

Saturday Live
Saturday Live was a British television comedy and music show broadcast by Channel 4 from 1985 to 1987, and in 1988 as Friday Night Live. Influenced by the American show Saturday Night Live, it was produced by Paul Jackson. The series made stars of Ben Elton, Harry Enfield, Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, and featured appearances by Patrick Marber, Morwenna Banks, Chris Barrie, Emo Philips, Craig Ferguson, Craig Charles and many others. The show featured comic duo Adrian Edmondson and Rik Mayall in their act The Dangerous Brothers. All episodes were transmitted live, although some material was pre-recorded. Recordings of shows were edited into compilation repeats, retitled Saturday Almost Live. The show was succeeded by Friday Night Live, a shorter and slightly more tightly-formatted show with Elton as the permanent host, which ran for a single series in 1988. The show's titles consisted of reforming clay animations, highly comparable to early MTV idents.
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Cast
Seasons
- Ep 1
1.Tracey Ullman
25-01-1986Tracey Ullman Introduction John Sparkes Shadwell (character) music INXS This Time The Oblivion Boys Staring contest Tracey Ullman, Jon Glover, Mac McDonald (pre-filmed) The Riv...
- Ep 2
2.Lenny Henry
01-02-1986The compere was Lenny Henry. Guests included Fry & Laurie, Oblivion Boys, Dangerous Brothers (Rik Mayall & Adrian Edmondson), Ben Elton, Level 42, The Damned with a cameo from Gary...
- Ep 3
3.Pamela Stephenson
08-02-1986The compere was Pamela Stephenson, and guests included Fry & Laurie, The Oblivion Boys, Dangerous Brothers (Rik Mayall & Adrian Edmondson), Richard Digance, Cliffhanger, Spike Mill...
- Ep 4
4.Chris Barrie
15-02-1986 - Ep 5
5.Michael Barrymore
22-02-1986Michael Barrymore Introduction music Colonel Abrams I'm Not Gonna Let You Get The Best of Me The Oblivion Boys Kidnapped Susie Blake Rupert Bear story Michael Barrymore Stand-u...
- Ep 6
6.Hale & Pace
01-03-1986Hale & Pace The Management arrive and introduction music Madness I'll Compete Hale & Pace Proclamation Harry Enfield Stavros (character): My daughter Donna (DVD:SL1, FLEE) musi...
- Ep 7
7.Ben Elton
08-03-1986Ben Elton Introduction and stand-up: Club 18-30 (Almost:1) (DVD:SL1) music Buddy Curtess and the Grasshoppers Real Girl (Almost:1) Ben Elton, Hugh Laurie Pop Show (DVD:FLEE) Har...
- Ep 8
8.Fascinating Aïda
15-03-1986Fascinating Aïda Introduction The Wow Show/The Oblivion Boys Wow Fashion (DVD:SL1) Harry Enfield, John Sessions Stavros (character): Freddie Starr Ate My Hamster (DVD:FLEE) musi...
- Ep 9
9.Peter Cook
22-03-1986Peter Cook (Impression) Ferdinand Marcos (DVD:SL1) music The Communards Disenchanted The Oblivion Boys Pot Snooker (DVD:SL1) Kate Robbins (Impression) Sarah Ferguson Peter Cook...
- Ep 10
10.Steven Wright
29-03-1986
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