 3 series. [[J. G. Quintel]] has said that The Mighty Boosh was a large influence on his animated series ''[[Regular Show]]''.

[[File:Magic carpets - "The grand, magic carpet-assisted finale." - The Mighty Boosh Live - Stageshow - 17 March 2006.jpg|thumb|right|The magic carpet-assisted finale of the ''Mighty Boosh Live'' stageshow. From Left to right;Noel Fielding as Vince Noir, Rich Fulcher as Bob Fossil,  Michael Fielding as Naboo, Dave Brown as Bollo and Julian Barratt as Howard Moon. Performing in the stageshow the ''Mighty Boosh Live''. March 2006]]
In June 2013, it was confirmed that The Mighty Boosh would reunite for a US festival called [[Festival Supreme]] in October 2013.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.nme.com/news/the-mighty-boosh/70791/.|title=The Mighty Boosh reunite to play Tenacious D's US festival |magazine=NME |date=11 June 2013 |access-date=12 June 2013}}</ref>

On 1 January 2020, Fielding posted an image of himself and Barratt on Instagram with the caption, "There really wasn't enough Boosh this decade ! let's try and rectify that in the next one ;) x".<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.instagram.com/p/B6yVsg2B9vW/  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/B6yVsg2B9vW |archive-date=26 December 2021 |url-access=registration| title=Noel Fielding on Instagram | date=1 January 2020 | website=instagram.com | access-date=10 January 2020}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

===Main cast===
* [[Julian Barratt]] as Howard Moon
* [[Noel Fielding]] as Vince Noir
* [[Michael Fielding]] as Naboo
* [[Dave Brown (comedian)|Dave Brown]] as Bollo
* [[Rich Fulcher]] as Bob Fossil

The cast members also play smaller roles throughout the series, the roles listed above are their most frequently appearing characters. For a full list of characters, see the [[List of recurring The Mighty Boosh characters|List of The Mighty Boosh characters]].

==Theatre==
[[File:Boosh2006.jpg|thumb|right|[[The Mighty Boosh (2006 stage show)|''The Mighty Boosh Live'']] stage show. From left to right: Rich Fulcher, Julian Barratt, Michael Fielding, Dave Brown and Noel Fielding. March 2006]]

===Original stage shows===
====''The Mighty Boosh'' (1998)====
{{Main|The Mighty Boosh (1998 stage show)}}
[[File:MightBooshTonyHarrison&Saboo.jpg|thumb|right|Noel Fielding as Tony Harrison, right, with [[Richard Ayoade]] as Saboo.]]

The Boosh, then consisting of only Barratt and Fielding, conceived ''The Mighty Boosh'' whilst working on [[Stewart Lee]]'s [[Edinburgh Festival]] show ''King Dong vs. Moby Dick'' in which they played a giant [[Human penis|penis]] and a whale respectively.

In 1998, they took ''The Mighty Boosh'' to the [[Edinburgh Festival]], recruiting fellow comedian Rich Fulcher, whom the pair had met while working on ''[[Unnatural Acts (TV series)|Unnatural Acts]]''. The show won the [[Perrier Award]] for Best Newcomer.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2007-12-14|title=Profile: Noel Fielding|url=http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2007/dec/14/comedy.arts|access-date=2020-09-30|website=The Guardian|language=en}}</ref> During their residency at North London's [[Hen and Chickens Theatre]] the following year, they built up a cult following, introducing new characters whilst developing old ones.

====''Arctic Boosh'' (1999)====
{{Main|Arctic Boosh}}
[[File:Mightyboosh2008tour.jpg|thumb|right|<small>Poster used in magazines and venues around the UK to promote the Boosh's nationwide 2008 tour. This poster was created by Dave Brown who also appeared in the Mighty Boosh as the character Bollo.<ref name="The History of The Mighty Boosh"/> Dave Brown also contributed all the publishing output for the Mighty Boosh.<ref name="The History of The Mighty Boosh"/><ref name="Mighty Boosh back at university"/> Fielding and longterms collaborators [[Nigel Coan]] and Ivana Zorn also all helped to create the animation that was used in the Mighty Boosh TV show.<ref name="Mighty Boosh A History"/><ref name= "Observer 2007"/><ref name="IMDB Nigel Coan"/> Barratt also "...composed all the music for The Mighty Boosh."<ref name=Guardian2011/><ref name= "Observer 2007"/> with Fielding contributing to the melodies.<ref name="Jonathan Ross November 2007"/> Both Barratt and Fielding wrote the lyrics for the music together.<ref name="Jonathan Ross November 2007"/> 2006</small>]]

In 1999, the Boosh returned to the Edinburgh Festival with a new show, ''Arctic Boosh'', with [[Dave Brown (comedian)|Dave Brown]] acting as choreographer and photographer, as well as playing a variety of characters. ''Arctic Boosh'' sold out every night and was nominated for the [[Perrier Award]]. The show was directed by [[Stewart Lee]].<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2009/mar/14/comedian-stewart-lee The Guardian Interview – The Barnacle of British Comedy]</ref>

====''Autoboosh'' (2000)====
{{Main|Autoboosh}}
In 2000, the Boosh premiered their third stage show, ''Autoboosh'', at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, adding Fielding's younger brother Michael to the cast. ''Autoboosh'' won the festival's [[Barry Award (for comedy)|Barry Award]].

===Nationwide tours===
====''The Mighty Boosh Live'' (2006)====
{{Main|The Mighty Boosh (2006 stage show)}}
The Boosh returned to the stage in 2006, touring the UK for the first time. Though drawing heavily from their earlier material, the main story combined these elements into a new narrative. A recording of this show at the [[Brixton Academy]] was later released on DVD, before being broadcast on BBC Three on [[Boxing Day]], 2007.

====''The Mighty Boosh Live: Future Sailors Tour'' (2008/09)====
{{Main|The Mighty Boosh Live: Future Sailors Tour}}
The Boosh toured the UK and Ireland for a second time from September 2008 to February 2009.  The show featured characters from all three series as well as the Boosh Band.

They made appearances throughout the UK after their live shows, at after-parties held in different places in each city. The events were called "Outrage", after the catchphrase by [[List of recurring characters from The Mighty Boosh#Tony Harrison|Tony Harrison]].

==Radio==
===''The Boosh'' (2001)===
{{Main|The Boosh (radio series)}}
From the success of ''Autoboosh'', the BBC commissioned a six-part radio series for the Boosh. In October 2001 ''The Boosh'' radio series, produced by [[Danny Wallace (humorist)|Danny Wallace]], was broadcast on BBC London Live, then BBC Radio 4, and later on [[BBC 7]]. The show focuses on the adventures of a pair of zookeepers at "Bob Fossil's Funworld": socially awkward, jazz enthusiast Howard TJ Moon, and ultra-vain, fashion-obsessed Vince Noir. This also included voices from Lee Mack, playing such characters as the Plumber or the Gardener.

===Further appearances===
[[File:Howard Moon - The Mighty Boosh Live - Stageshow - 17 March 2006.jpg|thumb|right|220px|Julian Barratt as Howard Moon in the stageshow [[The Mighty Boosh (2006 stage show)|''The Mighty Boosh Live'']]. March 2006]]
[[File:Pre Show Curtain - The Mighty Boosh Live - Stageshow - 17 March 2006.jpg|thumb|right|The pre-show curtain for the ''Mighty Boosh Live'' stage show. 2006]]

The Mighty Boosh returned to radio on 22 October 2004, in a one-off comedy special for ''[[The Breezeblock]]'', a show on [[BBC Radio 1]].<ref>Susie T. [http://themightyboosh.blogspot.com/2004/11/radio-1-breezeblock-mighty-boosh.html ''Radio 1 Breezeblock – The Mighty Boosh''], The Mighty Boosh News Updates, 17 November 2004.</ref> Instead of the plot driven nature of their own series, this show featured improvised conversational comedy with Barratt, Fielding and Fulcher, combined with the show's usual mix of electronic music.

On 15 November 2007, as part of the publicity for the premier of their third series the same day, Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding returned to Radio 1, this time on [[Jo Whiley]]'s [[Live Lounge]].<ref>[[Jo Whiley]]. [https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/jowhiley/galleries/2673/1/ ''Mighty Boosh in the Live Lounge''], [[BBC Radio 1]], 15 November 2007.</ref>

On 9 April 2019, it was announced that The Mighty Boosh will be the UK ambassadors for the Record Store Day at 13 April 2019, a show on [[BBC Radio 1]].<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-47854788''BBC Record Store Day 2019:The Mighty Boosh named UK ambassadors''] BBC news, 9 April 2019.</ref>

==Television==
===''The Mighty Boosh'' (2004–07)===
{{Main|The Mighty Boosh (TV series)}}
[[File:MightyBooshTitles.png|thumb|Opening titles of The Mighty Boosh on TV & film]]

In May 2004, after the success of the Boosh pilot,<ref name ="Observer 2007"/>[[Steve Coogan]]'s company, [[Baby Cow Productions]], produced the first television series of ''The Mighty Boosh'' for BBC Three, before it moved to [[BBC Two]] in November that same year. Though each episode invariably starts and ends in Dixon Bainbridge's dilapidated zoo, the "Zooniverse", the characters of Vince and Howard often depart for other locations, such as the [[Tundra#Arctic tundra|Arctic tundra]] and [[limbo]].

A second series, shown in July 2005, saw Howard and Vince sharing Naboo's flat in [[Dalston]] with previously minor characters Naboo and his [[familiar spirit|familiar]], Bollo, a gorilla living at the "Zooniverse". This series had an even looser setting as the four characters leave the confines of the flat in every episode, travelling in their van to a variety of surrealistic environments, including Naboo's home planet "Xooberon".

Series three started in November 2007, still set in Dalston, but this time the foursome are selling 'Bits & Bobs' in their shop, the Nabootique.  Their adventures and outings in this series focused more on the involvement of new characters (e.g. Sammy the Crab, or Lester Corncrake etc.) rather than just the two of them.

Although BBC America originally aired only series 1 in the U.S. (all episodes in their entirety), ''The Mighty Boosh'' began airing in North America on [[Cartoon Network]]'s [[Adult Swim]] block (with up to 6 minutes cut from each episode), starting 29 March 2009 with the third series.<ref>Dragoncon08. [http://news.toonzone.net/article.php?ID=25742 Adult Swim Panel Highlights] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090124182645/http://news.toonzone.net/article.php?ID=25742 |date=24 January 2009 }}.</ref> In February 2016 series 1 of ''The Mighty Boosh'' was made available to watch via the online service BBC iPlayer for six weeks; this included every episode minus the final episode of the first series 'Hitcher'.<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/group/b007wds5|title = BBC iPlayer – The Mighty Boosh|website = bbc.co.uk|access-date = 10 March 2016|url-status = dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160309050146/http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/group/b007wds5|archive-date = 9 March 2016|df = dmy-all}}</ref>

===''The Mighty Boosh'' Night===
On 22 March 2008, BBC Three broadcast a whole night of ''The Mighty Boosh'' from 9:05&nbsp;pm, starting with a new documentary titled ''The Mighty Boosh: A Journey Through Time and Space'', documenting the history of the Boosh from their first amateur performances to their then-upcoming 2008 tour. This was followed by six of Barratt and Fielding's favourite episodes from the three series: "[[Party (The Mighty Boosh)|Party]]", "[[The Power of the Crimp]]", "[[The Nightmare of Milky Joe]]", "[[The Priest and the Beast]]", "[[The Legend of Old Gregg]]", and "[[Tundra (The Mighty Boosh)|Tundra]]". The pair also appeared in live links throughout the night, in a similar style to the openings of Series 1 episodes.  On 23 December 2008, BBC3 held a Merry Booshmas Party featuring the entire series 3 as well as a broadcast of ''[[The Mighty Boosh (2006 stage show)|The Mighty Boosh Live]]''.<ref>[[BBC]]. [https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/proginfo/tv/wk13/sat.shtml#sat_boosh Mighty Boosh Night] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080311081158/http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/proginfo/tv/wk13/sat.shtml |date=11 March 2008 }} [[BBC Three]], 22 March 2008.</ref>

==Film==
On 8 February 2012, whilst sledging, Noel Fielding said that he and Barratt had discussed plans to make a Mighty Boosh film.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metro.co.uk/tv/889746-noel-fielding-confirms-mighty-boosh-movie-is-on-the-way|title=Noel Fielding confirms Mighty Boosh movie is on the way|access-date=8 February 2012|date=8 February 2012|author=Christopher Hooton|publisher=Metro}}</ref>

==Festival==
On 5 July 2008, the Boosh held their own [[music festival|festival]] in [[The Hop Farm Country Park|the Hop Farm]] in Kent. It featured musical acts, [[Robots in Disguise]], [[The Charlatans (English band)|The Charlatans]], [[The Kills]], [[Gary Numan]], and The Mighty Boosh Band, as well as comedy acts [[Frankie Boyle]] and [[Ross Noble]].

==Media==
===Audio CDs===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Title
! Release date
! Contents
! Bonus material
|-
| ''[[The Boosh (radio series)|The Mighty Boosh]]''
| 8 November 2004
| All 6 episodes of the Boosh's radio series across 3 discs
| Interview with producer [[Danny Wallace (humourist)|Danny Wallace]], outtakes
|-
| ''[[The Mighty Boosh (2006 stage show)|The Mighty Boosh Live]]''
| 13 November 2006
| Audio recording of their live show at [[Brixton Academy]]
| N/A
|}

According to an official [[MySpace]] page for PieFace Records (the fictitious music label mentioned throughout the series), Barratt and Fielding are to release an album of music from the show, "along with extras, versions, remixes and rare unreleased stuff all to be released later in the year on their own label—this one".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.myspace.com/officialpiefacerecords |title=PieFace Records on MySpace Music |access-date=22 March 2009}}</ref>{{Primary source inline|date=April 2020}} In interviews since, The Mighty Boosh have confirmed they will be releasing an album of their music.<ref name=booshalbum>{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/entertainment/newsid_10000000/newsid_10002500/10002568.stm | title=Work starts on Mighty Boosh film |work=[[Newsbeat]] |date=26 October 2009 | access-date=27 December 2009}}</ref> On 21 October 2013 episode of ''[[Never Mind the Buzzcocks]]'', Fielding stated that the Boosh have recorded an album, but don't know when it will be released.{{Citation needed|reason=I just watched this episode and never was this mentioned.|date=December 2013}}

===DVDs===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 95%"
|-
! Title
! UK Release date
! US Release date
! Contents
! Special features
|-
|''[[The Mighty Boosh (series 1)|The Mighty Boosh]]''
|29 August 2005
|21 July 2009
|All 8 episodes of the first television series across 2 discs
|Inside the Zooniverse, history of the Boosh, Boosh music, out-takes, picture gallery, commentary on "[[Bollo (The Mighty Boosh)|Bollo]]", "[[Tundra (The Mighty Boosh)|Tundra]]", "[[Electro (The Mighty Boosh)|Electro]]" and "[[Hitcher (The Mighty Boosh)|Hitcher]]"
|-
|''[[The Mighty Boosh (series 2)|The Mighty Boosh 2]]''
|13 February 2006
|21 July 2009
|All 6 episodes of the second series, plus a second disc of special features
|Boosh pilot, Boosh publicity, making of Series Two, commentary on all six episodes, photo gallery, out-takes, deleted scenes, [[Sweet (film)|Sweet]]
|-
|''The Mighty Boosh: Series One & Two''
|13 February 2006
|n/a
|Box set of first and second series DVDs, plus exclusive booklet
|Identical to individual releases
|-
|''[[The Mighty Boosh (2006 stage show)|The Mighty Boosh Live]]''
|13 November 2006
|n/a
|Recording of their live show at [[Brixton Academy]]
|Backstage & tour documentary, the [[Ralfe Band]], a deleted scene, [[The Culture Show]] piece
|-
|''[[The Mighty Boosh (series 3)|The Mighty Boosh 3]]''
|11 February 2008
|21 July 2009
|All 6 episodes of the third series across 2 discs
|Making Boosh 3, Boosh publicity, deleted scenes, [[Mint Royale]] promo, Boosh music, out-takes, Boosh 3 trailer, audio commentaries
|-
|The Mighty Boosh Special Edition DVD
|17 November 2008
|13 October 2009
|Box set of first three series DVDs, plus seventh disc
|Identical to individual releases, plus stickers, postcards, 'A Journey Through Time and Space' documentary, behind the scenes of a live night, footage from the Royal Television Society Awards, Dave Stewart interview, the making of Sammy the Crab, outtakes and deleted scenes from the pilot, pre-recorded live night links, cinema trailer, [[crimp (song)|crimping]] collection, ''[[Unnatural Acts (1998 TV Series)|Unnatural Acts]]'' zoo-keeper sketches, Bob Fossil audio
|-
|''[[Boosh Live]]; Future Sailors Tour''
|9 November 2009
|n/a
|A DVD release of Boosh Live at the Manchester Apollo on 3 & 4 December 2008
|Features the full show, commentary, audience participation option, Bob Fossil's Vietnam Video Diaries, highlights from The Mighty Boosh Festival and performances from the Teenage Cancer Trust concert at the Royal Albert Hall. Footage was filmed during the aftershow party that week at Club Academy, and members of the audience in costumes were filmed and photographed throughout the week, which may also add towards the additional features. There will also be a "Limited Edition".
|-
|''Mighty Boosh On Tour: Journey Of The Childmen''
|15 November 2010
|n/a
| A documentary charting The Mighty Boosh on their Future Sailors tour.
|n/a
|}

Previously most of the DVDs were only released in [[DVD region code#2|Region 2]] but as a result of a growing fan base in the U.S., the BBC rereleased in [[DVD region code#1|Region 1]], Series 1–3 individually on 21 July 2009,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://booshusa.com/it-is-coming-the-mighty-boosh-is-coming-to-your-american-dvd-player/ |title=IT IS COMING: The Mighty Boosh is Coming! (To Your American DVD Player!) - BooshUSA.com |access-date=21 January 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090924033451/http://booshusa.com/it-is-coming-the-mighty-boosh-is-coming-to-your-american-dvd-player/ |archive-date=24 September 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://tvshowsondvd.com/news/Mighty-Boosh-Seasons-2-and-3/11931 |title=The Mighty Boosh DVD news: Announcement for The Mighty Boosh&nbsp;– The Complete Season 2 and Season 3 |publisher=TVShowsOnDVD.com |access-date=7 December 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120928215324/http://tvshowsondvd.com/news/Mighty-Boosh-Seasons-2-and-3/11931 |archive-date=28 September 2012 }}</ref> and a Special Edition Series 1–3 Boxset on 13 October 2009.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://tvshowsondvd.com/news/Mighty-Boosh-Special-Edition/11993 |title=The Mighty Boosh DVD news: Announcement for The Mighty Boosh&nbsp;– Special Edition |publisher=TVShowsOnDVD.com |access-date=7 December 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120928215404/http://tvshowsondvd.com/news/Mighty-Boosh-Special-Edition/11993 |archive-date=28 September 2012 }}</ref>

===Australian releases===
*''Series One'' – 11 April 2007
*''Series Two'' – 12 April 2007
*''Series Three'' – 6 August 2008
*''Live'' – 3 December 2008
*''Special Edition'' – 6 August 2009
*''Future Sailors Tour'' – 10 November 2009
*''Series One: Episodes 1–3 (Comedy Bites)'' – 4 March 2010

===Books===
On 18 September 2008, [[Canongate Books]] published ''[[The Mighty Book of Boosh]]'', designed and compiled by [[Dave Brown (comedian)|Dave Brown]] and written by Noel Fielding, Julian Barratt, [[Rich Fulcher]], Dave Brown, [[Richard Ayoade]] and Michael Fielding.  The book includes original stories, [[crimp (song)|crimps]], concept art, behind-the-scenes photography, comics, and various other things, featuring old and new Mighty Boosh characters. On 1 October 2009, a paperback version was released under the name ''The Pocket Book of Boosh''.

==Awards==
Particularly popular among followers of the [[Independent music|indie]] and [[electro music]] genres catered to by [[NME]] magazine, The Mighty Boosh has been recipient of the [[Shockwaves NME Awards]] Best TV Show for three consecutive years, even though there were no new episodes broadcast for the latter two of the three years.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 95%"
|-
! Year
! Award
! style="width:30%;"|Category
! Nominee
! Result
|-
| 1998
| [[Edinburgh Fringe|Edinburgh Festival Fringe]]
| [[if.comedy award|Perrier Best Newcomer Award]]
| ''[[Mighty Boosh]]''
| {{won}}
|-
| 1999
| [[Edinburgh Fringe|Edinburgh Festival Fringe]]
| [[if.comedy award|Perrier Comedy Award]]
| ''[[Arctic Boosh]]''
| {{nom}}
|-
| 2000
| [[Melbourne International Comedy Festival]]
| [[Barry Award (for comedy)|Barry Award]]
| ''[[Autoboosh]]''
| {{won}}
|-
|2001
| [[Douglas Adams]] Award
| Innovative Writing<ref>Chortle. [http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2001/10/26/2883/boosh_win_writing_prize ''Boosh win writing prize''], First Douglas Adams Award, 26 October 2001</ref>
| ''[[The Boosh (radio series)|The Boosh]]''
| {{won}}
|-
| 2004
| [[British Comedy Awards]]
| Best New TV Comedy
| [[The Mighty Boosh (series 1)|Series 1]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| 2004
| [[Loaded (magazine)|Loaded]] LAFTAS
| Funniest TV Programme
| [[The Mighty Boosh (series 1)|Series 1]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| 2005
| [[Royal Television Society|RTS]] Craft & Design Awards
| Costume Design&nbsp;– Entertainment and Non Drama Productions<ref>[[Royal Television Society]]. [http://www.rts.org.uk/Information_page_+_3_pic_det.asp?id=4390&sec_id=503 RTS Craft & Design Awards 2004/2005] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060215071617/http://www.rts.org.uk/Information_page_%2B_3_pic_det.asp?id=4390&sec_id=503 |date=15 February 2006 }}, 22 November 2005.</ref>
| June Nevin<br />[[The Mighty Boosh (series 2)|Series 2]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| 2005
| [[British Academy of Film and Television Arts|BAFTA]] Television Awards
| Best New Director (Fiction)
| [[Paul King (director)|Paul King]]<br />[[The Mighty Boosh (series 2)|Series 2]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| 2008
| Alistair Baldwin Comedy Awards
| Best Stage Show
| ''[[The Mighty Boosh (2006 stage show)|The Mighty Boosh Live]]''
| {{nom}}
|-
| 2006
| Loaded LAFTAS
| Funniest TV Programme
| [[The Mighty Boosh (series 2)|Series 2]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| 2006
| Loaded LAFTAS
| Funniest Double Act
| [[Julian Barratt]] and [[Noel Fielding]]<br />[[The Mighty Boosh (series 2)|Series 2]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| 2006
| Loaded LAFTAS
| Funniest DVD
| Series 2
| {{nom}}
|-
| 2007
| [[Chortle Awards]]
| Best Full-Length Solo Show<ref>Chortle. [http://www.chortle.co.uk/features_static/awards/chortle.php Chortle Awards], The UK Comedy guide, 2007.</ref>
| ''[[The Mighty Boosh (2006 stage show)|The Mighty Boosh Live]]''
| {{won}}
|-
| 2007
| Loaded LAFTAS
| Funniest TV Programme<ref>[[Loaded (magazine)|Loaded]]. [http://www.loaded.co.uk/laftas Loaded LAFTAS] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100603155700/http://www.loaded.co.uk/laftas |date=3 June 2010 }}, 2007.</ref>
| [[The Mighty Boosh (series 3)|Series 3]]
| {{won}}
|-
| 2007
| Loaded LAFTAS
| Funniest Double Act
| Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding<br />[[The Mighty Boosh (series 3)|Series 3]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| 2007
| [[NME Awards]]
| Best TV Show<ref>[[NME]]. [https://www.nme.com/news/mighty-wah/26759 ''The Mighty Boosh wins Best TV Show at Shockwave NME Awards''], ''[[NME]]'', 1 March 2007.</ref>
| [[The Mighty Boosh (series 3)|Series 3]]
| {{won}}
|-
| 2008
| NME Awards
| Best TV Show<ref>NME. [https://www.nme.com/news/nme/34761 ''Shockwaves NME Awards 2008: The Mighty Boosh wins Best TV Show''], ''[[NME]]'', 28 February 2008.</ref>
| [[The Mighty Boosh (series 3)|Series 3]]
| {{won}}
|-
| 2008
| RTS Programme Awards
| Situation Comedy and Comedy Drama<ref>[[BBC]]. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7306263.stm ''RTS Awards: Winners list''], [[bbc.co.uk]], 20 March 2008.</ref>
| [[The Mighty Boosh (series 3)|Series 3]]
| {{won}}
|-
| 2009
|| NME Awards
| Best TV Show<ref>NME. [https://www.nme.com/news/the-mighty-boosh/43037 ''The Mighty Boosh win Shockwaves NME Awards Best TV Show gong:''], ''[[NME]]'', 25 February 2009.</ref>
| [[The Mighty Boosh (series 3)|Series 3]]
| {{won}}
|-
| 2010
|| NME Awards
| Best DVD<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/nmeradio |title=NME Radio (@nmeradio) op Twitter |publisher=Twitter |access-date=13 August 2012}}</ref>{{Primary source inline|date=April 2020}}
| Future Sailors
| {{won}}
|}

== Controversy ==
In 2020, Netflix took ''The Mighty Boosh'' TV show, together with ''The League of Gentlemen'', down from their program roster because of concerns about [[blackface]] in some episodes.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bakare |first=Lanre |date=2020-06-10 |title=Netflix pulls The Mighty Boosh and The League of Gentlemen over blackface |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/jun/10/netflix-pulls-the-mighty-boosh-and-the-league-of-gentlemen-over-blackface |access-date=2025-05-27 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> As of 2025, all episodes of the TV show remain available via other streaming services including the [[BBC iPlayer]] and [[Apple TV+]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Krol |first=Charlotte |date=2020-07-02 |title=BBC iPlayer adds warnings to classic comedies removed from Netflix |url=https://www.nme.com/news/tv/bbc-iplayer-adds-warnings-to-classic-comedies-removed-from-netflix-2700045 |access-date=2025-05-27 |website=NME |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2004-06-22 |title=Electro - The Mighty Boosh (Series 1, Episode 7) - Apple TV (UK) |url=https://tv.apple.com/gb/episode/electro/umc.cmc.42fin7osvp9hz80g23iuoijc9?showId=umc.cmc.318xt4uyfyrpy1ihf6mxqaby6 |access-date=2025-05-27 |website=Apple TV |language=en-GB}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Spoken Wikipedia|The_Mighty_Boosh.ogg|date=2007-11-28}}
*{{Wikiquote-inline}}
* [http://www.pbjmgt.co.uk/artist/the-mighty-boosh "The Mighty Boosh PBJ Page"]
* [https://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/mightyboosh/ BBC Mighty Boosh] Mighty Boosh at the BBC
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100814163939/http://uktv.co.uk/dave/series/tvseries/248541/ UKTV Mighty Boosh] Mighty Boosh at UKTV
* {{IMDb title|qid=Q1478925|title=The Mighty Boosh}}

{{The Mighty Boosh}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mighty Boosh, The}}
[[Category:The Mighty Boosh| ]]
[[Category:British comedy troupes]]
[[Category:British surrealist artists]]
[[Category:Surrealist groups]]
[[Category:Comedy collectives]]