Why the BBC Cut Sketches from That Mitchell and Webb Look, Strictly’s New Presenters & Trump TV

TV Insiders Peter Fincham and Jimmy Mulville debate the BBC’s decision to remove potentially offensive sketches from That Mitchell and Webb Look, asking whether modern comedy can still break taboos without being censored. They also discuss Trump TV & press freedom, Strictly Come Dancing and why some television formats survive their stars.

In this episode:

Why the BBC is reviewing That Mitchell and Webb Look before its iPlayer returnThe controversy around the The Civil War sketch, blackface and the limits of contextual comedyWhy some sketches involving Gary Rhodes, Bill Oddie and Jimmy Savile may have been removedHow Brass Eye used irony to challenge media attitudesThe Real Housewives of ISIS sketch and Jimmy’s police warningPeter time at Talkback and the alleged threat connected to the KraysDonald Trump’s new 24/7 Trump TV channel and its production values… or lack thereof Whether YouTube could become the future home of political satireDoes changing presenters can make or break a television format?What Strictly Come Dancing, The Great British Bake Off, The Grand Tour and Top Gear reveal about presenter changesThe Apprentice’s decision to keep Alan Sugar as its central figureThe TV-am “Famous Five” and the dangers of putting too many stars togetherThe Generation Game, Bruce Forsyth, Larry Grayson and the importance of a strong formatNigella Lawson and Peter’s most unexpected television regret

Have a question, opinion or suggestion? Leave a comment on YouTube, find us on social media @InsidersTVPod, or email us at podcasts@hattrick.com.

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Chapters

00:00 Intro

00:40 Why BBC cut 11 sketches from That Mitchell and Webb Look

16:17 Trump bans news outlets and launches Trump TV

24:36 Will Strictly Come Dancing survive new presenters?

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Jimmy Mulville is the co-founder and Chief Executive of Hat Trick Productions. His list of hit shows includes Have I Got News For You, Father Ted, Derry Girls, Outnumbered and Episodes. In the US, Hat Trick launched Whose Line Is It Anyway? in 1997, which ran on ABC for seven years and was the first British series to be recreated for