Latest news with #SmackThePony
Scotsman
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Smack the Pony Back in the Saddle for Fringe run
The time has come – our long-awaited press release has officially been proclaimed to the world, announcing Gilded Balloon's 40th Anniversary programme! I've been working on it for quite some time now and it feels wonderful to let everyone know what we have in store for this year's festival. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Forty years is a real milestone for me, and something that's always been at the forefront of the business is championing women. It's important for me to celebrate women who have worked in the industry for many years and have fought hard to be heard. Therefore, it was of great importance to me that the Smack The Pony ladies agreed to a reunion. Doon Mackichan has performed all of her shows at Gilded Balloon over the years, Sally Phillips and I had chatted last year about her doing a solo Fringe show and Fiona Allen brought a show to the festival in 2023. It only made sense to bring them together to reignite the magic of their Emmy winning series – live on stage. Smack the Pony will reform for a special run of shows Broadcasting royalty Kirsty Wark will be interviewing them, and fans can expect classic sketches they know and love alongside behind the scenes banter. Doon, Sally and Fiona have also let me know that they have written new sketches especially for the summer which is very exciting. Will this mean that they will end up touring? Who knows, but the Fringe is the perfect stage to get the bit between their teeth again and perform in front of a live audience. Another exciting announcement is Rosie O' Donnell, who will perform her debut Fringe show titled, Here and Now. I was over the moon when I found out she wanted to do a Fringe show. She is such an important voice and it's a huge coup to have her at the Fringe. Following her recent move to Ireland, it'll be great to see her on stage on this side of the pond. I feel really proud to have her with us. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It's a great feeling to celebrate people who've performed with us over the last four decades, and bring them to our stages this Fringe. Jenny Eclair first performed at the Gilded Balloon in 1990 in a play called 30 Somehow – it was a deeply black comedy about a plane crash in Bodo, Norway and she performed alongside two other talented comics and writers, Maria McErlane and Julie Balloo. I still remember how hilarious that show was, and consequently we have been friends ever since. Jenny was the first woman to win the coveted Perrier Comedy Award and since then has certainly made her mark on the comedy scene across the UK. This August Jenny will take part in one of our 40 Years of Fringe shows – a special in-conversation series we are presenting starring comedy greats. Other guests include Michelle McManus talking with various Scottish comedians about their journey into the business, Doon MacKichan will be joined by Keiran Hodgson for a Two Doors Down reunion, and there's one more surprise up our sleeve which we'll announce in the coming weeks. It's been a happy and sometimes arduous journey to our 40th anniversary – but I wouldn't change it for the world. Cheers to 40 Years!
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.
