View source for Saturday Live (British TV programme)

{{Short description|Comedy and music show}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2012}}
{{Infobox television
| image         =
| genre         = {{Plainlist|
* [[Variety show|Variety]]
* [[Stand-up comedy]]
* [[Music]]
}}
| country       = United Kingdom
| language      = English
| num_series    = 4
| num_episodes  = 39
| list_episodes = List of Saturday Live (British TV series) episodes
| company       = {{plainlist|
* [[London Weekend Television|LWT]] (1985–1996)
* [[Pozzitive Television]] (2007)
* Phil McIntyre Television (2022)
* Boffola Pictures (2022)
}}
| channel       = [[Channel 4]] 
| first_aired   = {{Start date|1985|1|12|df=yes}}
| last_aired    = {{End date|1988|4|29|df=yes}}
| channel2       = [[BBC1]] 
| first_aired2   = {{Start date|1993|3|12|df=yes}}
| channel3       = [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] 
| first_aired3   = {{Start date|1996|6|1|df=yes}}
| last_aired3    = {{End date|1996|7|20|df=yes}}
| first_aired4   = {{Start date|2007|12|1|df=yes}}
| channel5       = [[Channel 4]] 
| first_aired5   = {{Start date|2022|10|21|df=yes}}
| related       = ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/s/saturdaynightliv_1299003553.shtml|title=BBC - Comedy Guide - Saturday Night Live|date=6 April 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050406112428/http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/s/saturdaynightliv_1299003553.shtml|archive-date=6 April 2005}}</ref> 
}}

'''''Saturday Live''''' (retitled '''''Friday Night Live''''' for the 1988 series and 2022 one-off special) is a British [[television]] [[comedy]] and [[music]] show, made by [[London Weekend Television|LWT]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nostalgiacentral.com/television/tv-by-decade/tv-shows-1980s/saturday-livefriday-night-live/|title=Saturday Live/Friday Night Live – Nostalgia Central|date=27 September 2014}}</ref> and initially broadcast on [[Channel 4]] from 1985 to 1988, with a brief revival on ITV in 1996.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/s/saturdaylive_7775565.shtml |title=BBC - Comedy Guide - Saturday Live |website=www.bbc.co.uk |access-date=30 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050306005737/http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/s/saturdaylive_7775565.shtml |archive-date=6 March 2005 |url-status=dead}}</ref> A few one-off editions have also been screened sporadically, including a contribution to the BBC's 1993 [[Comic Relief]] [[telethon]]. It was based on the American sketch comedy show ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' but otherwise had no direct connection to the show.

The series made stars of [[Ben Elton]] and [[Harry Enfield]], and featured appearances (in some cases first television appearances) by [[Stephen Fry]] and [[Hugh Laurie]], [[Patrick Marber]], [[Morwenna Banks]], [[Chris Barrie]], [[Julian Clary]], [[Emo Philips]], [[Tracey Ullman]], [[Craig Ferguson]], [[Craig Charles]], [[Josie Lawrence]] and many others.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/f/fridaynightlive_7772760.shtml |title=BBC - Comedy Guide - Friday Night Live |website=www.bbc.co.uk |access-date=30 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050204051521/http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/f/fridaynightlive_7772760.shtml |archive-date=4 February 2005 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The pilot show and first series featured comic duo [[Adrian Edmondson]] and [[Rik Mayall]] in their act [[The Dangerous Brothers]] each week. The introductory theme was an original composition by [[Paul Hardcastle]].

==History==
All episodes were transmitted live but contained a small proportion of material recorded beforehand. Recordings of shows were edited into compilation repeats, titled ''Saturday Almost Live''.

The third series, ''Friday Night Live'', renamed to reflect its scheduling move to the titular day, is the last of the programme's original iteration. A shorter and slightly tighter-formatted show, it retained Elton as regular host. The show's title sequence consisted of re-forming clay animations, highly comparable to early [[MTV]] idents.

The show was resurrected as a segment for 1993's [[Red Nose Day]] BBC telethon, hosted by [[Ben Elton]], with appearances by [[Reeves and Mortimer]], [[Eddie Izzard]], Hugh Laurie, and [[Newman and Baddiel|Newman & Baddiel]].

The show made a return in 1996 on ITV, regaining a Saturday slot and retitled accordingly. Hosted by [[Lee Hurst]], it featured comedians including [[Harry Hill]] and [[Simon Munnery]]. The series lasted eight episodes before being axed.

On 1 December 2007, the programme was revived by ITV for a one-off titled ''Saturday Live Again'', presented by [[Marcus Brigstocke]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2007/11/12/6026/itv_reveals_its_new_saturday_live|title=ITV reveals its new Saturday Live|first=Steve|last=Bennett|website=www.chortle.co.uk|date=27 November 2007|access-date=24 October 2022}}</ref> Comedians included [[Jimmy Carr]], [[Lee Mack]], [[Mitchell and Webb]], and [[Jocelyn Jee Esien]]. The original show's regular host [[Ben Elton]] also performed. There were musical performances by [[Bon Jovi]] and [[Hard-Fi]].

In August 2022, it was announced the programme was being revived for a one-off special, as part of Channel 4's 40th-anniversary celebrations, and would again be hosted by Ben Elton.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2022/08/22/51564/channel_4_to_revive_friday_night_live|title=Channel 4 to revive Friday Night Live|first=Steve|last=Bennett|website=www.chortle.co.uk|date=22 August 2022|access-date=21 October 2022}}</ref> The special aired on 21 October 2022. The special gained notoriety for a musical performance in which [[transgender]] comedian [[Jordan Gray]] stripped nude to a live audience.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2022/10/22/jordan-gray-trans-comedian-friday-night-live-naked-performance/|title=Trans comedian Jordan Gray praised for iconic naked Friday Night Live performance|first=Maggie|last=Baska|date=22 October 2022|access-date=24 October 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/jordan-gray-transgender-naked-friday-night-live-b2208312.html|title=Jordan Gray: Trans comedian strips naked on Channel 4 for Friday Night Live revival|work=[[The Independent]]|accessdate=23 October 2022|date=22 October 2022}}</ref>

==Transmissions==
{{main|List of Saturday Live (British TV series) episodes}}

===Series===
{{Series overview
| auxB = Slot Time
| network = Network
| infoA = Director
| infoB = Producers
| multiseries = 
{{Series overview/part|c=#ccf|subtitle=Live Shows}}
{{Series overview
| infoA = Director
| infoB = Producers

| series = Saturday Live
| color0S = FFFF00
| linkT0S = Pilot show
| link0S = List of Saturday Live (British TV series) episodes#Saturday Live (Pilot)
| auxB0S = 90 mins
| episodes0S = 1
| released0S = {{Start date|1985|01|12}}
| network0S = [[Channel 4]]
| infoA0S = [[Paul Jackson (producer)|Paul Jackson]]
| infoB0S = [[Paul Jackson (producer)|Paul Jackson]]

| color1 = 3251AE
| linkT1 = Series 1
| link1 = List of Saturday Live (British TV series) episodes#Saturday Live - Series 1
| episodes1 = 10
| start1 = {{Start date|1986|01|25}}
| end1 = {{End date|1986|03|29}}
| infoA1 = [[Geoff Posner]]
| infoB1 = [[Geoff Posner]] and [[Paul Jackson (producer)|Paul Jackson]]
| auxB1 = 90 mins

| color2 = A52A2A
| linkT2 = Series 2
| link2 = List of Saturday Live (British TV series) episodes#Saturday Live - Series 2
| episodes2 = 10
| start2 = {{Start date|1987|02|07}}
| end2 = {{End date|1987|04|11}}
| infoA2 = Ian Hamilton
| infoB2 = [[Geoff Posner]] and [[Geoffrey Perkins]]
| auxB2 = 75 mins
}}

{{Series overview
| series = Friday Night Live
| infoA = Director
| infoB = Producers

| color1 = 006600
| linkT1 = Series 1
| link1 = List of Saturday Live (British TV series) episodes#Friday Night Live - Series 1
| episodes1 = 10
| start1 = {{Start date|1988|02|19}}
| end1 = {{End date|1988|04|29}}
| network1 = Channel 4
| infoA1 = Ian Hamilton
| infoB1 = [[Geoff Posner]] and [[Geoffrey Perkins]]
| auxB1 = 75 mins
}}

{{Series overview
| series = Saturday Live
| infoA = Director
| infoB = Producers

| color3 = 00FFFF
| linkT3 = Series 3
| link3 = List of Saturday Live (British TV series) episodes#Saturday Live - Series 3
| episodes3 = 8
| start3 = {{Start date|1996|06|01}}
| end3 = {{End date|1996|07|20}}
| network3 = [[ITV1|ITV]]
| infoA3 = Ian Hamilton
| infoB3 = Ian Hamilton and Susie Dark
| auxB3 = 60 mins
}}

{{Series overview/part|c=#ccf|subtitle=Highlights Shows}}
{{Series overview
| series = Best of Saturday Live
| infoA = Director
| infoB = Producers

| color1S = FFFF00
| linkT1S = Pilot show highlights
| link1S = 
| episodes1S = 1
| released1S = {{Start date|1986|01|04}}
| network1S = [[ITV1|ITV]]
| infoA1S = [[Paul Jackson (producer)|Paul Jackson]]
| infoB1S = [[Paul Jackson (producer)|Paul Jackson]]
| auxB1S = 60 mins
}}

{{Series overview
| series = Saturday Almost Live
| infoA = Director
| infoB = Producers

| color3 = 3251AE
| linkT3 = Series 1 highlights
| link3 = 
| episodes3 = 6
| start3 = {{Start date|1986|09|13}}
| end3 = {{End date|1986|10|18}}
| network3 = [[Channel 4]]
| infoA3 = [[Geoff Posner]]
| infoB3 = [[Geoff Posner]] and [[Paul Jackson (producer)|Paul Jackson]]
| auxB3 = 60 mins

| color5 = A52A2A
| linkT5 = Series 2 highlights
| link5 = 
| episodes5 = 8
| start5 = {{Start date|1987|10|03}}
| end5 = {{End date|1987|11|21}}
| infoA5 = Ian Hamilton
| infoB5 = [[Geoff Posner]] and [[Geoffrey Perkins]]
| auxB5 = 60 mins
}}

{{Series overview
| series = Friday Night Almost Live
| infoA = Director
| infoB = Producers

| color7 = 006600
| linkT7 = Series 1 highlights
| link7 = 
| episodes7 = 8
| start7 = {{Start date|1988|10|12}}
| end7 = {{End date|1988|11|30}}
| network7 = [[Channel 4]]
| infoA7 = Ian Hamilton
| infoB7 = [[Geoff Posner]] and [[Geoffrey Perkins]]
| auxB7 = 60 mins
}}
}}

===Specials===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! Title !! Description !! Slot Time !! Air Date !! Network !! Director !! Producers
|-
| [[List of Saturday Live (British TV series) episodes#Saturday Live (Golden Rose of Montreux 1986 entry)|Saturday Live]] || {{left|Re-edited show for ITV's 1986 [[Rose d'Or|Golden Rose of Montreux]] entry<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/s/saturdaylive_7775565.shtml|title=BBC Comedy Guide - Saturday Live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050116062021/http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/s/saturdaylive_7775565.shtml |access-date=18 March 2023|archive-date=16 January 2005 }}</ref>}} || 45 mins || 22 April 1986 || [[Channel 4]] || [[Geoff Posner]] || [[Geoff Posner]] and [[Geoffrey Perkins]]

|-
| [[List of Saturday Live (British TV series) episodes#Friday Night Live Lives Again! (Comic Relief Special)|Friday Night Live Lives Again!]] || {{left|[[Comic Relief]] Special<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/f/fridaynightlive_7772760.shtml|title=BBC Comedy Guide - Friday Night Live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050204051521/http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/f/fridaynightlive_7772760.shtml |access-date=18 March 2023|archive-date=4 February 2005 }}</ref>}} || 60 mins || 12 March 1993 || [[BBC One|BBC1]] || ? || ?

|-
| [[List of Saturday Live (British TV series) episodes#Saturday Live Again!|Saturday Live Again!]] || {{left|One-off 20th anniversary revival show}} || 90 mins || 1 December 2007 || [[ITV1|ITV]] || [[Geoff Posner]] || [[Geoff Posner]] and [[David Tyler (producer)|David Tyler]]

|-
| [[List of Saturday Live (British TV series) episodes#Friday Night Live (Channel 4's 40th anniversary show)|Friday Night Live]] || {{left|One-off revival for [[Channel 4]]'s 40th anniversary}} || 95 mins || 21 October 2022 || [[Channel 4]] || [[Geoff Posner]] || Susie Hall
|}

==Home releases==
A compilation double [[DVD]] set, ''Saturday Live: The Best of Series One'', was released on 16 April 2007, containing almost two-and-a-half hours of material. No music performances from the shows were included. ''Saturday Live: The Best of Series 2'' was released on 4 February 2008, and ''The Very Best of Friday Night Live'' was released on 2 June 2008. On 5 October 2009, a fourth release, a 3-disc set collecting all the show's Fry & Laurie and Harry Enfield sketches and the best Ben Elton monologues, was released.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
!DVD title
!Discs
!Year
!Release date
|-
|''Saturday Live: The Best of Series 1''
|2
|1986
|16 April 2007
|-
|''Saturday Live: The Best of Series 2''
|2
|1987
|4 February 2008
|-
|''The Very Best of Friday Night Live''
|2
|1988
|2 June 2008
|-
|''Saturday Live: Fry and Laurie, Harry Enfield and Ben Elton''
|3
|1986–1988
|5 October 2009
|}

==See also==
* [[The Comic Strip]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{IMDb title|id=0090515|title=Saturday Live/Friday Night Live (1985–1988)}}
* {{IMDb title|id=0131184|title=Saturday Live (1996)}}
* {{IMDb title|id=1556032|title=Saturday Live Again! (2007)}}
* {{IMDb title|id=22987508|title=Friday Night Live (2022)}}
* [[British Film Institute|BFI.org.uk]] - transmission information for [https://web.archive.org/web/20110903211546/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/series/13122 Saturday Live] and [https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20100123004412/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/series/16910 Friday Night Live]

{{Saturday Night Live}}
{{Ben Elton}}
{{Stephen Fry}}
{{BAFTA TV Award for Best Comedy (Programme or Series)}}

[[Category:1985 British television series debuts]]
[[Category:2022 British television series endings]]
[[Category:1980s British comedy television series]]
[[Category:1990s British comedy television series]]
[[Category:2000s British comedy television series]]
[[Category:2020s British comedy television series]]
[[Category:BBC One original programming]]
[[Category:1980s British music television series]]
[[Category:1990s British music television series]]
[[Category:2000s British music television series]]
[[Category:2020s British music television series]]
[[Category:British television series based on American television series]]
[[Category:Channel 4 comedy]]
[[Category:ITV comedy]]
[[Category:British stand-up comedy television series]]
[[Category:British English-language television shows]]
[[Category:London Weekend Television shows]]
[[Category:Television series by ITV Studios]]
[[Category:British television series revived after cancellation]]
[[Category:BAFTA winners (television series)]]