- Frank Skinner's Opinionated
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Frank Skinner's Opinionated 
Format Comedy talk show Presented by Frank Skinner Opening theme "No Bulbs" by The Fall Country of origin United Kingdom Language(s) English No. of series 3 No. of episodes 13 (List of episodes) Production Producer(s) Avalon Television Location(s) London
Norwich
Manchester
Glasgow
Salford
MaidstoneRunning time 30 minutes Broadcast Original channel BBC Two Original run 16 April 2010 – present External links Website Frank Skinner's Opinionated is a British television comedy talk show hosted by comedian Frank Skinner and produced by Avalon for the BBC. The show focusses on various topics in the previous week's news, with Skinner joined by two celebrity guests, also interacting with the studio audience. Each half hour episode is filmed in a different location around the country. It first aired on BBC Two, with a first series of six episodes broadcast on 16 April 2010, and a second of six more beginning on 25 March 2011. A third has also been commissioned, and began broadcasting on 10 November 2011.
Contents
Format
The show is a studio based light hearted talk show focussing on events of the past week, with a large amount of audience participation while also featuring supporting film clips. Skinner first opens the show on his own, and in the opening piece outlines what the general themes of the night's show will be. The two celebrity guests then enter the studio, and it proceeds to discuss those topics in more detail, with Skinner guiding the discussion and inviting questions and comment from the audience, some of whom are pre-selected to talk about a specific topic.
Guests
The two celebrity guests used each week are all primarily known as or having originated in stand-up comedy, in addition to other regular appearances on comedy or light entertainment television. Some have appeared on more than one episode. The show has featured:
- Miranda Hart, creator and star of the sitcom Miranda
- Al Murray, creator of The Pub Landlord stand-up character
- Dave Gorman, creator of the stage show and TV series Are You Dave Gorman?
- Laura Solon, sketch comedy character actor and guest on the improv show Fast and Loose
- Lee Mack, team captain on the panel game Would I Lie to You? and creator and star of the sitcom Not Going Out
- Sarah Millican, stand-up comedienne, regular guest on several comedy television and radio series, Loose Women panellist
- Karen Taylor, creator and star of the sketch show Touch Me, I'm Karen Taylor
- Jason Manford, team captain on the panel game 8 out of 10 Cats
- Patrick Kielty, host of several light entertainment series
- Ross Noble, regular guest on several television comedy shows, notably Have I Got News For You
- Katy Brand, sitcom actress and creator and star of Katy Brand's Big Ass Show
Production
A pilot for the show was recorded in December 2009 at BBC Television Centre in London. After the first series was completed, two more series were commissioned.[1] Due to the nature of the series, filming of each episode occurs in the days prior to airing. As such, when promoting the upcoming second series on the BBC's The One Show, Skinner could only refer to film from the previous series.
The studio set consists of just red sofa and chair, with Skinner sitting in the individual seat, and the two guests on the sofa. The show is filmed in various studios around the UK, with the location also forming part of the discussion topics. The first series visited Norwich, Manchester, Glasgow and London, while the second added Maidstone and Salford (near Manchester) as new locations, as well as re-visiting London, Norwich and Glasgow.
Broadcast
Each series contains 6 half hour episodes, broadcast weekly in the 10pm slot on Friday nights on BBC Two. The first series aired from 16 April to 21 May 2010. The second series began airing on 25 March 2011, and is due to finish on 29 April.
Episodes
Series 1
# Title Guests Location Original airdate 1.1 "Episode 1" Miranda Hart and Al Murray London 16 April 2010 Topics included plastic surgery, Frank's "lightbulb shaped" head, Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton and Dennis Avner (Cat Man); the forthcoming election, class and Prescott: the Class System and Me; marriage, Liz Taylor's possible 9th marriage and Kerry Katona; speed dating, ophidiophobia (fear of snakes), with the audience including a speed dater, elocution coach and a woman who set the 2000 Guinness World Record for most cosmetic procedures - 47. 1.2 "Episode 2" Dave Gorman and Laura Solon London 23 April 2010 Topics included binge drinking; infidelity and snooping on partners and neighbours, rear view sunglasses; the postponement of the 23rd James Bond film; the air travel disruption caused by an Icelandic volcano, with the audience including a publican, two volcanologists and an air stewardess. 1.3 "Episode 3" Lee Mack and Sarah Millican London 30 April 2010 Topics included spiritualism, the increase in ghost sightings; dieting, the Obamas favourite chocolates and Beyonce's maple syrup diet; driving, White Van Man - the rudest drivers, driving tests; and Gordon Brown's bigotgate election gaffe; with the audience including a dieting woman who lost 10 stones 6 pounds in 13 months, a worker at the reputedly haunted Hampton Court Palace and Tower of London, and Professor Richard Wiseman who studies unusual phenomena. 1.4 "Episode 4" Sarah Millican and Al Murray Norwich 7 May 2010 Topics included the renaming of Norwich Union to Aviva, the American grandmother Pearl Carter's incestuous relationship; lying, snooker player John Higgins, common lies; beauty, Cristiano Ronaldo and Didier Drogba on Vanity Fair, strange crushes, the stress of relationships; and laughter and World Laughter Day; with the audience including Miss England Katrina Hodge, an expert on lying Glenn Wilson, a woman who fancies Ian Beale, and a Laughter Yoga instructor. 1.5 "Episode 5" Jason Manford and Karen Taylor Manchester 14 May 2010 Topics included football, the forthcoming World Cup, Wayne Rooney, Manchester City and Manchester United; the new coalition government, Sky News bias, Lembit Öpik's resemblance to a banana; protesting, anti-war demos, the Greek Riot Dog, Leila Deen's attack on Peter Mandleson; sleep disorders and odd positions, sleepwalking and narcoleptic dogs; with the audience including a Plane Stupid activist, a couple who protest nude, and the couple behind the Sleep Talkin' Man blog. 1.6 "Episode 6" Patrick Kielty and Sarah Millican Glasgow 21 May 2010 Topics included celebrity and fame, the final Big Brother series, the knighting of Simon Cowell, Sheena Easton's hostile Glasgow gig, the attack on Leona Lewis, celebrity disguises; a survey suggesting 20% of women would rather give up sex then chocolate; the Labour leadership election; the Lord Triesman bribery allegations; with the audience including X-Factor winner Steve Brookstein, a teenager undergoing a sex change, and doctor Martin Toby, talking about evolutionary psychology. Series 2
# Title Guests Location Original airdate 2.1 "Episode 1" Miranda Hart and Lee Mack London 25 March 2011 Topics included Midsomer Murders; Charlie Sheen; religion, rising atheism & potential bias in the forthcoming census, recognition of The Druid Network; animals, the death of Knut, human's relationship with their dogs, dog-hair jumpers, dog sex-toys and clothing, Miranda's new dog Peggy, Greyfriars Bobby; The Budget and Muammar Gaddafi's Amazonian Guard; with the audience including Andrew Copson of the Humanist Society, Arthur Uther Pendragon a Druid Chief, Katrima Gabrielle a telepathic animal communicator, and a women who uses a website to date older rich men. 2.2 "Episode 2" Katy Brand and Ross Noble Salford 1 April 2011 Topics included April Fool's Day, practical jokes and Jeremy Beadle; living in the country; who hasn't completed their census form; the Big Society, community spirit and real-life superhero crime-fighters such as 'The Statesman' in Birmingham and 'Man In Black' in London; with the audience including a social scientist, an investment banker who quit the city, a Jewish community assistance group, and the 'Night Warrior' who patrols Salford. 2.3 "Episode 3" Victoria Coren and Greg Davies Glasgow 8 April 2011 2.4 "Episode 4" Sarah Millican and Ross Noble Norwich 15 April 2011 2.5 "Episode 5" Chris Addison and Andi Osho Norwich 22 April 2011 2.6 "Episode 6" Katy Brand and Alan Davies Maidstone 29 April 2011 Series 3
# Title Guests[2] Location Original airdate 3.1 "Episode 1" Katy Brand and Dave Gorman Salford 10 November 2011 3.2 "Episode 2" Alun Cochrane and Sarah Millican Maidstone 17 November 2011 3.3 "Episode 3" Victoria Coren and Greg Davies Maidstone 24 November 2011 3.4 "Episode 4" Chris Addison and Katy Brand Norwich 1 December 2011 3.5 "Episode 5" Russell Howard Norwich 8 December 2011 3.6 "Episode 6" TBA Glasgow 15 December 2011 Reception
The first episode was watched by 1.877 million viewers, an 8.8% audience share, ahead of the first episode of Facejacker (1.186m) on Channel 4, and an episode of Grey's Anatomy (0.853m) on Five.[3]
Music
The song played during the credits and the interludes is "No Bulbs" by The Fall, Frank's favourite group.[citation needed]
References
- ^ Ian Wolf (26 October 2010). "BBC orders two more series of Frank Skinner's Opinionated". British Comedy Guide. http://www.comedy.co.uk/news/story/00000388/. Retrieved 26 October 2010.
- ^ "Series 3 (2011)". British Comedy Guide. http://www.comedy.co.uk/guide/tv/frank_skinners_opinionated/episodes/3/. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
- ^ Deans, Jason (19 April 2010). "TV ratings: Frank Skinner shares his opinions with 1.9m viewers". London: The Guardian. Archived from the original on 23 April 2010. http://www.webcitation.org/5pDfNVqXp. Retrieved 23 April 2010.
Further reading
- TV matters: Frank Skinner's Opinionated The Guardian
- Frank Skinner finds the funny side to political debate, interview The Telegraph
External links
Categories:- 2010s British television series
- 2010 British television programme debuts
- BBC television comedy
- BBC television programmes
- British television talk shows
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