Latest news with #Series26
Daily Mirror
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Iconic Channel 4 comedy to return after 24 years - but with big twist
Channel 4 sketch series Smack the Pony is reuniting stars Fiona Allen, Sally Phillips and Doon Mackichan after 24 years - although fans can expect a twist. While the hit series won't be back on our screens, the trio are heading to the Edinburgh Fringe festival for a reunion show at the Gilded Balloon in August. They said in a statement: "This is slightly surreal because it's 24 years since we finished. We're not old comedy, we now qualify as vintage, which is cool. Is it? Because we always talk sketch ideas when we get together, on some level it's almost as if Smack the Pony never really stopped - that it just kept going in some parallel universe. "So it feels like Gilded Balloon is some kind of portal and we'll be popping into catch up with Series 26. We're very grateful to have this chance to hang out and take the p*** out of ourselves again - we've missed it!"
Scottish Sun
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Cast of legendary 90s sketch series reveal they're reuniting 24 years after quitting show
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE stars of cult 90s comedy Smack The Pony are reuniting for a new series 24 years after quitting the hit show. Fiona Allen hit the big time in 1999 with Smack The Pony alongside co-writers and stars Sally Phillips and Doon Mackichan. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 5 Smack the Pony is making a comeback, two decades since its last series 5 Fiona Allen, Sally Phillips and Smack The Pony producer Victoria Pile in 1999 Credit: AP:Associated Press 5 The show ran for three series and had specials over the years Credit: Channel 4 It followed the three female comics as they dealt with a wide variety of topics, from irritating flatmates to workplace issues. It proved to be a huge hit, with a regular audience of around 2.5million viewers. Fiona, Doon and Sally have now revealed they will perform new sketches for the Edinburgh Fringe festival at the Gilded Balloon in August. In a statement, the trio said: "This is slightly surreal because it's 24 years since we finished. "We're not old comedy, we now qualify as vintage, which is cool. Is it?' "Because we always talk sketch ideas when we get together, on some level it's almost as if Smack the Pony never really stopped - that it just kept going in some parallel universe. "So it feels like Gilded Balloon is some kind of portal and we'll be popping into catch up with Series 26. "We're very grateful to have this chance to hang out and take the p*** out of ourselves again - we've missed it!" The series ran on Channel 4 until 2002, concluding with a special in January 2003. In both 1999 and 2000, Smack The Pony won Best Popular Arts Show at the Emmy Awards. 'A League of Their Own' Axed After 15 Years: Farewell to TV's Iconic Sports Comedy Show Co-star and Bridget Jones actress Sally Phillips previously admitted a new series of the sketch show has been pitched to various networks over the last few years. She said: 'We go through phases of pitching it to people. 'Fiona Allen really is the engine behind that so she's always seeing if anyone wants it and we have gone through periods of pitching it to the channels and being very optimistic.' And Doon Mackichan has said: 'So much has happened to us all, as mothers and women, there's a lot that is funny about where we are now. 'There are years of pain to draw on.' 'We will have to wait and see what happens and whether they will want to bring it out of the stable. But we would love to get the old nag out again." 5 Actress Sally Phillips pictured in 2023 Credit: Rex
The Sun
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Cast of legendary 90s sketch series reveal they're reuniting 24 years after quitting show
THE stars of cult 90s comedy Smack The Pony are reuniting for a new series 24 years after quitting the hit show. Fiona Allen hit the big time in 1999 with Smack The Pony alongside co-writers and stars Sally Phillips and Doon Mackichan. 5 5 5 It followed the three female comics as they dealt with a wide variety of topics, from irritating flatmates to workplace issues. It proved to be a huge hit, with a regular audience of around 2.5million viewers. Fiona, Doon and Sally have now revealed they will perform new sketches for the Edinburgh Fringe festival at the Gilded Balloon in August. In a statement, the trio said: "This is slightly surreal because it's 24 years since we finished. "We're not old comedy, we now qualify as vintage, which is cool. Is it?' "Because we always talk sketch ideas when we get together, on some level it's almost as if Smack the Pony never really stopped - that it just kept going in some parallel universe. "So it feels like Gilded Balloon is some kind of portal and we'll be popping into catch up with Series 26. "We're very grateful to have this chance to hang out and take the p*** out of ourselves again - we've missed it!" The series ran on Channel 4 until 2002, concluding with a special in January 2003. In both 1999 and 2000, Smack The Pony won Best Popular Arts Show at the Emmy Awards. 'A League of Their Own' Axed After 15 Years: Farewell to TV's Iconic Sports Comedy Show Co-star and Bridget Jones actress Sally Phillips previously admitted a new series of the sketch show has been pitched to various networks over the last few years. She said: 'We go through phases of pitching it to people. 'Fiona Allen really is the engine behind that so she's always seeing if anyone wants it and we have gone through periods of pitching it to the channels and being very optimistic.' And Doon Mackichan has said: 'So much has happened to us all, as mothers and women, there's a lot that is funny about where we are now. 'There are years of pain to draw on.' 'We will have to wait and see what happens and whether they will want to bring it out of the stable. But we would love to get the old nag out again." 5 5
The Irish Sun
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Cast of legendary 90s sketch series reveal they're reuniting 24 years after quitting show
THE stars of cult 90s comedy Smack The Pony are reuniting for a new series 24 years after quitting the hit show. Fiona Allen hit the big time in 1999 with Smack The Pony alongside co-writers and stars 5 Smack the Pony is making a comeback, two decades since its last series 5 Fiona Allen, Sally Phillips and Smack The Pony producer Victoria Pile in 1999 Credit: AP:Associated Press 5 The show ran for three series and had specials over the years Credit: Channel 4 It followed the three female comics as they dealt with a wide variety of topics, from irritating flatmates to workplace issues. It proved to be a huge hit, with a regular audience of around 2.5million viewers. Fiona, Doon and Sally have now revealed they will perform new sketches for the Edinburgh Fringe festival at the Gilded Balloon in August. In a statement, the trio said: "This is slightly surreal because it's 24 years since we finished. READ MORE ON NINETIES "We're not old comedy, we now qualify as vintage, which is cool. Is it?' "Because we always talk sketch ideas when we get together, on some level it's almost as if Smack the Pony never really stopped - that it just kept going in some parallel universe. "So it feels like Gilded Balloon is some kind of portal and we'll be popping into catch up with Series 26. "We're very grateful to have this chance to hang out and take the p*** out of ourselves again - we've missed it!" Most read in News TV The series ran on Channel 4 until 2002, concluding with a special in January 2003. In both 1999 and 2000, Smack The Pony won Best Popular Arts Show at the Emmy Awards. 'A League of Their Own' Axed After 15 Years: Farewell to TV's Iconic Sports Comedy Show Co-star and Bridget Jones actress She said: 'We go through phases of pitching it to people. 'Fiona Allen really is the engine behind that so she's always seeing if anyone wants it and we have gone through periods of pitching it to the channels and being very optimistic.' And Doon Mackichan has said: 'So much has happened to us all, as mothers and women, there's a lot that is funny about where we are now. 'There are years of pain to draw on.' 'We will have to wait and see what happens and whether they will want to bring it out of the stable. But we would love to get the old nag out again." 5 Actress Sally Phillips pictured in 2023 Credit: Rex 5 Sally also starred in all three Bridget Jones movies Credit: Handout
Daily Mail
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Smack The Pony comedy troupe reunite over 20 YEARS after their Channel 4 series ended
The Smack The Pony comedy troupe are reuniting – more than 20 years after their comedy series ended on Channel 4. Fiona Allen, Doon Mackichan and Sally Phillips are reviving their comic sketches for the Edinburgh Fringe festival at the Gilded Balloon this summer. The three comedians say they have lots of new ideas for skits and can't wait to reunite 24 years after the show came off air. In a statement, the trio said: 'This is slightly surreal because it's 24 years since we finished. We're not old comedy, we now qualify as vintage, which is cool. Is it?' 'Because we always talk sketch ideas when we get together, on some level it's almost as if 'Smack the Pony' never really stopped - that it just kept going in some parallel universe. 'So it feels like Gilded Balloon is some kind of portal and we'll be popping into catch up with Series 26. We're very grateful to have this chance to hang out and take the p*** out of ourselves again - we've missed it!' Their show, titled Back in the Saddle, will also feature broadcaster Kirsty Wark and will be a look back at the TV series with classic sketches revisited as well as their new material. Smack The Pony - which was created by Victoria Pile, who also wrote surreal hospital sitcom Green Wing - ran on Channel 4 for three series from 1999 to 2002, and concluded with two specials broadcast over Christmas 2002 and New Year 2003. Back in 2019, 'Two Doors Down' actress Doon, 62, revealed in an interview with The i newspaper that the trio had written a host of fresh sketches for a potential TV comeback but executives were not interested in bringing back 'Smack The Pony'. She said: 'It's just been really difficult. We've pitched to a few places and it's not happening. 'I don't know whether it's [because it's] older women but it's not happening, which is, to me, astonishing. You think, how funny does it have to be? With the brand?' Doon, Fiona, 60, and Sally, 54, previously reunited for a sketch for Red Nose Day in 2017. Chris McCausland is not returning for a second series of his talk show. The Chris McCausland Show ran on ITV for 11 episodes and saw the stand-up comedian interview an array of celebrity guests, including Paul Whitehouse, Rob Beckett, Pixie Lott and more. The comic's publicist has released a statement revealing that Chris, 47, made the decision to walk away from the programme to pursue other projects. The 2024 Strictly Come Dancing winner has been inundated with work offers since becoming the first blind contestant to take home the Glitterball Trophy on the BBC One ballroom show. The publicist told comedy news website Chortle: 'It was Chris who stepped away from this show. It was a great experience but he's looking at other opportunities and there have been a lot of offers since 'Strictly'.' Chris' next confirmed project is a BBC Two documentary which will focus on how technology has changed the way he has been able to continue his life after losing his sight by age 22 due to the genetic condition retinitis pigmentosa. Seeing Into The Future will show Chris visiting Silicon Valley and investigating the latest technology helping people with blindness and severe sight issues. Chris will also be releasing his memoir later this year. Announcing the book in January 2025, he said: 'I thought 'Strictly' was terrifying but my book has a release date and I haven't started writing it yet.
