Let Me Entertain You (TV series)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Let Me Entertain You | |
|---|---|
| Format | Game show |
| Created by | Lion Television |
| Starring | Brian Conley Christine Bleakley |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| No. of episodes | 40 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 45 minutes (first series) 30 minutes (second series) |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | BBC Two |
| Original run | 21 August 2006 – Present |
Let Me Entertain You is a daytime variety show made by Lion Television for BBC Two that began on August 21, 2006. The show is presented by British funnyman, Brian Conley, with co-presenter Christine Bleakley. The first series was shown every weekday on BBC 2 at 16.30 - 17.15; the current series is shown at the later time of 18.30.
The show invites allcomers to entertain a studio audience (doing anything they like) for a cash prize. At any point during their act, a member of the audience can press a button they are given, to register their 'displeasure' with the act; when half of the audience have pressed their buttons, the act is stopped. If they get over one minute of attention they get £100, over two minutes wins £200, and if they last three minutes they earn £1000. If the allcomer is under 16, they receive an alternative to cash prizes - usually a showbiz-related treat or an item useful to their career (e.g. a trip to the West End, a musical instrument). The most popular act from each day is entered into a weekly final.
The show's aim seems to be a modern day remake of ITV's famous variety show, Opportunity Knocks. The element of removing performers before the conclusion of the act is similar to The Gong Show. Adam Wood of Lion TV is credited as devisor of the format.
Series Two had a slightly shorter programme duration, down from 45 minutes to half an hour, on BBC Two at the later time of 18.30 every weekday starting Monday 28th May 2007. The final of this series was broadcast live with the winner decided by a viewers' telephone vote.
The show marks the TV comeback of Conley after over three years of stage work.
The series one champion was 13 year old operatic baritone, Matthew Crane, who sang "Nessun Dorma" in the Grand Final in 2006, (Click here for Matthew's winning performance).Matthew was also asked back to sing on the Grand Final of Series two, in 2007, as a guest performer.
The series two champion was Lee Lambert, who was also 13 years old at the time, and a singer. In the final he performed "I Am What I Am" in the disco style associated with Gloria Gaynor. Runners-up were David Ashley, a Frank Sinatra-style singer, and Faces Of Disco, a comedy dance act.
