Huge comedian lands new Channel 4 show – and it’s ‘just like TFI Friday’
COMEDIAN Joe Lycett is certainly a busy boy.
When he isn’t slating David Beckham for working in Qatar — or doing stand-up shows there himself — he’s making more and more TV shows.
His latest will air every Friday night on Channel 4 and, with its celebrity guests and a live audience, sounds like a modern day version of TFI Friday hosted by Chris Evans.
Like its Nineties forebear which was filmed on the banks of the River Thames, The Joe Lycett Live Show will come from the waterfront setting of Birmingham’s canals.
A TV insider said: “Channel 4 bosses were impressed with his Big Pride Party which aired last year and earned him a National Comedy Award nomination.
“This feels like a continuation of that vibe and has more than a bit of a whiff of TFI Friday about it.
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“The difference here is that there’ll be more of a focus on ‘inclusion’ and as well as famous faces, Joe will welcome a few local heroes as well.”
Since quitting hosting the Great British Sewing Bee on BBC One in 2021, Joe has been making an increasing number of shows for C4, including Joe Lycett’s Got Your Back as well as Joe Lycett vs the Oil Giant.
But his new live show, a co-production between Rumpus Media and My Options Were Limited, is one of the projects closest to his heart due to its location.
Proud Brummy Joe said: “I’m absolutely psyched and naturally very nervous about hosting a weekly live show from Birmingham.
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“It has been a dream of mine for many years and I look forward to some (controlled) late night chaos.”
Set to air this spring, the creators are promising it will be “funny, silly and explicitly Joe Lycett.”
Oh good.
ROMAN’S KIT CHAT DRAG ON
ROMAN KEMP has loads of famous friends, but Game Of Thrones’ Kit Harington is unlikely to be one of them.
The Capital FM DJ has revealed he walked out of an interview with the actor, who played Jon Snow in the hit series, because he kept droning on about a theatre production he starred in.
During tonight’s Fantasy Football League on Sky Max, he says: “I’ve had terrible interviews.
“I had to stop one, one time.
"It was someone from that dragon show. It was horrendous.
"I was like, ‘I don’t care about the play you’re promoting, please leave’.”
When host Matt Lucas asks Roman if he was referring to Kit, he raises his eyebrows knowingly.
Roman also reveals his dad Martin, the actor and Spandau Ballet bass player, is his harshest critic, adding: “He sends his round-up of my worst insults on Twitter.”
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SUPERVET Noel Fitzpatrick will head to South Africa in a one-off special for Channel 4.
The Supervet: Safari Special on February 23 sees Noel help endangered rhinos, and two big cats.
He said: “We have an immense challenge . . . to step up and look after these incredible animals.”
LIV’S ONLY GONG AND DONE IT
THINGS are looking up for Olivia Ottwood after her year ended on a downer with that shock exit from I’m A Celeb over health concerns.
The former Love Islander won a gong at last night’s Broadcast Awards for her ITV2 documentary series Getting Filthy Rich.
The four-parter, which saw Olivia investigate OnlyFans and selling sex online, won Best Popular Factual Programme.
She said: “We had tough competition so the nomination alone was huge.
"I’m so proud of the team and our incredible contributors for letting us tell their stories and breaking the stigma around sex work.”
Other big winners included quiz show The 1% Club, fronted by Lee Mack, which got Best Entertainment Programme, and Craig Charles’ Moneybags, which won Best Daytime Programme.
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MAMMALS star Jordan Alexandra has signed up for new ITVX series The Winter King, based on Bernard Cornwell's Warlord Chronicles.
She will be joined by Steven Elder (Spy Among Friends), Andrew Gower (Outlander) and Aneirin Hughes (Keeping Faith).
BUYOUT’S TALK OF THE TOON
“SPORTSWASHING” will be examined in a documentary about Newcastle United.
This thorny issue is when nations are said to use sport to improve reputations.
The football club is now 80 per cent owned by an organisation chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, son of the king of Saudi Arabia.
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I understand the four-parter from 72 Films and Lorton Entertainment, who gave us the Wayne Rooney doc on Prime Video, will look at the Magpies since the £300million change of ownership two years ago.
It will provide an insight into the club and how Newcastle, with fan favourites such as midfielder Joelinton, still occupy a special place in the heart of the Toon Army.