The panel show is a quintessentially British television format—a gathering of comedians, personalities, and experts competing in quiz games, debating topics, or simply trying to make each other laugh. While American television has talk shows and late-night hosts, British television has developed the panel show into an art form, filling schedules with shows that combine wit, intelligence, and competitive banter.
The format’s appeal is simple: gather clever, funny people and give them a framework to showcase their talents. The best panel shows create chemistry between regular team captains while accommodating guest appearances from across the comedy and entertainment spectrum. They offer platforms for established stars and launching pads for emerging talent, often in the same episode.
Panel shows range from intellectually demanding quiz formats to pure comedy chaos, from politely competitive to gleefully anarchic. What they share is an emphasis on quick thinking and verbal dexterity—the British love of wordplay, wit, and one-upmanship distilled into half-hour or hour-long formats.
Here are 25 British panel shows that represent the best of this beloved genre.
1. QI (2003-present)
Network: BBC Two/BBC One
Host: Stephen Fry (2003-2016), Sandi Toksvig (2016-present)
Team Captains: Alan Davies (permanent panelist)
“Quite Interesting” changed what quiz shows could be, rewarding interesting answers over correct ones and penalizing obvious but wrong responses with the klaxon of shame. Stephen Fry’s erudite hosting made learning entertaining, while Alan Davies served as permanent panelist and lovable dunce. The show’s researchers uncovered fascinating facts about everything from elephants to existentialism, creating a format that celebrates curiosity over competition.
2. Have I Got News for You (1990-present)
Network: BBC One
Host: Guest hosts (since 2002)
Team Captains: Ian Hislop, Paul Merton
Britain’s longest-running satirical panel show has dissected the week’s news for over three decades. Private Eye editor Ian Hislop brings journalistic rigor and indignation, while Paul Merton contributes surreal diversions and comic timing. The show survived Angus Deayton’s departure to become a platform for guest hosts, and its willingness to bite politicians’ hands has made it appointment viewing during election seasons.
3. 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown (2012-present)
Network: Channel 4
Host: Jimmy Carr
Team Captains: Sean Lock (2012-2021), Jon Richardson
This inspired mashup combined the venerable word-and-numbers game Countdown with the comedy panel show format. Jimmy Carr presides over chaos as comedians attempt—and frequently fail—to play the game properly, with Rachel Riley and Susie Dent reprising their Countdown roles. The format allowed for both genuine gameplay and comic disruption, and Jon Richardson’s unlikely lexical talents became a running highlight.
4. Mock the Week (2005-2022)
Network: BBC Two
Host: Dara Ó Briain
Team Captains: Hugh Dennis, Various
For 17 years, Dara Ó Briain presided over rapid-fire topical comedy as comedians competed to deliver the funniest responses to news-based prompts. “Scenes We’d Like to See” became the show’s signature round, launching countless careers and catchphrases. The show’s ensemble nature meant that unlike personality-driven talk shows, it could refresh its cast while maintaining momentum.
5. Would I Lie to You? (2007-present)
Network: BBC One
Host: Rob Brydon
Team Captains: David Mitchell, Lee Mack
The genius of this show lies in its simplicity: panelists reveal either true or fabricated stories about themselves, and the opposing team must determine which. David Mitchell’s logical interrogations and Lee Mack’s quick wit created perfect opposing energies, while Rob Brydon’s hosting kept proceedings convivial. The show has produced countless viral moments, from Bob Mortimer’s outlandish true stories to Kevin Bridges’s “that’s another horse.”
6. Never Mind the Buzzcocks (1996-2015, 2021-present)
Network: BBC Two/Sky Max
Host: Various
Team Captains: Various
This music-based panel show gave musicians and comedians platforms to mock and be mocked about pop music. Mark Lamarr and later Simon Amstell brought bite to proceedings, while team captains including Phil Jupitus and Noel Fielding provided contrasting energies. The identity parade and intros rounds became iconic, and the show’s willingness to humiliate pompous guests made it essential viewing for music fans.
7. A League of Their Own (2010-present)
Network: Sky One
Host: James Corden (2010-2019), Romesh Ranganathan (2021-present)
Team Captains: Andrew Flintoff, Jamie Redknapp
Sports-themed panel comedy that brought athletes and comedians together for challenges and banter. James Corden’s enthusiasm and the chemistry between cricket’s Freddie Flintoff and footballer Jamie Redknapp made it a hit, while physical challenges took the format beyond standard panel show territory. Romesh Ranganathan’s takeover maintained the show’s appeal while bringing a different energy.
8. The Big Fat Quiz of the Year (2004-present)
Network: Channel 4
Host: Jimmy Carr
Team Captains: Various pairings
Jimmy Carr’s annual marathon reviews each year through questions and clips, with comedian pairs competing for glory. The extended format allows for lengthy tangents and callbacks, while regular appearances from David Mitchell, Jonathan Ross, and others created traditions. Richard Ayoade and Noel Fielding’s team-ups became particularly beloved for their surreal chemistry.
9. Taskmaster (2015-present)
Network: Dave/Channel 4
Host: Greg Davies
Assistant: Alex Horne
Alex Horne’s creation revolutionized the panel show by making comedians complete absurd tasks that were then judged for creativity and effectiveness. Greg Davies’s imperious Taskmaster persona and Horne’s deferential assistant created a perfect dynamic, while the tasks—from “impress this mayor” to “make the best sandwich”—revealed contestants’ personalities in unexpected ways. The show has spawned successful international versions while remaining distinctly British.
10. Room 101 (1994-2018)
Network: BBC Two/BBC One
Host: Nick Hancock (1994-1999), Paul Merton (1999-2007), Frank Skinner (2012-2018)
Format: Guests vs. Host
Guests argued to consign their pet hates to Room 101—the Orwellian oblivion. The format evolved from simple debate to competitive rounds, but the core appeal remained: hearing celebrities articulate their irritations entertainingly. Frank Skinner’s final incarnation added a panel element, but the show’s strength was always in the one-on-one arguments about what deserves eternal banishment.
11. Celebrity Juice (2008-2022)
Network: ITV2
Host: Keith Lemon (Leigh Francis)
Team Captains: Holly Willoughby, Various
Keith Lemon’s anarchic, frequently crude panel show pushed boundaries with games and challenges that mainstream channels wouldn’t touch. The show’s chaotic energy and Lemon’s willingness to embarrass guests and himself created a distinctive niche. Not for everyone, but undeniably influential in demonstrating panel shows could be wild rather than polite.
12. Shooting Stars (1993-2011)
Network: BBC Two
Hosts: Vic Reeves, Bob Mortimer
Team Captains: Ulrika Jonsson, Mark Lamarr (various)
Vic and Bob’s surreal take on the panel show format featured dove-from-below scoring, Matt Lucas as the giant baby George Dawes, and competitions that defied comprehension. The show influenced everything that came after by demonstrating panel shows could be absurdist art as well as conventional entertainment. Nothing else looked or felt like Shooting Stars.
13. 8 Out of 10 Cats (2005-present)
Network: Channel 4
Host: Jimmy Carr
Team Captains: Sean Lock (2005-2021), Jon Richardson, Various
The original statistics-based panel show asked comedians to guess survey results about British opinions and behaviors. Jimmy Carr’s acerbic hosting and team captain banter created consistent entertainment, while the statistics hook gave rounds structure. The show became so successful it spawned the Countdown crossover that arguably surpassed the original.
14. Just a Minute (1967-present)
Network: BBC Radio 4 (with TV versions)
Host: Nicholas Parsons (1967-2019), Sue Perkins (2021-present)
Radio’s contribution to the panel show format: contestants must speak for 60 seconds without hesitation, repetition, or deviation. Nicholas Parsons hosted for over 50 years, and the show’s simplicity masked sophisticated verbal skills. While primarily radio, TV adaptations have brought the format to wider audiences, demonstrating that pure wit needs no visual enhancement.
15. Insert Name Here (2016-2019)
Network: BBC Two
Host: Sue Perkins
Team Captains: Josh Widdicombe, Richard Osman
Teams competed to identify historical figures who shared first names—all the famous Georges, for instance. Richard Osman and Josh Widdicombe provided contrasting captaincies, while Sue Perkins balanced comedy with genuine historical interest. The show filled a niche for those wanting quiz content with their comedy.
16. The Last Leg (2012-present)
Network: Channel 4
Host: Adam Hills
Team Captains: Josh Widdicombe, Alex Brooker
Originally created for Paralympic Games coverage, The Last Leg evolved into a topical panel show with a disability-positive perspective. Adam Hills’s affable hosting and the chemistry between him, Widdicombe, and Brooker made it appointment Friday viewing. “Is it OK?” segments encouraged audience questions about disability, combining comedy with gentle education.
17. Cats Does Countdown / Countdown (1982-present)
Network: Channel 4
Hosts: Richard Whiteley (1982-2005), Various
Current: Anne Robinson
While not a panel show in format, Countdown’s influence on British television—and its eventual panel show mashup—earns inclusion. The original word-and-numbers game became an institution under Richard Whiteley and Carol Vorderman, creating the foundation for the comedy version that followed.
18. Was It Something I Said? (2013-2014)
Network: Channel 4
Host: David Mitchell
Team Captains: Micky Flanagan, Richard Ayoade
David Mitchell hosted this quote-attribution panel show that tested knowledge of who said what. The format worked well with Mitchell’s pedantic persona and gathered strong rotating guests. Despite quality, it didn’t achieve longevity, but represented solid mid-tier panel entertainment.
19. Big Fat Quiz of Everything (2016-present)
Network: Channel 4
Host: Jimmy Carr
Format: Expanded general knowledge edition
The non-annual sibling to the year-end quiz allowed broader questioning beyond current events. The format remained identical—paired comedians, extended runtime—but topics ranged across all subjects. A reliable addition to the Big Fat franchise.
20. The News Quiz (1977-present)
Network: BBC Radio 4
Host: Various, currently Andy Zaltzman
Radio 4’s satirical panel show has featured generations of Britain’s finest comedians commenting on current events. The audio format allows for more sophisticated humor than television equivalents, and the show has launched numerous careers. Essential listening for politically engaged comedy fans.
21. Pointless (2009-present)
Network: BBC One
Host: Alexander Armstrong
Co-Host: Richard Osman
While primarily a quiz format rather than panel show, Pointless’s influence and the Armstrong-Osman partnership merit mention. The show’s clever inversion—seeking obscure rather than obvious answers—created a distinctive niche, and celebrity specials brought panel show energy to the format.
22. Question of Sport (1970-present)
Network: BBC One
Host: Various, currently Paddy McGuinness
Format: Sports quiz with team captains
The veteran sports quiz has featured countless team captain combinations and remains a BBC institution. While more quiz than comedy panel show, the format and banter between sports personalities influenced the development of shows like A League of Their Own.
23. The Unbelievable Truth (2006-present)
Network: BBC Radio 4
Host: David Mitchell
Panelists deliver lectures full of lies, with opponents trying to identify the hidden truths. David Mitchell’s hosting brings the pedantry his fans love, and the format rewards both deception and detection. A perfect showcase for verbal dexterity and creative lying.
24. QI XL (Extended Version)
Network: BBC Two
Note: Extended versions of QI episodes
The extended cuts of QI episodes, running 45 minutes rather than 30, gave viewers more of what they loved. While technically the same show, the extended versions offered substantially more content and became the preferred format for dedicated fans.
25. Fighting Talk (2003-present)
Network: BBC Radio 5 Live
Host: Colin Murray, Various
Sports panel comedy with a points system encouraging extreme opinions. Panelists scored by defending outrageous positions entertainingly. The format worked particularly well on radio, where the focus remained on verbal argument rather than visual gags.
Conclusion
British panel shows represent a distinctive contribution to world television—a format that rewards quick thinking, verbal dexterity, and collaborative comedy in ways that other cultures haven’t replicated as successfully. The genre’s longevity demonstrates enduring appeal: Have I Got News for You and QI have each run for decades, while new shows like Taskmaster prove innovation remains possible.
What makes panel shows work is the combination of structure and spontaneity. The formats provide frameworks within which comedians can improvise, while regular team captains and hosts create relationships audiences invest in over years. The best panel shows feel like gatherings of witty friends whose conversations you’re privileged to overhear.
For Anglophiles seeking entertainment beyond scripted comedy and drama, British panel shows offer hundreds of hours of intelligent, funny content. Whether your taste runs to the erudition of QI, the satire of Have I Got News for You, or the chaos of Taskmaster, the panel show format has something to offer every comedy fan.
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