This Week (BBC TV series)

For the BBC News television series, see Reporters (TV series).
This Week

Andrew Neil presenting an edition of the programme
Genre Current affairs, politics
Presented by Andrew Neil
Starring Michael Portillo
Alan Johnson
Miranda Green
Alex Salmond
Suzanne Evans
Diane Abbott
Theme music composer Jim Meacock[1]
Country of origin United Kingdom
Original language(s) English
Production
Executive producer(s) Samir Shah
Editor(s) Penny
Running time 45 minutes
Production company(s) Juniper TV
Release
Original network BBC One
Original release 2003 (2003) – present
Chronology
Related shows Daily Politics
External links
Website

This Week is a current affairs and politics TV programme in the United Kingdom, screened on Thursday evenings on BBC One. It is hosted by former Sunday Times editor Andrew Neil, with a panel of two commentators from the right and left of the political spectrum: former Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) and minister Michael Portillo, and a Labour Party MP guest panellist (alternated on rotation).

The trio of presenters are usually joined mid-show for a review of the party political week by Miranda Green, former Press Secretary to Paddy Ashdown, who provides a Liberal Democrat perspective. Since their parties' increased vote share in the 2015 General Election, representatives of the Scottish National Party and UK Independence Party have begun frequently appearing too, most often Alex Salmond and Suzanne Evans. All are occasionally joined by Molly the Dog, an Anglo-French golden retriever belonging to Neil, a popular addition to the line-up on social media.[2]

Background

This Week was introduced in 2003, along with The Daily Politics, after a major review of BBC political programmes. It replaced the nightly Despatch Box (1998–2002), for which Andrew Neil had been the sole presenter in its later years, and which, in turn, had been a replacement for The Midnight Hour (1994–1998).[3]

The show has a more light-hearted tone than most political programming and prides itself on being "punchy, irreverent, satirical".[4] It is also committed to being one of the only current affairs shows on television with an absence of "party spin" from its regular co-hosts, despite their party affiliations. This was aided in the show's early years by the fact that Portillo left the House of Commons in 2005, while the Labour Party co-host until 2010 was Diane Abbott, for many years a backbench Labour MP noted for rebelling against her own party. The two were thereafter ostensibly an "odd couple" coming from different sides of the political spectrum (albeit with a long-standing friendship dating back to when both attended grammar school in Harrow, even having appeared in a production of Macbeth together).[5]

During her unsuccessful campaign in 2010 to lead the Labour Party and her subsequent tenure as Shadow Minister for Public Health, Abbott began to make only occasional appearances, her ability to speak without constraint having become more limited. Her place was taken by another Labour MP in rotation each week, always a backbencher, most often Alan Johnson. After returning to the backbenches in 2013, Abbott appeared on a fortnightly basis, alternating with Johnson. Since her appointment as Shadow Secretary of State for International Development in September 2015, she has rarely appeared, and the tradition of Labour MPs alternating in the spot has continued.

Episode format

The standard format consists of three segments each with a guest contributor. The first features a journalist or commentator who present their "Take Of The Week" in a short film before appearing in the studio to discuss their perspective further. The second segment is a light hearted roundup of the week in and around Parliament. Mark Mardell presented this before he became the BBC's Europe Editor in 2005. It is currently presented by one of a rotation of prominent writers and broadcasters. This is followed by a discussion between the hosts (often joined for this segment by Miranda Green) of the issues raised. The final segment is entitled the "Spotlight", often featuring a cultural topic and less focused on Parliament. During this segment there is a final guest related to the topic. For many years, there was often also a quiz at the end of the show, in which Neil took pleasure in demonstrating his co-hosts' ignorance of a range of topics. This feature no longer appears.

The show achieved notoriety for its title sequence during the 2005 General Election, which spoofed the recently re-released version of "Is This the Way to Amarillo" and its video featuring comedian Peter Kay.[6]

In 2006, the programme won the Hansard Society Award for Opening Up Politics which was awarded at the Channel 4 Political Awards ceremony.[7]

During the general election campaign of 2010, This Week was broadcast on Monday nights in addition to its usual Thursday night slot, with contributors including Charles Kennedy, Sarah Teather, Lynne Featherstone, Caroline Flint and James Purnell.

Recurring jokes

In keeping with its comic style, This Week has several recurring jokes and nicknames. These include assertions that the show's viewers watch the show drinking Blue Nun, David Cameron watches the show in bed wearing his pyjamas, that the cast regularly go to nightclub after filming is completed – Annabel's in Berkeley Square or Lou Lou's in Mayfair – with Charles Clarke providing the guests a minicab service even when he is not appearing on the show. It is also frequently sarcastically said that the show has a budget of almost zero, and has few or no regular viewers. While giving out the Twitter and Facebook handles of the show, Neil also insists that no comments posted by viewers will be read. Also, every episode begins with the words "Evenin' all" and ends with "That's your lot for this week". The middle section is introduced with, "Now, it's late; [topical event]-late." Following Abbott's departure from the show, Neil would joke that Abbott's leadership bid and later appointment as Shadow Minister for Public Health were part of her "insatiable lust for power". On the rare occasions now that she makes an appearance on the show, Neil introduces her with, "And back by absolutely no public demand whatsover...". In weeks where the Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow (or his spouse), has featured in the news, the end credits are frequently shown over a scene of the diminutive Speaker being ceremonially escorted into the House of Commons to the music and lyrics of Jimmy Dean's Big Bad John.

Guest Presenter Nicknames

Other Political Nicknames

Other Media Nicknames

Election song

During general elections, the show starts with the 'election song'. The 2005 election song was "Is this the way to Election Day?" (a spoof of "Is This the Way to Amarillo?" by Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield),[8] and for the 2010 election the song was "We're Off to Find a PM" (a spoof of "We're Off to See the Wizard" by Harold Arlen).[9]

References

  1. ↑ "BBC News - This Week theme music". BBC News. 20 November 2009. Retrieved 5 June 2010.
  2. ↑ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2301322/Andrew-Neils-dog-Miss-Molly-given-free-rein-BBC-This-Week-studio--dozes-David-Starkeys-lap.html
  3. ↑ Cozens, Claire; Deans, Jason (20 September 2002). "The BBC: A new manifesto for viewers". The Guardian (London).
  4. ↑ "About This Week". BBC News. 4 September 2008.
  5. ↑ "Andrew Neil". BBC News. 5 September 2008.
  6. ↑ BBC News| 'Is This the Way to Election Day' Video
  7. ↑ "Opening Up Politics". BBC News. 11 April 2006.
  8. ↑ (Is this the way to) Election Day? on YouTube
  9. ↑ We're off to Find a PM on YouTube

External links

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