The Show (TV series)

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The Show was a British television show, produced by and for Channel 4 Television, which ran for a single series in 1997.

Starring comedian Bob Mills, and co-written by Andre Vincent, the series comprised six 40 minute episodes.

The format was unique to British television, with each episode effectively containing a 25-minute episode of 'The Bob Mills Show' which took the form of a conventional chat show, with Mills interviewing celebrity guests.

This was interspersed with real 'behind the scenes' (in black and white) footage of the production team and guests, which typically showed the processes involved in getting the show to air, such as researchers booking guests, and briefing the host on the questions to ask during the show.

The backstage footage focussed on controversy and drama, including several arguments and creative disputes within the team, guests who dropped out, or who were dropped, and the problems of finding last-minute replacements - none of which was alluded to during the actual 'live' chat show segments, which were always impeccably produced and presented.

Although conceptually interesting, the programme was not a success, and several guests were reported to be unhappy with a format that exposed their backstage tantrums, fee negotiations, and attempts to control the line of questioning from the host.

Phill Jupitus got his break on the show as the assistant and warm up man.