Newsjack
Encyclopedia
Newsjack is a satirical
sketch show hosted by Justin Edwards
. Until September 2011, it was presented by Miles Jupp
, and first broadcast on BBC Radio 7 on 4 June 2009. The series is notable for having an "Open door" policy on writing, meaning that unsolicited writers without contract to the BBC
can send in material. The show is designed to give new writers an opportunity to get material broadcast. It is hoped by the people behind the show that it may become a modern version of Week Ending
, an earlier sketch show which also accepted material the same way.
, Lewis MacLeod
and Pippa Evans
. The show is split into several segments, which are:
Writers wishing to submit material for Newsjack are invited to write material for these segments and also to write their own sketches not related to them.
on 9 March 2009. Although originally Gareth Edwards
was intended to be producer for the show, the job of producer eventually went to Tilusha Ghelani
and Sam Michell. The current producers are Simon Mayhew-Archer and Lyndsay Fenner.
The show was first broadcast as a pilot
on 4 June 2009. This pilot was broadcast first so as to give a guide to new writers about the sort of material that the programme was looking for. The first deadline for new material was 15 June 2009 at noon. While the first series was originally intended to run for ten weeks, this was reduced to the pilot and six episodes, one per week. The show returned for a second series in January 2010, a third in June 2010, a fourth in February 2011 and a fifth in October 2011. A sixth series is planned for February 2012. . The episodes are also available to download as a podcast.
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
sketch show hosted by Justin Edwards
Justin Edwards
Justin Edwards is an English actor and writer.Born in Hampshire, Justin studied at Manchester University, before training at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. He was a member of sketch trio The Consultants, alongside Neil Edmond and James Rawlings...
. Until September 2011, it was presented by Miles Jupp
Miles Jupp
Miles Jupp is a British actor and comedian, probably best known as Archie in the children's television series Balamory....
, and first broadcast on BBC Radio 7 on 4 June 2009. The series is notable for having an "Open door" policy on writing, meaning that unsolicited writers without contract to the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
can send in material. The show is designed to give new writers an opportunity to get material broadcast. It is hoped by the people behind the show that it may become a modern version of Week Ending
Week Ending
Week Ending... was a satirical radio current affairs sketch show, first broadcast on BBC Radio 4, usually on Friday evenings. It was devised by writer/producers Simon Brett and David Hatch, and was originally hosted by Nationwide presenter Michael Barratt.The show's title was always announced as...
, an earlier sketch show which also accepted material the same way.
Format
Each episode of Newsjack begins with an introduction from the presenter before the main sketches. There are also three other regular cast members: Margaret Cabourn-SmithMargaret Cabourn-Smith
Margaret Cabourn-Smith is a British comedy actress. She is known for her roles in shows such as the IT Crowd, Miranda, Bigipedia, Katy Brand's Big Ass Show, Peep Show, Lab Rats and The Maltby Collection.-External links:...
, Lewis MacLeod
Lewis MacLeod
Euan Lewis MacLeod is a prolific Scottish character actor, who can be heard as the voice of a huge number of television commercials, movie trailers and cartoons in his native UK. He voices characters such as Sebulba from Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace and Postman Pat...
and Pippa Evans
Pippa Evans
Pippa Evans is a British comedian, known for her work in character and improvisational comedy.Having studied Drama and Theatre Arts at Birmingham University, she became a member of Scratch improvisation comedy troupe, and appeared in Newsrevue, a topical comedy show at London's Canal Cafe Theatre...
. The show is split into several segments, which are:
- The Newsjack App: Mock answerphone messages. These are designed so that writers can create one-linersOne-liner jokeA one-liner is a joke that is delivered in a single line. A good one-liner is said to be pithy.Comedians and actors use this comedic method as part of their act, e.g...
and other kinds of quick jokes. - From the Archive: The show looks at a (fictional) programme from the past to see how news stories similar to those of today were covered in the past.
- Julia: a woman called Julia has been locked in a room, which symbolises the dark world of petty journalism, i.e. reporting on the wedding of Zsara Philips. As a result, she has become psychotic, longing to see sunlight; upon which the presenter shuts the door on her desperate pleas.
- Newsjack Films: Spoof movie trailers.
- Celebrity Diary: The cast impersonate a celebrity and see recent events from their viewpoint.
- Corrections: At the end of the programme, the cast read out made-up corrections relating to things from the previous episode.
- And Finally: A post-credits sequence where the show pretends the current episode is an old show and make jokes about how the world might have changed since the programme went out.
Writers wishing to submit material for Newsjack are invited to write material for these segments and also to write their own sketches not related to them.
Production
Newsjack, was always intended to be an "Open door" show in terms of writing. However, it first became known in early 2009 when it launched a competition to find new comedy writers for the show. The winners of this competition went on to a masterclass on comedy writing with David MitchellDavid Mitchell (actor)
David James Stuart Mitchell is a British actor, comedian and writer. He is half of the comedy duo Mitchell and Webb, alongside Robert Webb, whom he met at Cambridge University. There they were both part of the Cambridge Footlights, of which Mitchell became President. Together the duo star in the...
on 9 March 2009. Although originally Gareth Edwards
Gareth Edwards (producer)
Gareth Edwards is a radio and television producer and writer. He is the great-grandson of Hollywood pioneer Albert E. Smith, founder of Vitagraph Studios.TV and Radio Career...
was intended to be producer for the show, the job of producer eventually went to Tilusha Ghelani
Tilusha Ghelani
Tilusha Ghelani is a BBC Radio producer who is particularly associated with light entertainment programmes. She joined the BBC in 2002 as a producer in Radio Light Entertainment...
and Sam Michell. The current producers are Simon Mayhew-Archer and Lyndsay Fenner.
The show was first broadcast as a pilot
Television pilot
A "television pilot" is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell the show to a television network. At the time of its inception, the pilot is meant to be the "testing ground" to see if a series will be possibly desired and successful and therefore a test episode of an...
on 4 June 2009. This pilot was broadcast first so as to give a guide to new writers about the sort of material that the programme was looking for. The first deadline for new material was 15 June 2009 at noon. While the first series was originally intended to run for ten weeks, this was reduced to the pilot and six episodes, one per week. The show returned for a second series in January 2010, a third in June 2010, a fourth in February 2011 and a fifth in October 2011. A sixth series is planned for February 2012. . The episodes are also available to download as a podcast.