Baddiel and Skinner Unplanned
Baddiel and Skinner Unplanned is a British free-form television talk show hosted by comedians David Baddiel and Frank Skinner and produced by Avalon Television for ITV. It ran from 28 May 2000 to 14 September 2005. Its concept was developed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe prior to the television series. Alongside the television series, the show had a run in the West End at the Shaftesbury Theatre between 17 April and 12 May 2001 from which a ‘Baddiel and Skinner Unplanned - Live in the West End’ DVD was released.
Format
The intro to the show begins with a slow pan along an empty street before focussing on actor Lewis Rose who sings the intro before the crowds come in to join with a chant of "It'll never work" and head into the theatre to watch the show. Baddiel and Skinner eventually join in with the crowds and enter themselves, singing "And neither will we again!"The show features the two hosts sitting on a couch on-stage and responding to questions from the audience – at times rather seriously, but usually with bizarre digressions into satirical comedy. An audience member is chosen as "Secretary" and has the job of keeping a note of the topics covered on a white board. In practice, the personality of the secretary will also prompt many jokes – usually at his or her expense. At the end of the show, Skinner asks either the secretary or the audience to choose between two song books, and to pick a page number between 1 and 20. This process determines which song is performed by the duo, sung by Skinner with Baddiel accompanying him on piano.
Topics of discussion are wholly mandated by the audience and have ranged from discussions of the war against Iraq and other political events to comments on the latest plot twists of popular soap operas and the Atkins diet. Skinner's Catholicism and Baddiel's Jewish culture are also occasional targets of humour.
To avoid it becoming too similar to the pair's other show, Fantasy Football League, an unofficial rule was introduced to prevent discussion of football-related topics.
Series overview
Episodes
| Series | Episode | Original Aired Date | Secretary | Song | Discussion Points |
| 1 | 1 | 2000-05-28 | Karen - IT Consultant | King of the Road, | Dave's 36th Birthday, IT = I Try, Soccer Six, Insatiable pigs, Robert De Niro, Mike Reid |
| 1 | 2 | 2000-05-29 | Paul - Penguin Keeper | Oh, Pretty Woman | Gladiators, Toilet signs, beards, African penguins, what the director does, using star status to get women |
| 1 | 3 | 2000-05-30 | Simon - Sales Rep | Je t'aime | Dave's cat, naked with a tortoise, "even this", "little tablet you stick up your...", "Fit old bird where frank bottled it", lack of female input in the show |
| 1 | 4 | 2000-05-31 | Ally - Frank's longtime friend/stalker | Sugar, Sugar | Yorkshire viewers, Tennis with Les Dennis, Meeting Frank's stalker ally, Frank's stalker's book of Frank photos, Stalking, News at Ten, who misses it, Private v Public school, EastEnders spoiler |
| 1 | 5 | 2000-06-05 | Shelly - in the Deli | At the hop | Daniella Westbrooke's nose, Rainforest Cafe, Frank owns a bit of the rainforest, naked on stage |
| 1 | 6 | 2000-06-06 | Arron Shakespeare - Freelance Librarian | Prince Charming | Cocaine users, the Arron and Alan show, Camp School, London Beefeaters, Ronan Keating, Coronation Street spoiler, |
| 1 | 7 | 2000-06-07 | Laurie JPS - Art Student | Day Dream Believer | Boy or girl, British Library, piercings, Insomnia |
| 1 | 8 | 2000-06-11 | Will - Secretary for a website | Kung Fu Fighting | Baldness and Hair loss, Dave's dad, Coronation Street spoiler, bucket in the bedroom, adult swimming lessons, sued by a psychic, the Royals |
| 1 | 9 | 2000-06-12 | Shine - Student of Chemistry | Somethin' Stupid | Guessing celebs, Boris Yeltsin, Frank and Dave's old flat in Kilburn, Stoke Newington |
| 1 | 10 | 2000-06-13 | Bruce - Film maker | Three Coins in the Fountain | party, Roy from the gym, Bruce gets burnt twice, Who would play you in a film, Dave's gossip on Prince Edward affair, "Oh do you princess Margaret", Dave's bad taste missile joke, Should parents smack children, Lemsip for Bruce, Should same sex couples chose sex of unborn children |
| 1 | 11 | 2000-06-14 | Bill - Civil Servant at Ministry of Agriculture | December, 1963 | Gordon Moore's gum dying toothpaste, Keith Chegwin, Brighton nudist beach, tosser says tosser, Close encounters |
| 1 | 12 | 2000-06-15 | Jess - Student of film TV and drama | The Lion Sleeps Tonight | Massage, frank and Dave swap with audience, "So if I did this... Streaker" |
| 2 | 1 | 2001-01-14 | Jamie - Homebase Logistics | Baggy Trousers | Deaf people, Debra Bailey, bald Bruce Forsyth, "Don't be a winner - vote for skinner", giraffe sounds |
| 2 | 2 | 2001-01-15 | Ruth - Drama Therapy Student | Memories Are Made of This | Judaism, Drama therapy, masturbation at work, Castaway film, Archipelago restaurant, acupressure, |
| 2 | 3 | 2001-01-17 | Travis - Performing Arts Student/Barman | Waterloo | Hat hair, Frank's girlfriend, Travis on the pull, Jewdo, Vengaboys, |
| 2 | 4 | 2001-01-19 | Kelly - Customer Services | Baby One More Time | Carol Vorderman, golf, suits, dogs, anxiety attacks, Rod Stewart |
| 2 | 5 | 2001-01-21 | Harriet M - Secretary | Lost in Music | Unfortunate background, Quantity surveyor, Who wants to be a millionaire, Blind date question, Daisy chain, Conga |
| 2 | 6 | 2001-01-22 | Chris Long - Photographic Portrait Assistant | I Only Want to Be with You | Dave's jacket, the aids, Skoda, Dave's arrest, giraffe sounds |
| 2 | 7 | 2001-01-24 | Charles - Liberal Arts student | Crazy | Frank has a cold, Peter Mandelson's resignation, Dave's uses the f word on live TV, gay code, Dave's birthplace, Jimmy Savile, Chinese New Year, Frank's pants |
| 2 | 8 | 2001-01-26 | Bonnie - Secretary | A Night To Remember | Church of England priest, Basil Brush, Prince Naseem Hamed, A1, Dave's dad, snooker with Steve Davis, Paul McKenna, "a gentleman never tells", most embarrassing moment on TV |
| 2 | 9 | 2001-01-28 | Bernie - Youth Worker | What a Wonderful World | Frank's birthday, Grecian 2000, Gary Newman, Meeting women online, wigs, Frank and Dave's worst jobs, turkey eggs, call my muff |
| 2 | 10 | 29/01/2001 | Gemma - Student of Leisure Management and Sport | Killing Me Softly | Love bite appreciation society, West End of London, tramps and rent boys, Stephen Hawking, Chad, Izal toilet paper, penny chews, turkey eggs |
| 2 | 11 | 31/01/2001 | Gareth - Advertising | The 'In' Crowd | Cat therapist, Noel Edmonds, Tax, "when ur hand is hard ur meat is done" |
| 2 | 12 | 02/02/2001 | Rachel- Advertising | Big Spender | Spontaneous applause, signing on, Newsnight, Rent, Cilla Black, "describe each other in 5 words", phobias |
| 3 | 1 | 14/03/2002 | Shema Stanley - Marketing | American Pie | Unplanned goes international, Continuity problems, Hosting the Brit Awards, Kurt Cobain and Ken Dodd, One armed Zippy |
| 3 | 2 | 21/03/2002 | Rob - Student of special effects | Old Man River | Romford births, Special effects, German Three Lions, Most famous person in phone book, Up the auntie, Likely lads, Alistair McGowan, Ex-partners, Bono vs George Bush |
| 3 | 3 | 28/04/2002 | Susannah - Sales Manager | Bachelor Boy | Smell of burning, Dave's jacket, London marathon, the show is pre recorded, Beckham's hair, the futures bright "the Fuchsia's Orange", celebrity freebies, Friends Reunited, dog looks like frank, Jewish Dwarf, George Formby |
| 3 | 4 | 04/04/2002 | Angela Barrel | Shake Rattle and Roll | Mobile Phones, George Formby, Dreadlocks, Friends Reunited, Liam Gallagher in a Jewish chip shop, Jordan giving birth, Through the Keyhole, Charles Dickens' business card, Janine Butcher |
| 3 | 5 | 11/04/2002 | Motti Coleman - Gap Year at a Finance Company | Crying (song) | Paul Daniels, In court with Boris Becker, Kylie Minogue, severed head in a bag, writer of erotic tales, dogs see in black and white |
| 3 | 6 | 18/04/2002 | Sukanya - HR Consultant | Delilah | Elvis ladies, Loud lady, Dave's trousers, Dress to left or right, Patrick auditions for Secretary but never tells the Frank story, EastEnders’ little Mo, liposuction, Frank's ring, Beckham's foot, Marilyn Monroe, |
| 3 | 7 | 25/04/2002 | Sharon - Teacher | Mambo No. 5 | The Vagina Monologues, Billy Elliot, gayometer, gay animals, new theme tune |
| 3 | 8 | 02/05/2002 | Trevor - Retired Writer | Seasons in the Sun | Shark attack, Rear of the Year, Jaffa Cakes, Chris Collins, lion ladies and bloke lions, film of Frank's life, drunk stories |
| 3 | 9 | 09/05/2002 | Morne Morais - unknown | Evergreen | Hand buzzer Joy buzzer, side of the bed, dreams coming true, Stars in Their Eyes, Name That Tune |
| 3 | 10 | 16/05/2002 | Claire and Sarah - unknown | Can't Get You Out of My Head | Twins, eBay, Star Wars premiere, Frank and Dave recreate sitcoms, Atomic Kitten and a Lightsaber |
| 3 | 11 | 23/05/2002 | Andy and Becky - unknown | I’ve Got You Under My Skin I've Got You Under My Skin | Unmitigated success, Angus Deayton/ Have I Got News for You, ITV Digital Monkey, "Vilhelm's your uncle", Kimonos for Goalposts documentary, Frank gets the penthouse windup, Insomnia, Swinging, Posh and Becks party, David Blaine, being a woman for a day, eating dogs, |
| 3 | 12 | 30/05/2002 | Andy - English student | Three Lions | Big Brother, alcoholics v celebrities, Frank's Institute of Cancer Research billboard, Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson, Three Lions |
| 4 | 1 | 29/01/2003 | Sonya - NHS Clinical Coding/Security | I Will Always Love You | "Happy Birthday to you", Olivia Newton-John fan club, Koala Bears, Charlotte church, Frank's new dog, London olympics, marathon walking, Frank's upside down mouth |
| 4 | 2 | 05/02/2003 | Charlie - Nurse | The Impossible Dream | Sound activated bedside lamp, Michael Jackson, the Matthew Kelly comment, tunes, coronation street, coudoroy, Vera lynne, gulf war, green 3 |
| 4 | 3 | 12/02/2003 | Emma - Receptionist | Pearl's a Singer | Martin bash ire, Atkins diet, performance enhancing LG drugs, wedding photos, Mike skinner, Colin power, Orange 1 |
| 4 | 4 | 19/02/2003 | Ashley - Student of media | I Say a Little Prayer | the Fonz, Gary Coleman, Alex furguson, David Beckham is Frank Spencer, Jack the Ripper, Ashley's joke, congestion charge, celeb daq, piles, Ashley peacock from coronation street, 2001 census |
| 4 | 5 | 26/02/2003 | Daniel - graphic designer | Fever | A crow is a black bird but not a blackbird, Matthew Kelly, ant and dec, paid to go to the football with Tony the Tiger, eastenders, coronation street |
| 4 | 6 | 05/02/2003 | Laura - Secretary | Paranoid | frog marching, children's books, Nancy Delano/barbar dean at the football story, afternoon detective shows, sushi girls in Japan |
| 4 | 7 | 12/03/2003 | Siobhan - Singer | Do You Really Want To Hurt Me | STDs, Operatunity, Nessun Dorma, Johnny Vaughan, gulf war, coronation street, Richard hill man, celebrity driving school |
| 4 | 8 | 19/03/2003 | Ryan - Student | I Walk The Line | American conscription, invention of glasses, Elton John's outfits, Barium enemas, cold feet, George formby |
| 4 | 9 | 26/03/2003 | Nicola - Fashion Designer | Feel | Language barriers, all bran, Sudan Hussain lookalikes, frugal Frank, torture, stairlifts, dwarfs, Dave's visit to Autswith, green 3 |
| 4 | 10 | 02/04/2003 | Natalie - Personal Assistant | Yellow | Desert navigation, Why rubber ducks are yellow, Coldplay, Tan Lines, Army Regiments |
| 4 | 11 | 09/04/2003 | Pip - Erotic Novelist | Spirit in the Sky | West Ham v West Brom, Gulf war leafleting, London Marathon, getting hit in the boobs/balls |
| 4 | 12 | 16/04/2003 | Craig - DJ | Ziggy Stardust | Audience clothing, bowling alley DJ’ing, ginger twins back again, Tatoo, "touch", throstle tattoo, Frank spotted in gay bar/comedy club, Anne Robinson, Carry on Cat-Flap, Dave's cave |
| 5 | 1 | 28/06/2005 | Anthony - "young lad" | Beyond the Sea | Walk in baths, hoodie ban, Paris Hilton sex tape, first aid course, tramp mask, childcare, Make poverty history, Room 101, Crazy Frog, Big Brother |
| 5 | 2 | 05/07/2005 | Lauren - Student | Magic Moments | Live 8, shotgun, ringtones, Anal Sex Aid, "I was asking the clever one", 2012 Olympic bid, serial killers |
| 5 | 3 | 12/07/2005 | Lynn and Sian - mother and daughter | Love and Marriage | Frank will never say "anyway" again, lilt, olympics, vampires v werewolf’s, hecklers, rude children’s books and sinister nursery rhymes, Law, where do you go to get doves, smuggling sand and stones |
| 5 | 4 | 19/07/2005 | Pat - Student of Media Technology | Love Me For A Reason | Dave can't get past security, holiday in London, Tom Cruise, Frank’s hair, Frank’s story of Dave’s wet patch |
| 5 | 5 | 26/06/2005 | Keith - Courier | The Tide Is High | JNF quiz, Sittingbourne, ducks |
| 5 | 6 | 02/08/2005 | Lauren - Supervisor at Cinema | Since You've Been Gone | Barry the gardener’s password, groupies, catchphrases, Celebrity Mingers |
| 5 | 7 | 09/08/2005 | Sarah Baddiel - David’s Mother | Two Become One | Norwich City fans, Dave’s family tree, Kinga from Big Brother, demographic of unplanned TV audience, how to sneeze, celebrity shark bait, knickers |
| 5 | 8 | 16/08/2005 | Kerry - IT company employee | Fat Bottom Girls | Weighing yourself, who's interesting, Frank’s watch, James Bond, public proposals, Zamo |
| 5 | 9 | 23/08/2005 | Vinit - not a professional David Baddiel lookalike | Aint That A Kick In The Head | O Levels, Phil Mitchell, grant Mitchell, Ross kemp, martin kemp, Gary kemp, chaz and Dave, claims that Frank and Dave refused autograph, Jewish ginger man |
| 5 | 10 | 30/08/2005 | Lisa - Secretary | Que Sera Sera | This is your life, patent, Chewbacca, Countdown, kiss and tell stories |
| 5 | 11 | 06/09/2005 | Terry - Recruitment Agent | How I Wrote The Elastic Man | skimpy dressing gown, real v fake breasts, return of the ginger twins, ginger people, camera man’s phone, dunking biscuits, baldness, sex with a radiator |
| 5 | 12 | 14/09/2005 | Kelly - Singer | Hocus Pocus | Which fish, funeral song, sloppy seconds |
Other versions
In 2004, a similar series, with Australian comedy duo Merrick & Rosso, aired in Australia - Merrick and Rosso Unplanned.Other 'unplanned' content
Baddiel & Skinner produced a series of podcasts covering the 2006 FIFA World Cup for Avalon Television and The Times.A special edition for Comic Relief called Baddiel & Skinner unplanned & unpaid was done in front of a celebrity audience in 2001.