The 11 O'Clock Show

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The 11 O'Clock Show was a satirical late-night British television comedy series on Channel 4, which featured topical sketches and commentary on news items.

The series ran for a number of years in the late 1990s, most notably while hosted by Iain Lee and Daisy Donovan. The programme is perhaps most famous for launching the careers of Ricky Gervais (The Office) and Sacha Baron Cohen (Ali G, Borat).

[edit] Hosts and presenters

The 11 O'Clock Show underwent a number of line-up changes during its run. There are numerous cases of external segment reporters becoming studio hosts, and vice versa. Notable presenters and cast members included:

• Iain Lee
• Daisy Donovan
• Mackenzie Crook
• Paul Garner
• Sacha Baron Cohen
• Ricky Gervais
• Fred MacAuley
• Brendan Burns
• Dan Demetriou
• Sarah Alexander
• Rich Hall
• Will Smith
• Tommy Vance
• Ricky Grover
• Danny Boyd
• Jimmy Carr
• Marc Wootton

[edit] Going on to success

The 11 O'Clock Show introduced a number of performers who have gone on to much greater success.

• Ricky Gervais, who went on to make The Office
• Sacha Baron Cohen, who went on to create Da Ali G Show (the show was the first place that his Ali G character appeared).
• Mackenzie Crook, who also went on to The Office as well as TV to Go, and had a role in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.
• Sarah Alexander, who had appeared on TV before, and went on to play 'Susan' in Coupling and Dr Angela Hunter in Green Wing.
• Brendan Burns, who went on to co-host I'm a Celebrity Get Me out of Here! Live! amid other regular television appearances.
• Marc Wootton who went on to star in Shirley Ghostman.