TFI Friday
Encyclopedia
TFI Friday is an entertainment
show broadcast on Channel 4
in the United Kingdom
from 1996 to 2000. The show produced by Ginger Productions
, written by Danny Baker
and hosted by Chris Evans, for the first 5 series. The final series was hosted by a number of Guest Presenters. It was broadcast on Fridays at 6 pm from 9 February 1996 to 22 December 2000, with a repeat later that night. Officially, the title stood for "Thank Four It's Friday", though a less innocuous interpretation of the initials, "Thank Fuck It's Friday", was clearly implied. The name was a reference to the popular phrase "Thank God it's Friday
". The show's theme tune was Ron Grainer
's theme from Man in a Suitcase
.
game show
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
(which would not have its first million pound winner until November 2000). TFI Friday paid out the promised £1 million jackpot on 24 December 1999, becoming the first British TV show to do so. The show became one of Britain's breakthrough TV programmes, kickstarting the careers of many rock and indie bands. It also created a new approach to the popular TV show format, which others have copied, yet few have emulated the same success of TFI Friday.
school. A snippet of "The Riverboat Song
" by Ocean Colour Scene
, a band particularly championed by Evans, was used as an introduction to guests, as they walked the length of a walkway up into the "bar" to be interviewed by the host.
Viewers repeatedly asked if they could have the TFI Friday Mug (or one like it) that graced Evans table every week so the production company created a limited run of 1,000 mugs which were offered for sale at a prohibitive price and for a limited period of time, after which, the remaining stock was destroyed live on air when it was dropped from the roof of the television studio.
frontman Shaun Ryder
said "fuck
" several times. Following the first interview on the show in which he had used the word, he was not allowed to be interviewed live, then during a Stars in Their Eyes
skit, Ryder performed (as Johnny Rotten
) the Sex Pistols
' "Pretty Vacant". The section was transmitted live, as it was not an interview. Ryder shouted "fuck" several times. Subsequently, Ryder has been barred from appearing live on any Channel 4 programme - he is the only person listed by name in the Channel 4 transmission guidebook. Ewan McGregor
also used the offensive word on the show. In the wake of Ryder's antics, TFI Friday was then forced to go out pre-recorded.
gave Channel 4 a formal warning following these two incidences, and the competition feature never appeared again on the programme.
made a rare appearance on British television via this show. The band are renowned for wearing masks while performing, therefore hiding their identities (although side project acts like Stone Sour
see lead singer Corey Taylor
reveal himself). During the performance of "Wait and Bleed
" two cameras were lost, and were not seen since. The following week a viewer letter was read on the show complaining about the band's image, saying it frightened her children, only for Chris Evans to say he can reveal their identities, as the production crew installed hidden cameras in their dressing room. When the so-called hidden footage was shown, one of the "band members" removed his mask, only for the person in question to be Lionel Blair
.
. The first edition was broadcast on 20 November 2005, but was not as successful and quickly axed.
Entertainment
Entertainment consists of any activity which provides a diversion or permits people to amuse themselves in their leisure time. Entertainment is generally passive, such as watching opera or a movie. Active forms of amusement, such as sports, are more often considered to be recreation...
show 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 the United Kingdom
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...
from 1996 to 2000. The show produced by Ginger Productions
Ginger Productions
Ginger Productions, alongside STV Productions, is part of the network production arm of STV Group plc. Based in Waterhouse Square in London, the company's output focuses on Entertainment and Factual Entertainment programming...
, written by Danny Baker
Danny Baker
Danny Baker is an English comedy writer, journalist, radio DJ and screenwriter. Since the late 1970s, he has worked for a wide range of publications and broadcasters including NME, LWT, the BBC, and Talk Radio....
and hosted by Chris Evans, for the first 5 series. The final series was hosted by a number of Guest Presenters. It was broadcast on Fridays at 6 pm from 9 February 1996 to 22 December 2000, with a repeat later that night. Officially, the title stood for "Thank Four It's Friday", though a less innocuous interpretation of the initials, "Thank Fuck It's Friday", was clearly implied. The name was a reference to the popular phrase "Thank God it's Friday
TGIF
TGIF is an initialism for the phrase "Thank God It's Friday", celebrating the last day of the work/school week before the weekend. Its origin dates to the 1960s. It was first popularized by the restaurant T.G.I. Friday's which was founded in 1965. However, it became mainstream by the late 1970s,...
". The show's theme tune was Ron Grainer
Ron Grainer
Ronald Erle “Ron” Grainer was an Australian-born composer who worked for most of his professional career in the United Kingdom. He is mostly remembered for his film and television music.- Biography :...
's theme from Man in a Suitcase
Man in a Suitcase
Man in a Suitcase is a 1967 television series produced by Lew Grade's ITC Entertainment.-Origins and overview:Man in a Suitcase was effectively a replacement for Danger Man, whose production had been curtailed when its star Patrick McGoohan had decided to create his own series, The Prisoner...
.
Inspiration for other shows
During November and December 1999, the show included a segment titled "Someone's Going To Be A Millionaire!", inspired by the ITVITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
game show
Game show
A game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (UK game show)
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? is a British television quiz show which offers a maximum cash prize of one million pounds for correctly answering successive multiple-choice questions of increasing difficulty...
(which would not have its first million pound winner until November 2000). TFI Friday paid out the promised £1 million jackpot on 24 December 1999, becoming the first British TV show to do so. The show became one of Britain's breakthrough TV programmes, kickstarting the careers of many rock and indie bands. It also created a new approach to the popular TV show format, which others have copied, yet few have emulated the same success of TFI Friday.
Format
The show regularly featured live music, mostly of the then-popular BritpopBritpop
Britpop is a subgenre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom. Britpop emerged from the British independent music scene of the early 1990s and was characterised by bands influenced by British guitar pop music of the 1960s and 1970s...
school. A snippet of "The Riverboat Song
The Riverboat Song
"The Riverboat Song" is a rock song by Ocean Colour Scene.The song is heavily influenced by Led Zeppelin's 'Four Sticks', from which it takes its main riff and a number of lyrics....
" by Ocean Colour Scene
Ocean Colour Scene
Ocean Colour Scene are an English Britpop band formed in Moseley, Birmingham in 1989. They have had five Top 10 albums and six Top 10 singles to date.-Early days :...
, a band particularly championed by Evans, was used as an introduction to guests, as they walked the length of a walkway up into the "bar" to be interviewed by the host.
Viewers repeatedly asked if they could have the TFI Friday Mug (or one like it) that graced Evans table every week so the production company created a limited run of 1,000 mugs which were offered for sale at a prohibitive price and for a limited period of time, after which, the remaining stock was destroyed live on air when it was dropped from the roof of the television studio.
Controversy
Swearing
The show attracted controversy when Happy MondaysHappy Mondays
Happy Mondays are an English alternative rock band from Salford, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1980, the band's original line-up was Shaun Ryder on lead vocals, his brother Paul Ryder on bass, lead guitarist Mark Day, keyboardist Paul Davis, and drummer Gary Whelan...
frontman Shaun Ryder
Shaun Ryder
Shaun William Ryder, aka X, is an English musician, occasional newspaper columnist, actor, author, singer-songwriter and television personality, best known as lead singer for Happy Mondays and Black Grape – and more recently as the runner-up of the 2010 version of the British TV Show I'm a...
said "fuck
Fuck
"Fuck" is an English word that is generally considered obscene which, in its most literal meaning, refers to the act of sexual intercourse. By extension it may be used to negatively characterize anything that can be dismissed, disdained, defiled, or destroyed."Fuck" can be used as a verb, adverb,...
" several times. Following the first interview on the show in which he had used the word, he was not allowed to be interviewed live, then during a Stars in Their Eyes
Stars In Their Eyes
Stars in Their Eyes is a British television talent show that ran on Saturdays nights from 21 July 1990 until 23 December 2006 in which contestants impersonate showbiz stars...
skit, Ryder performed (as Johnny Rotten
John Lydon
John Joseph Lydon , also known by the former stage name Johnny Rotten, is a singer-songwriter and television presenter, best known as the lead singer of punk rock band the Sex Pistols from 1975 until 1978, and again for various revivals during the 1990s and 2000s...
) the Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...
' "Pretty Vacant". The section was transmitted live, as it was not an interview. Ryder shouted "fuck" several times. Subsequently, Ryder has been barred from appearing live on any Channel 4 programme - he is the only person listed by name in the Channel 4 transmission guidebook. Ewan McGregor
Ewan McGregor
Ewan Gordon McGregor is a Scottish actor. He has had success in mainstream, indie, and art house films. McGregor is perhaps best known for his roles as heroin addict Mark Renton in the drama Trainspotting , young Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars prequel trilogy , and poet Christian in the...
also used the offensive word on the show. In the wake of Ryder's antics, TFI Friday was then forced to go out pre-recorded.
Car Competition
The show gained more notoriety when, as part of a competition, two children were forced to go head to head in order to win their parents a car. After the competition was won, the boy who had lost then started to cry, which caused the tabloids to pounce on the show believing it to be shameless. The next edition showed the boy with the consolation prize of a lot of toys, an apparent attempt to mitigate controversy, but which was followed by another contest which again ended with the losing child crying. The ITCIndependent Television Commission
The Independent Television Commission licensed and regulated commercial television services in the United Kingdom between 1 January 1991 and 28 December 2003....
gave Channel 4 a formal warning following these two incidences, and the competition feature never appeared again on the programme.
Slipknot
US metal band SlipknotSlipknot (band)
Slipknot is an American heavy metal band from Des Moines, Iowa. Formed in 1995, the group was founded by percussionist Shawn Crahan and bassist Paul Gray...
made a rare appearance on British television via this show. The band are renowned for wearing masks while performing, therefore hiding their identities (although side project acts like Stone Sour
Stone Sour
Stone Sour is an American rock band from Des Moines, Iowa. Since 2006, the group has been composed of Corey Taylor , Jim Root , Josh Rand, , Shawn Economaki and Roy Mayorga . Original drummer Joel Ekman left the group in 2006...
see lead singer Corey Taylor
Corey Taylor
Corey Todd Taylor sometimes known by the number 8, is an American musician best known as the lead vocalist and lyricist of Slipknot and Stone Sour. Taylor was raised by his single mother. He developed a fond feeling toward classic rock after his grandmother introduced him to it...
reveal himself). During the performance of "Wait and Bleed
Wait and Bleed
"Wait and Bleed" is a song by American heavy metal band Slipknot, featured on their 1999 debut self-titled album. The song was re-mixed with more prominent clean-sung vocals, and released as the lead single from the album in July 1999, and peaked at number 34 on the American Billboard Hot...
" two cameras were lost, and were not seen since. The following week a viewer letter was read on the show complaining about the band's image, saying it frightened her children, only for Chris Evans to say he can reveal their identities, as the production crew installed hidden cameras in their dressing room. When the so-called hidden footage was shown, one of the "band members" removed his mask, only for the person in question to be Lionel Blair
Lionel Blair
Lionel Blair is a British actor, choreographer, tap dancer and television presenter. He is the son of Myer Ogus and Deborah Greenbaum...
.
Guests Presenters
As the years wore on, the format began to look stale, and viewing figures began to steadily fall. As a result, Channel 4 announced that the next series of TFI Friday was to be the last. Chris Evans left the show moments after Channel 4 announced their last series of TFI Friday, leaving the final series to be presented by a number of guest presenters.- 10th November 2000 - Spice GirlsSpice GirlsThe Spice Girls were a British pop girl group formed in 1994. The group consisted of Victoria Beckham , Melanie Brown, Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisholm and Geri Halliwell. They were signed to Virgin Records and released their debut single, "Wannabe" in 1996, which hit number-one in more than 30...
- 17th November 2000 - Big Brother 1 contestants (Nick Bateman (Nasty Nick), Anna Nolan, Craig Phillip, Melanie Hill)
- 24th November 2000 - Davina McCallDavina McCallDavina McCall is an English television presenter and actress, most notable as the presenter of the UK version of Big Brother up until its move to Channel 5.- Early life :...
& Dermot O'LearyDermot O'LearyDermot O'Leary is an English television and radio presenter. He established himself as a presenter of Big Brother's Little Brother on Channel 4 before moving on to The X Factor on ITV. O'Leary has also presented on the BBC and has his own radio show on BBC Radio 2... - 1st December 2000 - Sara CoxSara CoxSara Cox , known as "Coxy", is an English TV presenter and radio DJ, most well known for presenting the breakfast show on BBC Radio 1 between 2000 and 2003...
- 8th December 2000 - Donna AirDonna AirDonna Air is an English television presenter, singer and actress.-Early life:As a former student of Gosforth High School, Donna attended the Drama School at First Act in Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne, where she was a pupil alongside Jill Halfpenny, Ant & Dec and Dale Meeks.-Television:She became...
& Huey Morgan - 15th December 2000 - Davina McCall & Dermot O'Leary
- 22nd December 2000 - Elton JohnElton JohnSir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
Revival
In September 2005, Evans announced that he would be returning the TFI Friday format to TV, with OFI SundayOFI Sunday
OFI Sunday was an entertainment show hosted by Chris Evans. It aired Sunday's on ITV at 10:30pm. The title stood for "Oh Flip It's Sunday", but as with his previous show TFI Friday, whose title nominally stood for "Thank Four It's Friday", a less innocuous interpretation of the initials, "Oh Fuck...
. The first edition was broadcast on 20 November 2005, but was not as successful and quickly axed.
Regular features
Features on the show included:- Freak or Unique - Every week, there would be five people waiting outside the studio, of whom three would be selected to show off a special if freakish talent (such as juicing an orange with their shouldersShouldersShoulders is drinking game that involves players competing in a fast paced game attempting to "count" to 21.-Game play:*The game begins with a player slapping his left/right shoulder, this starts the count at 1....
, or drinking milk which they then forced out of their tear ducts). A running gag throughout the run was the 'Incredibly Tall Old Lady' who would always be waiting outside the studio. She was never nominated (mainly because it was obviously an old woman standing on a box) - Baby Left Baby Right: A small child was placed on a cushion and the guest was asked which way it might fall
- Fat lookalikes - People who looked like fat versions of celebrities which was then followed in later series by Asian lookalikes
- What Does The Fat Bloke Do? - An overweight man was invited on set and asked about his occupation, before dancing and leaving
- Comment From The Cafe - Evans would rope in Cedric (the proprietor of a local eaterie) to perform various embarrassing skits. Cedric became famous for his catchphrase "Hellooooooooo!" and wooden acting
- Ugly Blokes - Unattractive gentlemen would have the opportunity to turn down the amorous advances of a 'gorgeous girl' (Catalina GuiradoCatalina GuiradoCatalina Jane Guirado is an English model and TV personality. She has been a British lads' mag and tabloid favorite since the late '90s....
). A photo of footballer Peter BeardsleyPeter BeardsleyPeter Andrew Beardsley MBE is an English former footballer who played between 1979 and 1999. He once set a record transfer fee in the game and represented his country 59 times between 1986 and 1996, once as captain...
was shown during the 'Ugly Bloke' theme tune - It's Your Letters - A wide assortment of viewers' letters (this was introduced by a burst of ReefReef (band)Reef are an English band from Glastonbury. The band members includes Gary Stringer on vocals, Kenwyn House on guitar, Jack Bessant on bass and Dominic Greensmith on drums.-Early days:...
's "Place Your Hands", re-recorded for the show with the words "It's Your Letters" replacing the original chorus of "Put our hands on"). - Fishbowl Challenge: A goldfish in a bowl would have two toy bridges for company. Which would it swim under first?
- Another running gag was directed at the show's producer, Will MacDonald (aka Wicked Will, of MTV's Most WantedMost Wanted*Lists used by law enforcement agencies to alert the public, such as:**FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives**FBI Most Wanted Terrorists**United States Secret Service Most Wanted Fugitives**U.S...
fame), where everyone in the bar would point their fingers, begin to swivel them and chant 'Wiiillll' very creepily - Will: Pub Genius - Will MacDonald would demonstrate a trick that could be performed using tools commonly found in a pub
- Wooden Bird with Purple Hair - Chris Evans would amuse the audience with a small nodding wooden woodpecker (with purple hair), that slid down a pole whilst an accompanying song was played
- The Lord of Love - The veteran actor Ronald FraserRonald FraserRonald Fraser was an English character actor, who appeared in numerous British films of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s whilst also appearing in many popular TV shows.-Background:...
dressed in a quilted smoking jacket would recite love poems to girls in the audience - Wurthers - The shows cue cardCue cardCue cards, also known as note cards or idiot cards, are cards with words written on them that help actors and speakers remember what they have to say. They are typically used in television productions where they can be held off-camera and are unseen by the audience...
man. He became a frequent star of the show alongside Chris, during the last series of the show in which he was host. At the start of every show, they would both engage in telling a joke working alongside each other, with Wurthers finishing the joke with "I'm only joking of course!", with Chris then replying "He's only joking of course!". This became a frequent running gag before eventually fading out, with this being replaced with Chris sending Wurthers out on a task. The first and most memorable of these was sending him outside to look for a miniMiniThe Mini is a small car that was made by the British Motor Corporation and its successors from 1959 until 2000. The original is considered a British icon of the 1960s, and its space-saving front-wheel-drive layout influenced a generation of car-makers...
driver, while it was raining. Near the end of the show he found one and told her to say hello to the actor Minnie DriverMinnie DriverMinnie Driver is an English actress and singer-songwriter. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the 1997 film Good Will Hunting, as well as for an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe for her work in the television series The Riches.- Early life...
, by waving at the camera who was at the same time being interviewed on the show with David DuchovnyDavid DuchovnyDavid William Duchovny is an American actor, writer and director. He has won Golden Globe awards for his work as FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder on The X-Files and as Hank Moody on Californication.-Early life:...
. The segment was originally a one-off, before being made a regular feature on the show - Show Us Your Face Then - someone in a football mascotMascotThe term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
outfit is introduced to the audience and invited to show them their real face
One-offs
- A member of the crew was sent into a butcherButcherA butcher is a person who may slaughter animals, dress their flesh, sell their meat or any combination of these three tasks. They may prepare standard cuts of meat, poultry, fish and shellfish for sale in retail or wholesale food establishments...
s shop to order a few items, while randomly shouting "Horray!" at random intervals. This urged the butcher to kick the crew member out, unaware there was a camera hidden in his jacket. The butcher in question was invited to the audience and made an appearance. Before the film-footage was shown of the incident, Chris Evans shouted "Horray!" with the audience repeating this, before saying it works in a crowd but not anywhere else.
Transmissions
| Series | Start date | End date | Episodes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 February 1996 | 28 June 1996 | 17 |
| 2 | 13 September 1996 | 27 June 1997 | 41 |
| 3 | 5 September 1997 | 26 June 1998 | 41 |
| 4 | 4 September 1998 | 2 July 1999 | 41 |
| 5 | 10 September 1999 | 23 June 2000 | 41 |
| 6 | 10 November 2000 | 22 December 2000 | 7 |