That Antony Cotton Show is a British

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...

 comedy

Comedy

Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...

 chat show that was broadcast on ITV

ITV

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...

 for one series in 2007. It was presented by Coronation Street

Coronation Street

Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...

actor Antony Cotton

Antony Cotton

Antony Cotton is an English actor and singer best known for his roles in Coronation Street and the original UK version of Queer as Folk.-Early and personal life:...

, and aired on weekdays at 5pm. The show was not broadcast in Northern Ireland, due to UTV

UTV

UTV is a television channel based in the UK region of Northern Ireland. The channel is the Channel 3 or Independent Television licensee for Northern Ireland and is operated by UTV Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of UTV Media.- Terrestrial :* Analogue: Normally tuned to 3 * Freeview : 3...

's news programme beginning at 5.30pm. The show was filmed in front of a live audience at the Granada Television

Granada Television

Granada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....

 studios in Manchester

Manchester

Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...

.

Preview tapes of the pilot circulated before the series began, mainly on YouTube

YouTube

YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....

, and were panned by critics as it was simply a copy of The Paul O'Grady Show

The Paul O'Grady Show

The Paul O'Grady Show was a BAFTA award-winning British comedy chat show hosted by Birkenhead-born comedian Paul O'Grady. The format was originally devised by Granada Television and was broadcast on ITV before moving to Channel 4...

, which originally was shown on ITV

ITV

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...

. ITV Productions Granada thought Anthony Cotton would have been either more popular or as popular as with viewers as Paul O'Grady was.

That Antony Cotton Show launched with 2 million viewers (17.6% share of available audience) at 5pm on Monday 13 August 2007. This was significantly up on the slot average of 1.7 million viewers (12.9%). It also attracted more than Channel 4's flagship daytime show, Richard & Judy

Richard & Judy

Richard & Judy was a British magazine/chat show which was presented by married couple Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan. It originally aired on Channel 4 from 2001 to 2008 but later moved to digital channel Watch in October 2008. It featured the world's most famous stars, along with their Book Club...

, which pulled in just 1.1 million viewers (9.7%) at the same time. However, by its third episode, the show had lost 500,000 viewers, drawing 1.5 million and a 13% share.
Viewership continued to fall further for Cotton's show. On 24 August 2007, only 1.1 million (11.5%) tuned in. The show's viewership slumped to below 1.1 million (10.4%) on 11 September 2007.

Initial reports suggested that the show had been recommissioned for a second run, with producers saying they would alter the format for the new series. However, on 24 January 2008, The Sun

The Sun (newspaper)

The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...

reported that the show would not be returning.

Episodes

Date	Guests
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...	Pauline Quirke Pauline Quirke Pauline Perpetua Quirke is a British actress. She is best known for her role as Sharon in the comedy series Birds of a Feather, alongside her lifelong friend and frequent acting partner Linda Robson... , Marsha Thomason Marsha Thomason Marsha Lisa Thomason is an English actress, who is known in the United States for playing Nessa Holt in the first two seasons of the NBC series Las Vegas, for her recurring role on ABC's Lost as Naomi Dorrit, and for playing FBI agent Diana Berrigan on USA Network's White Collar.-Early...  and Neil Ruddock Neil Ruddock Neil "Razor" Ruddock is a retired English footballer, who played as a central defender.He made his debut at Millwall , and he had a long career playing for Tottenham Hotspur, Southampton, Liverpool, West Ham, Crystal Palace, and finally a short-lived spell as a player/coach at Swindon Town Neil...
13 August	Alison Steadman Alison Steadman Alison Steadman OBE is an English actress. She established her career with roles such as Beverley in Abigail's Party and Candice Marie in Nuts in May for the director Mike Leigh, to whom she was once married. In addition to her stage and radio work, she has had lead roles in The Singing Detective,...  and Ray Quinn Ray Quinn Raymond Arthur "Ray" Quinn is an English actor, singer, and dancer. He finished second in talent show The X Factor in 2006, and won the 2009 series of Dancing on Ice. He also appeared as victimised teenager Anthony Murray in the Channel 4 soap opera Brookside...
14 August	Charlie Hardwick Charlie Hardwick Claire Elizabeth Hardwick is an English actress well known for her part in ITV's Emmerdale as Val Pollard.-Acting career:...  and Stephen Mulhern Stephen Mulhern Stephen Daniel Mulhern is a British TV presenter, entertainer, and former magician. He began presenting in the studio on CITV in May 1998 and became a leading presenter until he left in August 2002. He has presented a number of shows, including SMTV Live, Holly & Stephen's Saturday Showdown and...
15 August	Kate O'Mara Kate O'Mara Kate O'Mara is an English film, stage and television actress. She is perhaps most widely known for her role as Caress Morell, the scheming sister of Alexis Colby in the 1980s American primetime soap opera Dynasty, though is also known for playing other villains such as The Rani in Doctor Who and...  and Dave Spikey Dave Spikey Dave Spikey is an English comedian, actor, writer and film producer, currently residing in Chorley, Lancashire....
16 August	Linda Robson Linda Robson Linda Patricia Mary Robson is an English actress. She played Tracey in the BBC comedy, Birds of a Feather from 1989 to 1998.-Personal life and education:... , Dannii Minogue Dannii Minogue Danielle Jane "Dannii" Minogue is an Australian singer-songwriter, actress, television personality, radio personality, fashion designer and model...  and Rustie Lee Rustie Lee Rustie Lee is a television chef and actress in the United Kingdom, most famous for her appearances in the 1980s on morning station, TV-am. She was born in Jamaica, but moved to Birmingham with her family as a child. Following her successful stint as a chef on TV-am in 1983, Lee took over from...
17 August	Claire King Claire King Claire King is a popular English actress, best known for playing the roles of Kim Tate in the ITV Soap Opera Emmerdale from 1989 to 1999 and Karen Betts in Bad Girls from 2000 to 2004.-Biography:...  and Ricky Hatton Ricky Hatton Richard John Hatton MBE, more commonly known as Ricky "the Hitman" Hatton, , is a former British professional boxer, and currently a promoter....
20 August	Kym Ryder and Patrick Mower Patrick Mower Patrick Mower , whose original name was Patrick Archibald Shaw, is an English actor well known for his many television and occasional film roles, often as a detective or secret agent.-Life:...
21 August	Fay Ripley Fay Ripley Fay Ripley is an English actress and recipe author. Born in Wimbledon, London, Ripley is a graduate of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama . Her first professional role was in the chorus of a pantomime version of Around the World in 80 Days... , Anne Charleston Anne Charleston Anne Charleston is an Australian actress currently based in Galway, Ireland and the UK. She is known for her roles as Madge Bishop in the Australian soap opera Neighbours and Lily Butterfield in Emmerdale.-Early career:...  and Lizzie Webb Lizzie Webb Lizzie Webb, often known as "Mad Lizzie", presented daily exercise routines on British morning television channel TV-am. She was introduced onto the channel's flagship show Good Morning Britain in response to the popularity of exercise teacher Diana Moran on the rival BBC One show Breakfast Time...
22 August	Dame Kelly Holmes Kelly Holmes Dame Kelly Holmes, DBE, MBE is a retired British middle distance athlete. She specialised in the 800 metres and 1500 metres events and won a gold medal for both distances at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens...  and Ian Kelsey Ian Kelsey Ian Kelsey is a British television actor.Kelsey was born in York, Yorkshire, England, to parents Julie and John . He also has an older brother named David. He trained at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre York and graduated at the Guildford School of Acting...
23 August	Richard Briers Richard Briers Richard David Briers, CBE is an English actor whose career has encompassed theatre, television, film and radio.He first came to prominence as George Starling in Marriage Lines in the 1960s, but it was in the following decade when he played Tom Good in the BBC sitcom The Good Life that he became a...  and Yvette Fielding Yvette Fielding Yvette Fielding is a British broadcaster, producer and actress. She is best known for being the presenter of the TV shows Blue Peter, Most Haunted and Ghosthunting With....-Early life and career:...
24 August	Tricia Penrose Tricia Penrose Patricia "Tricia" Penrose is an English actress and singer. She is best known for her role as Gina Ward in ITV1's long-running 1960s drama Heartbeat, a role she played continuously from 1993 to 2010...  and Malcolm Hebden Malcolm Hebden Malcolm Hebden is an English television and stage actor best known for his role as Norris Cole in the long-running ITV soap opera Coronation Street.-Early life:...
27 August	Denise Welch Denise Welch Jacqueline Denise Healy is an English actress, dancer and television presenter.-Early life:Denise Welch was born in Ebchester, County Durham, to father Vin and mother Ann and has a younger sister Debbie...  and Jennie McAlpine Jennie McAlpine Jennie Elizabeth McAlpine is a British television actress and comedienne. She is best known for her role as Fiz Stape in the well known British soap opera Coronation Street.-Early life:...
28 August	Ardal O'Hanlon Ardal O'Hanlon Ardal O'Hanlon is an Irish comedian and actor, best known for his roles in television sitcoms as Father Dougal McGuire in Father Ted and George Sunday in My Hero.-Early life:...  and Katherine Jenkins Katherine Jenkins Katherine Jenkins is a Welsh mezzo-soprano. She is a classical-popular crossover singer who performs across a spectrum of operatic arias, popular songs, musical theatre and hymns.-Early life and education:...
29 August	Brian Blessed Brian Blessed Brian Blessed is an English actor, known for his sonorous voice and "hearty, king-sized portrayals".-Early life:The son of William Blessed, a socialist miner, and Hilda Wall, Blessed was born in the town of Goldthorpe, West Riding of Yorkshire, England...  and Natalie Imbruglia Natalie Imbruglia Natalie Jane Imbruglia is an Australian singer-songwriter, model and actress. In the early 1990s, Imbruglia was known to audiences as Beth Brennan in the popular Australian soap Neighbours. Three years after leaving the programme, Imbruglia launched a singing career with the international hit,...
30 August	Brian Conley Brian Conley Brian Conley is an English comedian, television presenter, singer and actor. At the peak of his television career, he was the highest-paid male television personality in the UK. Outside of television, he is best known for his frequent portrayals of Buttons in pantomime versions of...  and Denise Black Denise Black Denise Black is an English actress, best known for playing Denise Osbourne in the ITV1 soap Coronation Street and Hazel Tyler in Channel 4 TV's Queer As Folk in 1999 and 2000, written by Russell T Davies. After attending Portsmouth's Girls Public Day School, she studied Psychology at London...
31 August	Wendy Turner Webster Wendy Turner Webster Wendy Turner-Webster is an English journalist, television presenter and animal rights campaigner.-Biography:... , Gary Webster Gary Webster Gary Webster is an English actor.He first found fame in EastEnders playing Graham Clark from 1987 until 1988. He later became better known for playing Ray Daley in the television series Minder, replacing Dennis Waterman as George Cole's on-screen sparring partner in the series... , Lee Sharpe Lee Sharpe Lee Stuart Sharpe is an English former footballer. Predominantly a left winger, Sharpe joined Manchester United from Torquay United as a youngster in 1988, playing for the club up until 1996...  and Katherine Kelly Katherine Kelly (actress) Katherine Kelly, is a British actress and recording artist who is most well known for playing Becky McDonald in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street. She has also starred in the film Mischief Night.-Early life and career:...
3 September	Suranne Jones Suranne Jones Suranne Jones is an English actress. She first rose to prominence playing the role of Karen McDonald in ITV1's soap opera Coronation Street over a period of four years...  and Daniel O'Donnell Daniel O'Donnell (Irish singer) Daniel Francis Noel O'Donnell is an Irish singer, television presenter and philanthropist. O'Donnell came to public attention in 1983 and has since become a household name in Ireland and the UK. He has also had considerable success in the US. He is known for his close relationship with his...
4 September	Anthea Turner Anthea Turner Anthea Millicent Turner is an English television presenter and media personality.-Education:Turner was educated at the independent St. Dominic's High School in Hartshill, Stoke-on-Trent....  and Jean-Christophe Novelli Jean-Christophe Novelli -Life:Born in Arras, Northern France, in 1961, in a family with Italian roots, Jean-Christophe Novelli left school at age 14 and worked in a bakery before, at the age of 20, becoming a personal chef to the Rothschild family....
5 September	Sally Whittaker Sally Whittaker Sally Dynevor is an English soap opera actress.-Early life and career:... , Les Dennis Les Dennis Les Dennis is an English comedian, television presenter and actor best known as the host of Family Fortunes for 15 years.-Early life:...  and RyanDan RyanDan RyanDan is a Canadian musical, songwriting and producing duo, consisting of identical twins Ryan and Dan Kowarsky, whose music is a mix of pop, opera, and classical....
6 September	Nicki Chapman Nicki Chapman Nicki Chapman is an English television presenter who also works in the British pop music industry. She was also a judge on the ITV reality shows Popstars, with Nigel Lythgoe and Paul Adam, and Pop Idol, along with Simon Cowell, Pete Waterman and Neil Fox...  and Geoffrey Hughes Geoffrey Hughes Geoffrey Hughes, DL is an English actor.As well as a wide range of TV and film appearances, Hughes is best known for a series of supporting roles in popular UK television dramas...
7 September	No episode†
10 September	Wendy Richard Wendy Richard Wendy Richard, MBE was an English actress best known for playing Miss Brahms in Are You Being Served? and Pauline Fowler in EastEnders...  and Cleo Rocos Cleo Rocos Cleo Rocos is a UK-based comedy actress and television/theatre producer and presenter, best known for appearing on The Kenny Everett Television Show. She is of Greek and English descent...
11 September	June Whitfield June Whitfield June Rosemary Whitfield, CBE is an English actress, well known in the United Kingdom since the 1950s for roles in radio and television comedy series....  and Richard Fleeshman Richard Fleeshman Richard Jonathan Fleeshman is an English actor and singer-songwriter. His television career began as a twelve year old, playing Craig Harris for four years in Coronation Street and most recently "All The Small Things"...
12 September	John Thomson, Mickey Rooney Mickey Rooney Mickey Rooney is an American film actor and entertainer whose film, television, and stage appearances span nearly his entire lifetime. He has won multiple awards, including an Honorary Academy Award, a Golden Globe and an Emmy Award...  and Jan Rooney
13 September	Emma Samms Emma Samms Emma Samms is a British television actress best known for her role as Holly Sutton on the American daytime soap opera General Hospital and for replacing Pamela Sue Martin as Fallon Carrington Colby on the primetime soap opera Dynasty.-Early life:Samms was born in Willesden, London, England, the...  and Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen is a successful homestyle consultant best known for his appearances on the BBC television programme Changing Rooms...
17 September	Shayne Ward Shayne Ward Shayne Thomas Ward is an English pop singer who rose to fame as the winner of second series of The X Factor. He has sold over 3 million records worldwide and has had number one albums and singles in 9 countries.During The X Factor competition, Ward was mentored by manager Louis Walsh...  and Lynda La Plante Lynda La Plante Lynda La Plante, CBE is an English author, screenwriter and former actress, best known for writing the Prime Suspect television crime series....

†This episode was postponed due to the 5pm slot on Friday being used to broadcast an ITV News

ITV News

ITV News is the branding of news programmes on the British television network ITV. Since 1955, ITV's news bulletins have been produced by Independent Television News . The channel's news coverage has won awards from the Royal Television Society, Emmy Awards and BAFTAs. Between 2004 and 2008, the...

Special. The episode was shown on the following Monday, thus one less episode was filmed this series.