Baddiel and Skinner Unplanned is a British free-form television talk show hosted by comedians David Baddiel and Frank Skinner and produced by Avalon Television for ITV. It ran from 28 May 2000 to 14 September 2005. Its concept was developed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe prior to the television series. Alongside the television series, the show had a run in the West End at the Shaftesbury Theatre between 17 April and 12 May 2001 from which a ‘Baddiel and Skinner Unplanned - Live in the West End’ DVD was released.
Format
The intro to the show begins with a slow pan along an empty street before focussing on actor Lewis Rose who sings the intro before the crowds come in to join with a chant of "It'll never work" and head into the theatre to watch the show. Baddiel and Skinner eventually join in with the crowds and enter themselves, singing "And neither will we again!"
The show features the two hosts sitting on a couch on-stage and responding to questions from the audience – at times rather seriously, but usually with bizarre digressions into satirical comedy. An audience member is chosen as "Secretary" and has the job of keeping a note of the topics covered on a white board. In practice, the personality of the secretary will also prompt many jokes – usually at his or her expense. At the end of the show, Skinner asks either the secretary or the audience to choose between two song books, and to pick a page number between 1 and 20. This process determines which song is performed by the duo, sung by Skinner with Baddiel accompanying him on piano (or, on at least one occasion, semi-acoustic guitar).
Topics of discussion are wholly mandated by the audience and have ranged from discussions of the war against Iraq and other political events to comments on the latest plot twists of popular soap operas and the Atkins diet. Skinner's Catholicism and Baddiel's Jewish culture are also occasional targets of humour (Baddiel describing Skinner's faith as being "insane" and Skinner often using a music-hall Jewish accent to hold mock dialogues among members of Baddiel's extended family, as well as both performers demonstrating how to "play the piano in a convincingly Jewish manner").
To avoid it becoming too similar to the pair's other show, Fantasy Football League, an unofficial rule was introduced to prevent discussion of football-related topics.
Series overview
Episodes
Series Episode Original Aired Date Secretary Song Discussion Points 1 1 2000-05-28 Karen - IT Consultant King of the Road (Orange Book, Song 7), Dave's 36th Birthday, IT = I Try, Soccer Six, Insatiable pigs, Robert De Niro, Mike Reid 1 2 2000-05-29 Paul - Penguin Keeper Oh, Pretty Woman (Orange Book, Song 14) Gladiators, Toilet signs, beards, African penguins, what the director does, using star status to get women 1 3 2000-05-30 Simon - Sales Rep Je t'aime (Orange Book, Song 17) Dave's cat, naked with a tortoise, "even this", "little tablet you stick up your...", "Fit old bird where frank bottled it", lack of female input in the show 1 4 2000-05-31 Ally - Frank's longtime friend/stalker (also a nanny) Sugar, Sugar (Orange Book, Song 8) Yorkshire viewers, Tennis with Les Dennis, Meeting Frank's stalker ally, Frank's stalker's book of Frank photos, Stalking, News at Ten, who misses it, Private v Public school, EastEnders spoiler 1 5 2000-06-05 Shelly - in the Deli At the hop (Orange Book, Song 25) Daniella Westbrooke's nose, Rainforest Cafe, Frank owns a bit of the rainforest, naked on stage 1 6 2000-06-06 Arron Shakespeare - Freelance Librarian Prince Charming (Orange Book, Song 7) Cocaine users, the Arron and Alan show, Camp School, London Beefeaters, Ronan Keating, Coronation Street spoiler, 1 7 2000-06-07 Laurie JPS - Art Student Day Dream Believer (Orange Book, Song 2) Boy or girl, British Library, piercings, Insomnia 1 8 2000-06-11 Will - Secretary for a website Kung Fu Fighting (Orange Book, Song 14) Baldness and Hair loss, Dave's dad, Coronation Street spoiler, bucket in the bedroom, adult swimming lessons, sued by a psychic, the Royals 1 9 2000-06-12 Shine - Student of Chemistry Somethin' Stupid (Orange Book, Song 21) Guessing celebs, Boris Yeltsin, Frank and Dave's old flat in Kilburn, Stoke Newington 1 10 2000-06-13 Bruce - Film maker Three Coins in the Fountain (Orange Book, Song 9) (Blind Date (British game show)) party, Roy from the gym, Bruce gets burnt twice, Who would play you in a film, Dave's gossip on Prince Edward affair, "Oh do you princess Margaret", Dave's bad taste missile joke, Should parents smack children, Lemsip for Bruce, Should same sex couples chose sex of unborn children 1 11 2000-06-14 Bill - Civil Servant at Ministry of Agriculture December, 1963 (Orange Book, Song 11) Gordon Moore's gum dying toothpaste, Keith Chegwin, Brighton nudist beach, tosser says tosser, Close encounters 1 12 2000-06-15 Jess - Student of film TV and drama The Lion Sleeps Tonight (Orange Book, Song 16) Massage, frank and Dave swap with audience, "So if I did this... Streaker" 2 1 2001-01-14 Jamie - Homebase Logistics Baggy Trousers (Blue Book - Song 4) Deaf people, Debra Bailey, bald Bruce Forsyth, "Don't be a winner - vote for skinner", giraffe sounds (part 1) 2 2 2001-01-15 Ruth - Drama Therapy Student Memories Are Made of This (Orange Book, Song 7) Judaism, Drama therapy, masturbation at work, Castaway film, Archipelago restaurant, acupressure, 2 3 2001-01-17 Travis - Performing Arts Student/Barman Waterloo (Blue Book, Song 16) Hat hair, Frank's girlfriend, Travis on the pull, Jewdo, Vengaboys, 2 4 2001-01-19 Kelly - Customer Services Baby One More Time (Blue Book, Song 15)