Have I Got News For You – tape 1827

The tape opens with the end of The Foot Tunnel, a short film about “a commuter’s journey deep below the ground and into her own personality”. It’s Quantel-tastic.

There’s a trailer for La Difference, looking at French driving habits, with Jeremy Hardy.

This is followed by a trailer for John Sessions Likely Stories, BBC Two trying to eke out another series from Sessions’ trademark poncing about on stage imitating Dutch philosophers. I imagine.

Then, an episode of Have I Got News For You. Guests tonight are Kathy Lette.

And Caroline Quentin.

BBC Genome: BBC Two England, 30 April 1994 21.30

After this episode, recording switches, and there’s the end of a documentary by Michael Apted about Tiananmen Square, with interviews with eyewitnesses talking about life after the massacre.

It’s clearly China season, because the trailer is for BBC Breakfast News looking at China’s forced labour camps.

Then there’s a trailer for Watergate – it’s interesting to see all these names that were so familiar – for me mostly from watching All The President’s Men and reading Doonesbury back issues.

Then, almost 20 minutes late, another episode of Have I Got News For You. The guests are Jack Dee

and non-skateboarding humourist Tony Hawks

 

Hawks is announced as a last-minute guest, and according to Radio Times, Diane Abbott was the intended guest.

It’s odd to watch jokes about the inauguration of the Channel Tunnel whilst on a train to Ashford International station.

BBC Genome: BBC Two England, 14 May 1994 21.45

There’s no preamble before the next episode – straight in, cutting off the very start of the credits. The guests are Maureen Lipman

And bewhiskered schoolmaster Rhodes Boyson

BBC Genome: BBC Two England, 27 May 1994 22.00

Before the next episode, there’s the end of a documentary about the Women’s Anti-slavery movement.

There’s a trailer for the BBC Design Awards featuring Paola Antonelli, curator of the Museum of Modern Art.

Then, the last in this series of Have I Got News For You with guests Donna McPhail

And a fatwa-defying appearance by Salman Rushdie.

 

Amusing credit spot: Lighting Director – Teddy Fader.

BBC Genome: BBC Two England, 10 June 1994 22.00

After this episode there’s a trailer for Later with Jools Holland.

Then there’s a Video Nation Short featuring Sister Mary Francis of the St Clare’s Monastery, Darlington.

Then, an episode of Newsnight with Kirsty Wark, The big news was the poor performance of the Conservatives in the week’s 5 by-elections, and Michael Portillo, then Chief Secretary to the Treasury, lies convincingly when Wark asks him if there should be a leadership contest. He also almost gets faded out at the end where Wark goes to end the interview and he keeps talking.

The other story is the Labour leadership contest, in the wake of the death of John Smith.

During the interview with John Prescott, the recording stops, and there’s another one underneath. From the cast it looks like an Inspector Alleyn mystery, Dead Water. The recording stops after about ten minutes.