TBS Shoots Pilot for British Import “Have I Got News For You”

If a show is good enough, executives will keep hammering at the door until it opens up.  Another door is starting to look open for the BBC1 news quiz Have I Got News For You.  Cable network TBS shot a pilot for the long running game this past Friday.  The US version of Have I Got News For You was hosted by Sam Seder and featured panelists Michael Ian Black and Sherrod Small.  The comedy game sees panelists playing various funny games involving the week’s headlines.  Have I Got News For You was piloted for NBC in 2009.  The network attempted to make it appear in line with other primetime games but eventually passed on it.  A pilot was also shot in 2004 for cable network Bravo.  Third time may be the charm for the influential panel game.

Since 2004 TBS, the proposed network, has specialized primarily in comedic programming.  Beyond reruns of sitcoms like Seinfeld and The Big Bang Theory, the network also produces original shows such as Cougar Town, Conan, Men At Work, and others.  TBS has also been actively looking for unscripted series for many years.  A pilot for a revival of Match Game was shot and rejected in 2008, and a revival of The $25,000 Pyramid was announced as in-development in 2011 but nothing came of that.  TBS is airing a game this January, though, called King of the Nerds.

Have I Got News For You has aired on BBC since 1990.  Hosted by Angus Deayton from its inception until 2002, the series has used guest presenters since.  It has been cited helping to start the great history of panel comedy games in the United Kingdom which, today, is carried on by others such as QI and 8 Out of 10 Cats.  Take a look at a recent episode guest hosted by major American television star William Shatner.

Source : C21 Media