Corporation 'not amused' at ITV's HIGNFY rival

The BBC are reportedly upset that the producers of Have I Got News For You are developing another topical comedy panel show for their rivals at ITV.

Hat Trick Productions this week shot a pilot episode of Good News, Bad News, with Jason Manford as host as Frank Skinner and Gabby Logan as team captains.

The Daily Mail today quotes an unnamed BBC source saying it’s a ‘low blow’ for Hat Trick to be involved adding: ‘It hasn’t gone down well.’

But Hat Trick boss Jimmy Mulville said the shows are ‘significantly different’ and that he would have ‘lost his mind’ if he was to do anything that might damage his company’s longest-running and best-known show.

There is also another conflict between Good News, Bad News and the BBC... as both Skinner and Logan also appear as regulars on I Love My Country, a BBC One panel show due to air this spring.

Published: 1 Mar 2013