The Big Impression


The Big Impression, known as Alistair McGowan's Big Impression for the first three series, is a British comedy sketch show. It features Alistair McGowan and Ronni Ancona impersonating personalities from entertainment and sport. Four series and a number of specials were made by Vera Productions and it was first broadcast on BBC One between 1999 and 2004.
The series has won five awards, including the BAFTA TV Award for Best Comedy Programme or Series in 2003.

Production

McGowan and Ancona first met at a comedy club, and later started dating. They worked together on a number of projects, with their first television series being The Staggering Stories of Ferdinand de Bargos in 1989. After performing in his own show in Edinburgh in 1998, McGowan was approached by a BBC executive about working on a series, which he wanted Ancona to be involved in. Alistair McGowan's Big Impression first aired as a pilot on BBC One in 1999, running to a full series in 2000, with the couple splitting up just before filming began. Speaking with The Independent, Ancona said working on the series was "exciting but it was tricky and there were some very low points. But, if anything, the tension added a little frisson to some of the sketches and it made the show better."
Starting with the Christmas special in 2002, McGowan's name was dropped from the show's title.

Impressions

Alistair McGowan

There have been many characters that Alistair McGowan and Ronni Ancona have impersonated. Some celebrities that McGowan has done impressions of include:
  • Charles, Prince of Wales
  • Lawrence Llewelyn-Bowen
  • Richard Madeley
  • David Beckham
  • Michael Parkinson
  • Robert Kilroy Silk
  • Angus Deayton
  • Jonathan Ross
  • Huw Edwards
  • Gary Lineker
  • Robert Winston
  • Sven-Göran Eriksson
  • Alan Davies
  • Craig Cash
  • Michael Douglas
  • Alan Titchmarsh
  • Tony Blair
  • June Brown
  • John Altman
  • Cary Grant
  • Terry Wogan
  • Trinny Woodall
  • Billy Connolly
  • Griff Rhys Jones
  • Leonard Rossiter
  • Kevin Keegan
  • Nicky Campbell
  • Jeremy Clarkson
  • Brian May
  • Frank Butcher

    Ronni Ancona

Some celebrities that Ancona has done impressions of include:
  • Judy Finnigan
  • Carol Smillie
  • Victoria Beckham
  • Ruby Wax
  • Barbara Windsor
  • Caroline Aherne
  • Catherine Zeta-Jones
  • Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall
  • Davina McCall
  • Christine Hamilton
  • Nigella Lawson
  • Audrey Hepburn
  • Jennie Bond
  • Jerry Hall
  • Charlie Dimmock
  • Jessie Wallace
  • Lorraine Kelly
  • Nancy Dell'Olio
  • Susannah Constantine
  • Sharon Osbourne
  • Penélope Cruz

    Episodes

A pilot and four series of the programme were made between 1999 and 2003.
SeriesEpisodesDates
Pilot12 September 1999
1626 April 2000 – 25 May 2000
2622 April 2001 – 3 June 2001
3619 April 2002 – 24 May 2002
469 May 2003 – 13 June 2003

Special episodes

There have also been a number of one-off specials, including:
  • Alistair McGowan's 2000 Impressions
  • Alistair McGowan's Big 'Enders
  • The Big Impression Christmas Special
  • Alistair McGowan's Big World Cup
  • Alistair McGowan's Big Jubilee
  • The Big Impression Christmas Special
  • Posh & Becks' Big Impression
  • ''The Big Impression Euro 2004 Special''

    Awards

The series has been nominated for a number of awards, winning one from BAFTA, two from the Royal Television Society, and two British Comedy Awards.
YearAwardResultCategory
2000British Comedy AwardsWonBest Comedy Entertainment Programme
2000British Comedy AwardsNominatedBest Comedy Newcomer
2000British Comedy AwardsNominatedBest New Television Comedy
2000Royal Television Society Craft & Design AwardsWonBest Make Up Design – Entertainment & Non-Drama
2002British Comedy AwardsNominatedBest Comedy Actress
2002National Television AwardsNominatedMost Popular Comedy Performance
2002Royal Television Society Programme AwardsWonEntertainment Performance
2002Royal Television Society Craft & Design AwardsNominatedBest Costume Design – Entertainment & Non-Drama Productions
2002Royal Television Society Craft & Design AwardsNominatedBest Make Up Design – Entertainment & Non-Drama Productions
2002Royal Television Society Craft & Design AwardsNominatedBest Production Design – Entertainment & Non-Drama Productions
2002Royal Television Society Craft & Design AwardsNominatedBest Tape and Film Editing – Entertainment & Situation Comedy
2002Royal Television Society Craft & Design AwardsNominatedTeam Award
2003British Academy Television AwardsWonBest Comedy Programme or Series
2003British Academy Television Craft AwardsNominatedBest Make Up & Hair Design
2003British Comedy AwardsWonBest Television Comedy Actress
2003National Television AwardsNominatedMost Popular Comedy Performance