The Show

The Show is a British television show, produced by London Weekend Television's factual programmes department for Channel 4, which ran for a single series in 1997. Starring comedian Bob Mills, the series comprised six 40 minute episodes and was transmitted on Saturday nights. The executive producer was Jeff Pope and the series producer was Stewart Morris. The format was unique to British television, with each episode effectively containing edited segments of The Bob Mills Show which took the form of a conventional chat show, with Mills interviewing celebrity guests and one or two musical performances. This was interspersed with real 'behind the scenes' footage of the production team and guests, which typically showed the processes involved in getting the show to air, such as researchers booking guests, and briefing the host on the questions to ask during the show. The backstage footage focused on controversy and drama, including several arguments and creative disputes within the team, guests who dropped out, or who were dropped, and the problems of finding last-minute replacements - none of which was alluded to during the actual chat show segments, which were always impeccably produced and presented.