An Audience with...

An Audience with... is a British entertainment television show produced by London Weekend Television (now known asITV Studios), in which a host, usually a singer or comedian, performs for an invited audience of celebrity guests, interspersed with questions from the audience, in a light hearted revue/tribute style.



Contents
[hide]  *1 History  ==History[ edit] == The show began as An Audience with Jasper Carrott, as a normal six part television series for the comedian, his first television show, broadcast in 1978, produced by London Weekend Television (LWT). From 1980 onwards, the show then changed into An Audience with...(name of host), with one-off special guest hosts performing in front of celebrity audiences.
 * 1.1 An Audience with Jasper Carrott
 * 1.2 An Audience with...
 * 1.3 An Audience Without... Jeremy Beadle
 * 1.4 30 Years of An Audience With
 * 1.5 Les Dawson
 * 2 List of episodes
 * 3 DVD releases
 * 4 References
 * 5 External links

The show has traditionally been broadcast on ITV on Saturday nights, while some shows in the 1980s were broadcast on Channel 4. The show has been commissioned at varying intervals, with ten shows broadcast in the 1980s, followed by twenty in each in the decades of the 1990s and 2000s. Since 1994 there has been at least one and often multiple shows broadcast per year, with the exception of 2000 and 2003.

Some hosts have appeared multiple times. Dame Edna Everage has been host three times, while Freddie Starr, Ken Dodd, Joan Rivers, Shirley Bassey, Al Murray andDonny Osmond have all been asked to return once. One show, for Jeremy Beadle, was hosted posthumously. In 2010, a five-part highlights series of the show, 30 Years of An Audience With, was broadcast on ITV. More recent shows have focused more on musicians and singers rather than comedians - the last comedian given An Audience with... was Al Murray in 2007. On 4 March 2012, ITV filmed their latest show, An Audience With Lionel Richie, which will be broadcast later in the year. ===An Audience with Jasper Carrott[ edit] === The show began as a television series produced by London Weekend Television (LWT) for the comedian Jasper Carrott, which aired for six episodes in 1978, before the title was then used for the hour long specials of the current format.[1] ===An Audience with...<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:17.9200000762939px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14.3999996185303px;">From 1980, the show took on a format where a special guest would host a one off show in front of a celebrity audience, and have their name appended to the title.Dame Edna Everage was the first host of An Audience with... in 1980.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-30YearsEp1_2-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[2]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:17.9200000762939px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14.3999996185303px;">The show has had numerous hosts since then, mostly comedians and singers. Occasionally, pop groups, actors and television presenters have also hosted the show. One-off hosts in the series have been an episode hosted by a puppet, Sooty, by the cast of a television show, the ITV soap opera Coronation Street, and by a sportsperson, the boxer Lennox Lewis. The Spice Girls were the first pop group to host the show, in 1997.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-30YearsEp1_2-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[2]  In 2006, An Audience with Take That was the first time the show was performed live, continued with the next show, An Audience with Lionel Richie.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-30YearsEp2_3-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[3]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:17.9200000762939px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14.3999996185303px;">Hosts are often joined on staged by special guests. Singer Lionel Richie was joined by Westlife,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-30YearsEp2_3-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[3]  Lulu was joined in a duet with former husband Maurice Gibb,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-30YearsEp2_3-2" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[3]  the Bee Gees performed with Boyzone, Ricky Martin was joined by Kylie Minogue,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-30YearsEp3_4-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[4]  and Take That performed Relight My Fire with Lulu.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-30YearsEp4_5-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[5]  All round entertainer Des O'Connor was joined on stage by Martine McCutcheon, and dueted with Lionel Richie in a version of Three Times a Lady.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-30YearsEp5_6-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[6]  Comedian Ronnie Corbett had as his special guest his long time comedy partner, Ronnie Barker.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-30YearsEp5_6-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[6]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:17.9200000762939px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14.3999996185303px;">Comedian hosts will often involve audience members on stage, such as Brian Conley's sword and card trick on Christine Hamilton performed blindfolded,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-30YearsEp2_3-3" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[3]  Freddie Starr's act of seemingly throwing knives at a blindfolded Garry Bushell.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-30YearsEp3_4-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[4]  Comedians will also interact with the audience, with Freddie starr throwing maggots over Faith Brown,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-30YearsEp3_4-2" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[4]  and Al Murray, in his Pub Landlord persona, spilt drinks over them.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-30YearsEp5_6-2" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[6]  Singing based shows will also sometimes involve comic relief, with Frank Skinnerappearing in drag as one of Lulu's backing singers,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-30YearsEp2_3-4" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[3]  and Kylie Minogue being joined on stage for a romantic duet with Kermit the Frog.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-30YearsEp5_6-3" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[6] ===''An Audience Without... Jeremy Beadle''<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:17.9200000762939px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14.3999996185303px;">After the death of the television practical joker Jeremy Beadle on 30 January 2008, ITV decided to commission An Audience Without... Jeremy Beadle, to celebrate his best work and raise money for some of his favourite charities. Broadcast on 16 May 2008, the show was hosted by Chris Tarrant, and included the results of an ITV public vote choosing his top-5 best ever pranks from his show, Beadle's About. This episode was produced by Talent Television.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-AnAudienceWithoutJeremyBeadle_7-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[7] ===30 Years of An Audience With<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:17.9200000762939px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14.3999996185303px;">In 2010, ITV broadcast 30 Years of An Audience With, looking back at the history of the series, with interviews from past guests, and clips from old shows. The show was broadcast in five hour-long episodes, from 17 July 2010<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-30YearsEp1_2-2" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[2]  to 14 August 2010.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-30YearsEp5_6-4" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[6]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:17.9200000762939px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14.3999996185303px;">Episode 1 looked back at the shows featuring Dame Edna Everage, The Spice Girls, Bob Monkhouse, Joe Pasquale and Donny & Marie, and featured interviews including Dame Edna, Mel B, Emma Bunton and Joe Pasquale.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-30YearsEp1_2-3" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[2]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:17.9200000762939px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14.3999996185303px;">Episode 2 looked at the shows hosted by Ken Dodd, Lionel Richie, Brian Conley, Victoria Wood, and Lulu, with interviews from all five hosts.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-30YearsEp2_3-5" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[3]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:17.9200000762939px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14.3999996185303px;">Episode 3 looked at the shows hosted by Freddie Starr, The Bee Gees, Joan Rivers, Bruce Forsyth and Ricky Martin, with interviews including Robin Gibb, Joan Rivers and Bruce Forsyth.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-30YearsEp3_4-3" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[4]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:17.9200000762939px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14.3999996185303px;">Episode 4 looked at the shows hosted by Dame Shirley Bassey, Take That, Sir Cliff Richard, Jackie Mason and Jimmy Tarbuck, with interviews from Jackie Mason and Jimmy Tarbuck.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-30YearsEp4_5-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[5]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:17.9200000762939px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14.3999996185303px;">Episode 5 looked at the shows hosted by Des O’Connor, Al Murray, Ronnie Corbett, Kylie Minogue and Michael Bublé with interviews from Des O' Connor, Al Murray and Ronnie Corbett.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-30YearsEp5_6-5" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[6] ===Les Dawson<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:17.9200000762939px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:14.3999996185303px;">In June 1993, Les Dawson was due to record an edition of An Audience With..., but died a fortnight prior to the planned recording.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-8" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[8]  On the 20th anniversary of the comedian's untimely death, ITV decide to celebrate it with the use of a technology which gave the illusion he was on stage. The chief executive of Musion Systems the company that provided the technology, told the Today programme's Sarah Montague that "it's not actually a hologram but the world perceives what we do as holograms, so we call it holograms." He explained how the technology allows people "to appear as though [they are] on stage".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-9" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[9] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-10" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[10] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-11" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-size:11.1999998092651px;">[11] ==List of episodes<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[ edit<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] ==