Baddiel and Skinner Unplanned

Baddiel and Skinner unplanned

Unplanned at the Shaftesbury Theatre, 2001
Presented by David Baddiel
Frank Skinner
Country of origin United Kingdom
No. of series 5
No. of episodes 60
Production
Running time 30 minutes
(including adverts)
Production company(s) Avalon Television
Distributor ITV Studios
Broadcast
Original channel ITV
Picture format 16:9
Original run 28 May 2000 – 14 September 2005
Chronology
Related shows Fantasy Football League

Baddiel and Skinner unplanned (2000-2003, 2005) was a free-form talk show hosted by British comedians/personalities David Baddiel and Frank Skinner and produced by Avalon Television. Its concept was developed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and had a run in the West End at the Shaftesbury Theatre in 2001.

The show features the two hosts sitting on a couch on-stage and responding to questions from the audience — at times rather seriously, but usually with bizarre digressions into satirical comedy. An audience member is chosen as "Secretary" and has the job of keeping a note of the topics covered on a white board. In practice, the personality of the secretary will also prompt many jokes — usually at his or her expense. At the end of the show, Skinner asks either the secretary or the audience to choose between two song books, and to pick a page number between 1 and 20. This process determines which song is performed by the duo, sung by Skinner with Baddiel accompanying him on piano (or, on at least one occasion, semi-acoustic guitar).

Topics of discussion are wholly mandated by the audience and have ranged from discussions of the war against Iraq and other political events to comments on the latest plot twists of popular soap operas and the Atkins diet. Skinner's Catholicism and Baddiel's Jewish faith are also occasional targets of humour (Baddiel describing Skinner's faith as being "insane" and Skinner often using a music-hall Jewish accent to hold mock dialogues among members of Baddiel's extended family, as well as both performers demonstrating how to "play the piano in a convincingly Jewish manner").

To avoid the show becoming too similar to the pair's other show, Fantasy Football League, an unofficial rule has been in effect to prevent discussion of football-related topics.

The first series ran for four consecutive nights (Sunday - Wednesday) for three consecutive weeks. It was transmitted live at around 22:30, each edition being of thirty minutes' duration. It is often repeated on Paramount Comedy 2.

In 2004, a similar series, with Australian comedy duo Merrick & Rosso, aired in Australia - Merrick & Rosso unplanned.

The intro to the show begins with a slow pan along an empty street before focussing on actor Lewis Rose who sings the intro before the crowds come in to join with a chant of "It'll never work."

During an interview in January 2014, Frank Skinner revealed that there had been "talks" of bringing the show back after almost 10 years since the last series.

Other 'unplanned' content

Baddiel & Skinner produced a series of podcasts covering the 2006 FIFA World Cup for Avalon Television and The times.

A special edition for Comic Relief called Baddiel & Skinner unplanned & unpaid was done in front of a celebrity audience in 2001.

External links