The new series of Have I Got News for You gets underway on BBC One on Friday 6 October 2023 and it promises to be another must-see season.
Team captains Ian Hislop and Paul Merton are back with a new gang of guest hosts and a revolving door of panelists.
Here’s our guide to the new ten-part series…
Please note: This guide is now complete. The guide for Have I Got News for You season 67 is available here.
Have I Got News for you season 66 — release date
First things first… Have I Got News For You season 66 lands on BBC One on Friday 6 October 2023 at 9pm, and will be airing weekly at the same time. All episodes are available on BBC iPlayer after transmission.
The slightly longer version Have I Got a Bit More News For You airs weekly on Mondays from 9 October on BBC One at 10.40 pm. It is also available to watch on BBC iPlayer after transmission.
Have I Got News for you season 66 guest presenters
Past presenters of HIGNFY have included some of the biggest names in show business — Peter Cook, David Tennant, Damien Lewis, Jennifer Saunders, the list goes on — and has resulted in some iconic telly moments. Who can forget how nice it was to see Bruce Forsyth presenting Play Your Iraqi Cards Right?!
Already on the bill for presenting the first three episodes of season 66 are Victoria Coren Mitchell, Alexander Armstrong and Bill Bailey, with many more names yet to come. See below.
Speaking about what makes a good guest host Paul Merton says: “You find that generally actors are great at doing it because they are used to sharing the stage with other people. David Tennant, for example, is superb, because he's used to being in situations where he's not the only one talking. So he won't interrupt until it feels like you've run out of steam or you've come to a natural conclusion.”
Ian Hislop adds: “I'll tell you who's also been really good, Mel Giedroyc. She was absolutely fabulous. She wanted everyone to be part of a gang. She kept saying ‘hello, gang’. Which was great because Paul and I really don't like gangs!”
Episodes, presenter and guests
Episode 1 (06 October 2023)
Only Connect’s Victoria Coren Mitchell making an impressive 18th appearance as the show's guest host, while Ian and Paul are joined by comedian Ignacio Lopez and presenter Carol Vorderman respectively.
Hot topics this week are the Conservative party conference, the scrapping of the HS2 and the return of Liz Truss.*
*At the time of publishing we can neither confirm or deny if this means the showing of a certain clip!
Speaking of clips.. Check out this snippet from the opening epiosde of the series...
Tonight’s #HIGNFY is hosted by @VictoriaCoren, with panellists @carolvorders and @comedylopez joining Ian and Paul. BBC One – 9pm (also on iPlayer) pic.twitter.com/2ju8pEPtUkOctober 6, 2023
Episode 2 (13 October 2023)
Alexander Armstrong makes his record 40th appearance as guest host on the series.
On hosting for the 40th time, Alexander says: "I can't believe I've done forty of these. You'd honestly have hoped I'd be better at it by now. I cross my fingers after every series that they'll have me back, and I still seem to be getting away with it. Have I learnt any tips over the forty shows on how to control Ian and Paul? Um… no."
Initially, comedian Jon Richardson and GB News political correspondent Olivia Utley (making her first appearance on the show) were scheduled to be on the panel. However, Miles Jupp is now replacing Jon Richardson.
Episode 3 (20 October 2023)
Comedian and Strictly 2020 winner Bill Bailey hits his HIGNFY hosting hat trick this week and his ninth overall appearance on the show.
On the panel are journalist Helen Lewis and comedian Daliso Chaponda.
Daliso was a finalist on Britain’s Got Talent 2017 and this is his first ever appearance on HIGNFY.
Episode 4 (27 October 2023)
Comedian and actor Jack Dee hosts this edition of HIGNFY — his 20th appearance on the show.
Comedian Emmanuel Sonubi makes his first appearance on HIGNFY, pairing up with Ian Hislop. The second guest is Dehenna Davison MP who is on Paul Merton's team.
Episode 5 (03 November 2023)
Comedian Jo Brand hosts her fifth episode of Have I Got News For You.
Comedian Zoe Lyons joins Ian Hislop on his side of the desk while on Paul Merton's team is environmental campaigner and The Undertones star Feargal Sharkey, making his first appearance on HIGNFY.
Episode 6 (10 November 2023)
Comedian and actor Richard Ayoade hosts the sixth episode of HIGNFY. Presenter Steph McGovern and comedian Jamie MacDonald are on the panel.
Here's a clip from the show!
Tonight’s #HIGNFY is hosted by @RichardAyoade, with panellists @FunnyBlindGuy and @stephlunch joining Ian and Paul. BBC One 9pm and iPlayer pic.twitter.com/sWKuRqKBExNovember 10, 2023
There is no episode of Have I Got News for You on 17 November 2023 due to Children in Need 2023 airing from 7pm until 10pm.
Episode 7 (27 November 2023)
Mathematician, author and presenter Professor Hannah Fry hosts Have I Got News For You for the first time, having been a popular panellist five times.
Speaking about her appearance, Hannah jokes: "When I went to study maths at university, this is not how I expected it would turn out."
Joining Ian and Paul on the panel this week are actor Stephen Mangan and editor-in-chief of VICE UK, Zing Tsjeng.
Episode 8 (01 December 2023)
Comedian and Man Like Mobeen star Guz Khan hosts Have I Got News For You for the first time!
Speaking about his HIGNFY debut, Guz says: "Have I Got News For You? I don't know, have you got news for me? I guess we'll find out won't we pal. See you soon for the debut gang!"
Joining Guz, Ian and Paul on the panel are comedian Ross Noble and broadcaster Janet Street-Porter.
Episode 9 (08 December 2023)
BBC Breakfast presenter and journalist Naga Munchetty guest hosts the ninth episode of Have I Got News For You.
Joining Naga, Ian and Paul on the panel are Pointless star Richard Osman and comedian Maisie Adam.
Episode 10 (15 December 2023)
Broadcaster Kirsty Young is set to guest host the 10th episode of the current series of Have I Got News For You — her first appearance since 2017!
Joining Kirsty, Ian and Paul as panellists are comedian Phil Wang and writer and director Armando Iannucci.
Is there a trailer for Have I Got News for you season 66?
Yes, and it features Guy Goma, the man who joyously brought the nation together when he accidentally appeared on BBC News back in 2006.
Have I Got News For You — Ian Hislop and Paul Merton on the series’ most iconic and memorable guests
Peter Cook
Since its inception in 1990, over the years HIGNFY has had a wide rage of guests, but there’s one that Ian and Paul both agree was an absolute standout - the late, great Peter Cook, who appeared on the show twice, first in 1992 and again in 1993.
“It was incredibly exciting having Peter on, he was an absolute classic. He’s like Paul in that he answered no questions about the news. And he talked for nearly 15 minutes about moths. It was just brilliant. I was just reminded why some people are geniuses,” says Ian.
Paul adds: “When you have a comic hero of yours when you're young or in your early teens, and you then meet them, nothing quite beats that thrill. Peter was very good.”
Jackie Mason
The American comedian and voice of Rabbi Krustofski in The Simpsons appeared in a single episode of HIGNFY in 1998.
Ian recalls: “I'll tell you, that's my favourite moment. He clearly had no idea who anybody was. I was walking around the studio with a cup of tea in my hand, and he came up and took it, because he thought I was a runner. And then when we appeared on the set, he looked at me and said, ‘Why are you on?’ He thought the runner had been put on the show! That puts you in your place.”
Jeremy Clarkson
The petrol head presenter has been on HIGNFY thirteen times and, on one of those occasions he left his mark… on Ian Hislop!
“He threw a biro at me!” says Ian. “He just wouldn't believe it. He chucked a biro at me because I was mildly rude to him, certainly by his own standards. I thought I was extremely polite. But he threw this biro at me right here on my cheek and I've still got the mark.
“It drew blood but then he said, ‘No, no, that’s just red ink. You've painted that on’. So they had to stop the show, which he was very cross about. And then they patched me up. A few weeks later, I got a letter from him saying, ‘My wife says I should apologise to you’. It's not many people that have attempted to take my eye out with a biro. [Laughing] Not since school, obviously, where it was most days!”
Paul: “And that would have been a quill…”
William Shatner
During his stint as guest presenter on the series in 2012, Star Trek legend William Shatner got into hot water when he libelled an entire Cornish town…
Ian: “I really enjoyed William Shatner. He managed to libel Ilfracombe, for which he had to apologise.”
Paul:” No, he didn't apologise.”
Ian: “WE did. We apologised!”
Paul: “The former Mayor of Ilfracombe said, ‘Look, you know, Ilfracombe isn't riddled with prostitution. We very much resent that suggestion.’ And William Shatner apparently replied back, saying ‘I think you'll find it is.’”
Ian: “But he was a brilliant host. And he's the only other person apart from Alexander Armstrong who sang during the show! He sang the questions, which was fabulous.”
Paul: “He did a very good job considering he had no idea who we were or who the people in the news were! But, if you look at his CV, he was playing large parts in live Shakespeare plays on Canadian television in the late 1950s. So, he's got a certain ability about him.”
Ian: “I asked him ‘Why have you come on this show?’ And he said, ‘because my wife wanted to look at white horses to buy in Austria and it was a really easy flight over and I thought it might pay for it.’ I thought that's top motivation for doing the show.”
