ITV 'in talks', says Jason Manford

ITV is considering a second series of Show Me The Funny, host Jason Manford has revealed.

He admitted there were lessons to be learned from the much-criticised stand-up talent show, but claimed ITV was ‘not fussed’ by its disappointing ratings.

‘We're just having a talk about another series at ITV at the moment,’ he told Richard Bacon on his Radio 5 Live show.

Of the ratings, he said: ‘It was up against something big like New Tricks or something mad. They weren't too fussed. It got two, two and and a half million at some points.

‘The biggest thing was – and people don’t do this any more – is to try to learn from it and go, “Right, what did everyone think? We’ve read the reviews...”’

‘We’re having a chat now and just trying to learn from it, really.’

He also said that people were too quick to leap to judgments about the show, adding: ‘There were people after eight minutes on Twitter and Facebook going, “This is rubbish”. It's eight minutes old!’

However he admitted it was ‘weird’ watching the Apprentice-style tasks that formed part of the format – including sending the comedians out into the streets of Liverpool to see how many people called ‘Michelle’ they could meet.

‘It was weird watching it back because I made a show that was... essentially [comedians] getting up on stage and having a go trying stuff out in front of new audiences. Obviously on the telly there was quite a bit of an Apprentice-style bit of doing the tasks and stuff.’

Patrick Monahan won the first series, which aired in July and August, and the DVD produced as part of his prize comes out on November 28.

Published: 19 Nov 2011