18 Stone of Idiot
Encyclopedia
18 Stone of Idiot is a British
television programme broadcast on Channel 4
in 2005 designed as a vehicle for Johnny Vegas
and produced by Chris Evans.
The first show was broadcast on 27 May 2005 and a further five episodes were broadcast weekly thereafter. Vegas' stated intention was to "make a programme that wouldn't be recommissioned".
Each show had one primary guest whom Vegas interviewed and were further involved in various stunts and skits.
A notable additional appearance was made by former MP
Neil Hamilton
who danced in a perspex box whilst buckets of fish were poured over his head.
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
television programme broadcast on Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
in 2005 designed as a vehicle for Johnny Vegas
Johnny Vegas
Johnny Vegas is an English actor and comedian. He is known for his angry rants, portly figure, high husky voice and support of St Helens rugby league club. More recently he has moved into dramatic acting.-Early life:He was born in St Helens, Lancashire, the youngest of four children of Laurence...
and produced by Chris Evans.
The first show was broadcast on 27 May 2005 and a further five episodes were broadcast weekly thereafter. Vegas' stated intention was to "make a programme that wouldn't be recommissioned".
Each show had one primary guest whom Vegas interviewed and were further involved in various stunts and skits.
Guest list
- Ray WinstoneRay WinstoneRaymond Andrew "Ray" Winstone is an English film and television actor. He is mostly known for his "tough guy" roles, beginning with that of Carlin in the 1979 film Scum and as Will Scarlet in the cult television adventure series Robin of Sherwood. He has also become well known as a voice over...
- Kathy BurkeKathy BurkeKatherine Lucy Bridget Burke is an English actress, comedienne, playwright and theatre director. She is best known for her portrayals of Perry in the Harry Enfield film Kevin and Perry Go Large, and of Linda La Hughes in the British sitcom Gimme Gimme Gimme...
- Huey Morgan from The Fun Lovin' CriminalsFun Lovin' CriminalsThe Fun Lovin' Criminals is an American alternative hip hop / alternative rock group from New York City. Their musical style is primarily eclectic, covering styles such as hip hop, rock, funk, blues and jazz. Their songs often deal with life in New York City, as well as urban life in general...
- Elvis CostelloElvis CostelloElvis Costello , born Declan Patrick MacManus, is an English singer-songwriter. He came to prominence as an early participant in London's pub rock scene in the mid-1970s and later became associated with the punk/New Wave genre. Steeped in word play, the vocabulary of Costello's lyrics is broader...
- Rhys IfansRhys IfansRhys Ifans is a Welsh actor and musician. He is known for his portrayal of characters such as Spike in Notting Hill and Jed Parry in Enduring Love and as a member of the Welsh rock groups Super Furry Animals and The Peth. Ifans also appeared as Xenophilius Lovegood in Harry Potter and the Deathly...
- David SoulDavid SoulDavid Soul is an American-British actor and singer, best known for his role as Detective Kenneth "Hutch" Hutchinson in the television programme Starsky and Hutch . He gained British citizenship in 2004.-Early life:...
A notable additional appearance was made by former MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
Neil Hamilton
Neil Hamilton (politician)
Mostyn Neil Hamilton is a former British barrister, teacher and Conservative MP. Since losing his seat in 1997 and leaving politics, Hamilton and his wife Christine have become media celebrities...
who danced in a perspex box whilst buckets of fish were poured over his head.
Regular features
- At the end of the programme Vegas would "jump" over the guest in a vehicle such as a shopping trolley or child's tricycle.
- A reality televisionReality televisionReality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
style slot based around a lock-in where celebrities drank with Johnny until heavily inebriated. Vegas states that the filming of these segments took place over an eight hour period, though only three minutes were shown per episode. - TV Democracy in which members of the audience would ask Vegas to do whatever they ask him to do. These seemed to be planned out, as some requests were played out via a pre-recorded video.
DVD release
On 31 October 2005 a DVD of the series (entitled Johnny Vegas - 18 Stone of Idiot - Unseen & Uncut) was released. The show was edited down to a 78-minute compilation and accompanied by 169 minutes of extras, which comprises a full-length commentary by Vegas, writer Tony Pitts and series producer Gareth Collett; a 36-minute compilation of Celebrity Lock-In footage (the segment was not included in the main programme compilation); 18 minutes of outtakes; a 5-minute compilation of footage of the Angry Baboon character (again, these interludes were not included in the main compilation); and an extended 32-minute version of the My Favourite Things segment which saw Vegas appear on Challenge's Celebrity Poker ClubCelebrity Poker Club
Celebrity Poker Club was a British television series featuring celebrities playing poker. It aired on Challenge from 2003 to 2005 as a spin-off to Channel 4's popular Late Night Poker series...
.