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{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2014}}
'''''FAQ U''''' is a television programme that was broadcast by [[Channel 4]] in the United Kingdom in 2005.<ref name="Young2005-05-09">{{cite news |last=Young |first=Graham |date=2005-05-09 |title=TV Mail: Up to their old tricks |newspaper=[[Birmingham Evening Mail]] |page=19 |id={{ProQuest|322747171}} }}</ref> It was shown every weeknight, Monday to Friday, just after 11:00{{nbsp}}pm. It was presented by [[Justin Lee Collins]] in its first week, [[David Mitchell (comedian)|David Mitchell]] in the second and [[Karen Taylor (comedian)|Karen Taylor]] in the third.<ref name="Mail2005-05-14">{{cite news |last=Chapples |first=Natalie |date=2005-05-14 |title=Homegrown comedian gets TV presenting job |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/north-west-evening-mail/172477158/ |newspaper=[[North-West Evening Mail]] |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |accessdate=2025-05-16 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20250516052143/https://www.newspapers.com/article/north-west-evening-mail/172477158/ |archivedate=2025-05-16 }}</ref> It included four comedian guests and an audience. The presenter put "frequently asked questions" to the guests and they answered them in a humorous way. The show's title was frequently pronounced by the presenter as "Fak You".<ref name="Courtauld2005-05-15">{{cite news |last=Courtauld |first=Charlie |date=2005-05-15 |title=A frequently asked question: why? |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-independent/172477236/ |newspaper=[[The Independent]] |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |page=18 |id={{ProQuest|336930189}} |accessdate=2025-05-16 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20250516052308/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-independent/172477236/ |archivedate=2025-05-16 }}</ref>

Mitchell received a nomination from the [[The British Comedy Awards]] at the end of 2005.<ref name="Telegraph2005-12-14">{{cite news |date=2005-12-14 |title=What's On: Join Ross to reward Britain's funnyman... |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/telegraph-and-argus/172477020/ |newspaper=[[Telegraph & Argus]] |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |accessdate=2025-05-16 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20250516051642/https://www.newspapers.com/article/telegraph-and-argus/172477020/ |archivedate=2025-05-16 }}</ref> The show was produced by the company [[Endemol]].<ref name="Deans2005-07-29">{{cite news |last=Deans |first=Jason |date=2005-07-29 |title=Channel 4 serves up sketch show with Spoons |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2005/jul/29/broadcasting.channel4 |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |accessdate=2025-05-16 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20250516053236/https://www.theguardian.com/media/2005/jul/29/broadcasting.channel4 |archivedate=2025-05-16 }}</ref> Each episode was filmed the day it is aired in front of a live audience.<ref name="Bradley2005-05-08">{{cite news |last=Bradley |first=Mike |date=2005-05-08 |title=FAQ U |newspaper=[[The Observer]] |page=73 |id={{ProQuest|250289870}} }}</ref> 400,000 people watched the show's premiere.<ref name="Deans2005-05-10">{{cite news |last=Deans |first=Jason |date=2005-05-10 |title=The Farm hands Five 1m viewers |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2005/may/10/overnights |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |accessdate=2025-05-16 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20250516053329/https://www.theguardian.com/media/2005/may/10/overnights |archivedate=2025-05-16 }}</ref>

==Guests==
Guests included:
* Matt Blaize
* Elizabeth Bower
* [[Frankie Boyle]]
* [[Ruth Bratt]]
* [[Alan Carr]]
* [[Paul Foot (comedian)|Paul Foot]]
* Cherry Green
* [[Iain Lee]]
* [[Alex Lovell]]
* [[Henning Wehn]]
* [[Alex Zane]]

==Reception==
The ''[[Lancashire Telegraph]]'' criticised the show, writing, "Panel of irreverent comedians discuss the day's news. More like irrelevant comedians — this is dire."<ref name="Lancashire2005-05-24">{{cite news |date=2005-05-24 |title=Kitchen bitchin' |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/lancashire-telegraph/172477094/ |newspaper=[[Lancashire Telegraph]] |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |accessdate=2025-05-16 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20250516051834/https://www.newspapers.com/article/lancashire-telegraph/172477094/ |archivedate=2025-05-16 }}</ref> Charlie Courtauld of ''[[The Independent]]'' penned a negative review of ''FAQ'', saying that it "takes an untalented host, Justin Lee Collins, and provides him with a ghastly car-crash of a jokey script".<ref name="Courtauld2005-05-15"/> In a positive review, the ''[[Sunday Mirror]]''{{'}}s Ian Hyland wrote, "the host Justin Lee Collins has more in common with Jethro than simply having a silly beard and being from the West Country. He's as funny as him as well."<ref name="Hyland2005-05-15">{{cite news |last=Hyland |first=Ian |date=2005-05-15 |title=Ian Hyland: FAQ U |newspaper=[[Sunday Mirror]] |page=21 |id={{ProQuest|339635374}} }}</ref>

The ''[[Evening Chronicle]]'' television critic Jamie Diffley criticized ''FAQ U'', stating, "The idea is to get 'top comedians' to talk on topical subjects. A bit like ''[[Have I Got News For You]]'' without the actual quiz show bit. Or the laughs."<ref name="Diffley2005-05-14">{{cite news |last=Diffley |first=Jamie |date=2005-05-14 |title=Just say no to burgers, Zammo |newspaper=[[Evening Chronicle]] |page=13 |id={{ProQuest|349866224}} }}</ref> Teddy Jamieson of ''[[The Herald (Glasgow)|The Herald]]'' agreed, calling it a "frankly dreadful" show that is an "uninspired offcut" of ''Have I Got News For You''.<ref name="Jamieson2005-06-25">{{cite news |last=Jamieson |first=Teddy |date=2005-06-25 |title=Comedian Frankie Boyle is all over television, but his ambitions go much further than cracking one-liners |newspaper=[[The Herald (Glasgow)|The Herald]] |page=7 |id={{ProQuest|332973526}} }}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb title|id=0472213|title=FAQ U}}

[[Category:Channel 4 original programming]]
[[Category:2005 British television series debuts]]
[[Category:2005 British television series endings]]
[[Category:Television series by Zeppotron]]