[Adam]

DEAYTON EYES UP TV RETURN

Shamed former host of Have I Got New For You Angus Deayton has been in talks to come back to the show according to reports.

Deayton was sacked from his job as frontman for the news quiz show after a string of newspaper reports of cocaine-fuelled sex with a prostitute.


Regulars on the show, Paul Merton and Ian Hislop, made constant jibes about Deayton's predicament and bosses said he could no longer stay if the host was the news and therefore the focus for the show.

Despite a series of one-off hosts, the show's ratings slumped after Deayton's departure, reports the Daily Star.

Programme makers failed to find a permanent replacement for the 46-year-old and Hat Trick Productions is now said to have approached the acid-tongued comic about a comeback.

If he does return, Deayton is expected to take a significant drop in wages from his previous £50,000-an-episode after guest hosts were paid only £10,000 a time

[Chief Erf]

Good, hes the only man for the job.

[timb]

i've been expecting him to come back next season all along

[MK Chris]

If you believe what you read Merton and Hislop won't be best pleased...

[Uglybob]

well without Have I Got News For You, it seemed like a part of the show had gone. Like about 5 years ago when Merton left and they stuck in Eddie Izzard, just not the same. Maybe Clive Anderson would work but i dont seem to remember them trying him, just i think he was a panellist.

[MK Chris]

I think Stephen Fry would do a good job.

[Gaspode_The_Wonder_Dog]

nah deayton should come back they just dont need it mentioning every week. its old news now anyway...

[ASG]

It'll be interesting to see how it pans out, but I am pleased if he's back!

[Jacqui]

i hope he comes back, its not right without him!

[Sidders]

That story was from the Daily Star, so I doubt it's true. If it is true then it's great news, he's the best person for the job.

[ninemaster]

Typical BBC short term memories and acting out of desperation. The sooner they scrap the licence fee the better im fed up with having to pay for the utter crap they broadcast.

[Chief Erf]

I would turn away from tv for ever if it was all adverts.

[ninemaster]

Its not a case of the adverts i challenge anyone to come up with anything good the BBC has done in the last 12 months! Plus they already advertise (Moyles) and on their affiliate channels on Sky UK Gold etc.

[Sidders]

If it comes to that, I challenge anyone to come up with anything good that ITV has done in the last 12 months. I still think the BBC is 10 times better than ITV.

[ninemaster]

My point is that you dont have to pay for ITV. Yes its Bilge but the BBC seems to be moving towards it in the quality of its output. Endless DIY shows endless "celebrity" based shows.

[Sam]

BBC have eastenders. Nuff said! Having said that, I don't have to pay the licence fee yet, my views might change in a couple of years.

I normally hate ITV but there was a very good documentry thing on there a couple of days ago about Philip Pullman, which would have made very interesting contributions to the Jesus thread a) it hadn't had it's day b)if anyone knew the His Dark Materials trilogy and c)if anyone saw the documentary. Anyway, nice bloke, very interesting person, one of those people you'd like to sit down and have a good conversation with as he has some interesting views. I apoligise for using the word 'interesting' 3 (4?) times in this post.

[Sidders]

Nah, I've never heard of him. Is he a novelist or something?

[Adam]

looks like sam is a a long post day today.

[Sam]

Yes, one of my favourites. He wrote (as I said) the 'His Dark Materials' trilogy, the last of which, 'The Amber Spyglass', was the first childrens book (though I wouldn't class it as a childs book) ever to win the Whitbread prize, and I cried myself through from beginning to end. He is a fallen (is that the correct word?) Christian and some of his views are very controversial, such as the temptation of Eve wasn't a sin but a wonderful thing to be embraced. He's also very well known for attacking C.S.Lewis's Narnia chronicles, and the image of Christinaity they portray.

[timb]

i watch channel 4 and 5 more than i do bbc channels so yes i'd rather have my license fee back in exchange for a few adverts i block out anyway

[Sam]

Nah, I've never heard of him. Is he a novelist or something?

lol, yup, feeling very vocal. But just for you heres a short one!

[ninemaster]

Anybody tried avoiding the dreaded fee? I always think the detection vans must be scare tactics.

[Sidders]

I probably could get away with it, living in halls, but my parents pay for my licence anyway. I have to cope with a black & white telly though.

[ninemaster]

Yeah in halls your safe. I rang up to get one when i was in there they couldnt find my flat no on the database so i hung up

[timb]

you're not. some areas they do a specific student crack down.