{{Short description|British television series}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox television | image = | caption = | runtime = 40 minutes<br />(including adverts) | creator = | starring = [[Jack Docherty]] | channel = [[Channel 5 (UK)|Channel 5]] | first_aired = {{start date|1997|3|30|df=yes}} | last_aired = {{end date|1999|6|23|df=yes}} | num_series = | num_episodes = | language = English | country = United Kingdom | company = [[Absolutely Productions]] | producer = Phil Edgar Jones<br />Gavin Claxton | director = David G. Croft<br />Peter Demetris }} '''''The Jack Docherty Show''''' was a weeknightly comedy [[chat show]] which first aired on [[Channel 5 (UK)|Channel 5]] in the United Kingdom between 30 March 1997 and 23 June 1999. Presented by comedian [[Jack Docherty]], the programme was one of the first to air on the channel, doing so as part of its opening-night schedule on 30 March 1997.<ref>{{cite news |first=Rob |last=Brown |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/millions-stay-switched-off-for-c5-launch-1275539.html |title=Millions stay switched off for C5 launch – News |work=The Independent |date=1997-03-29 |access-date=2011-12-02 |location=London |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304084352/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/millions-stay-switched-off-for-c5-launch-1275539.html |archive-date=2016-03-04 }}</ref> The show was recorded at London's [[Trafalgar Theatre|Whitehall Theatre]] during the early evening and would then be broadcast in a late-night slot.<ref name=SOTCAA>{{cite web |url=http://www.sotcaa.net/editnews/jackdochertyshow.html |title=The Jack Docherty Show |publisher=SOTCAA |access-date=2011-12-02 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111123033108/http://www.sotcaa.net/editnews/jackdochertyshow.html |archive-date=2011-11-23 }}</ref><ref name=RolandRat/> It featured a mixture of chat with celebrity guests, comedy, and music, and followed a similar format to shows such as [[NBC]]'s ''[[Late Night with David Letterman]]'' in the United States.<ref name="guardian1">{{cite news |first=Sam |last=Leith |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2010/jan/24/jay-leno-conan-obrien-tonight-show |title=The talkshow is a joyless, hateful pantomime. I'm glad the format is in trouble | Television & radio |work=The Guardian |date=2010-01-24 |access-date=2011-12-02 |location=London |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151001023138/http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2010/jan/24/jay-leno-conan-obrien-tonight-show |archive-date=2015-10-01 }}</ref>
Accompanying Docherty and guests was a house band,<ref name=review/> whose line-up changed from time to time. It was first briefly led by [[Peter Baikie|Pete Baikie]], followed a few weeks later by Richard Allen. They named the studio band Pete Baikie and the Peetles and Richard Allen and the Allenoids respectively. In September 1997 a new house band, Blair,<ref name=RolandRat/> fronted by [[Blair MacKichan]], took over the role and remained until the house band was dispensed with some time in 1998. MacKichan was better known for his appearance in the [[Oxo (food)|Oxo]] adverts during the 1980s, but was an accomplished musician.
Docherty was frequently absent from the programme,<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20180529164432/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6a686897 ''The Jack Docherty Show''] at the [[British Film Institute]]{{better source needed|reason=Help request: a live link can be searched for at https://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web/search/expert - if available, replace the archive URL with the live link. Or if none found, remove this 'better source needed' template. | date=October 2023}}</ref> usually during school holidays, and when this happened the show was retitled ''Not The Jack Docherty Show'' and would be presented by a stand-in. Guest presenters included [[Phill Jupitus]], [[Graham Norton]], [[Fred MacAulay]], [[Carol McGiffin]], [[Melinda Messenger]], [[Rich Hall]] and [[Tim Vine]]. The role of guest host helped launch Graham Norton's television career, and won him the award for best newcomer at the 1997 [[British Comedy Awards]].<ref name=Deans/> Docherty – who was also attending the ceremony – had expected to win the award himself.<ref name=Deans>{{cite news |last=Deans |first=Jason |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/organgrinder/2007/mar/30/channelfiveat10acelebrati |title=Channel Five at 10, a celebration: Spice Girls, Boris's tackle & Cheggers' todger | Media | guardian.co.uk |publisher=Guardian |date=2007-03-30 |access-date=2011-12-02 |location=London |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140311032756/http://www.theguardian.com/media/organgrinder/2007/mar/30/channelfiveat10acelebrati |archive-date=2014-03-11 }}</ref> Norton went on to front his own series on [[Channel 4]] in 1998 titled ''[[So Graham Norton]]''.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3322069.stm |title=Entertainment | Graham Norton: Naughty but nice |publisher=BBC News |date=2003-12-15 |access-date=2011-12-02 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170906004421/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/3322069.stm |archive-date=2017-09-06 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2005/aug/14/broadcasting.business |title=Summer stand-ins steal the limelight | Media | The Observer |publisher=Guardian |date=2005-08-14 |access-date=2011-12-02 |location=London |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131227191520/http://www.theguardian.com/media/2005/aug/14/broadcasting.business |archive-date=2013-12-27 }}</ref>
Channel 5 had originally wanted to call the show The Docherty Will See You Now, and when first on air it was broadcast five nights a week. However, as the series progressed numbers of episodes were reduced as the channel moved away from its original "[[Stripping (television)|stripped and stranded]]" scheduling format,<ref name=bbcentertainment22031999/> and, in the first instance, because Docherty had requested he do fewer shows.<ref name=RolandRat>{{cite news |first=Jasper |last=Rees |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/it-could-be-a-job-for-roland-rat-1237904.html |title=IT COULD BE A JOB FOR ROLAND RAT – Arts & Entertainment |work=The Independent |date=1997-09-07 |access-date=2011-12-02 |location=London |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121111131754/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/it-could-be-a-job-for-roland-rat-1237904.html |archive-date=2012-11-11 }}</ref> From September 1997 it dropped to four nights a week when the Friday edition was withdrawn from the schedule, then three in March 1998 after Monday's episode was also dropped. By September 1998 the series dropped to a Tuesday and Thursday airing, while the Wednesday slot was then taken up with the somewhat similar ''Melinda's Big Night In'', a chat show hosted by Melinda Messenger. One weekly episode of ''The Jack Docherty Show'' was aired during its last few months. The final edition went out on 23 June 1999, by which time it was pre-recorded in advance of its airdate.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/300915.stm |publisher=BBC |title=B*Witched set chart record |website=BBC News |date=22 March 1999 |access-date=3 August 2024}}</ref>
The decreasing number of weekly editions also had much to do with the show's poor viewing figures. Often these would be higher when Docherty was absent, with model Melinda Messenger achieving higher viewing figures when she stood in for him.<ref name=bbcentertainment22031999>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/300915.stm |title=Entertainment | Docherty leaves Channel 5 chat show |publisher=BBC News |date=1999-03-22 |access-date=2011-12-02}}</ref> The show was also panned by critics, particularly when, in 1998, Docherty decided not to renew his contract with Channel 5 when it expired at the end of that year. In November 1998 a television reviewer in ''[[The Independent]]'' observed: "In effect, The Jack Docherty Show is working out its notice. And boy, does it show. It's as if Docherty is perfunctorily doing his job even as the removal men are dismantling the show and packing it off to the archive. The house band has gone, the flats of the set have been taken down, and the script has been stowed at the bottom of a cardboard box file."<ref name=review>{{cite news |first=Jasper |last=Rees |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/television-review-1186408.html |title=Television Review – Arts & Entertainment |work=The Independent |date=1998-11-21 |access-date=2011-12-02 |location=London |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304113626/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/television-review-1186408.html |archive-date=2016-03-04 }}</ref> This sentiment was echoed in the 19 February 1999 edition of ''[[Private Eye]]'', which claimed that Docherty had closed one episode with the words, "In line with Channel 5 policy, it's past eleven o'clock and time for some tatty pornography", and had then simulated [[fellatio]] on a pizza salesman. The scene was edited out before broadcast in what ''Private Eye'' suggested was a decision influenced by criticism of Channel 5, which at the time included [[soft-core pornography]] in its schedule.<ref name=SOTCAA/> In January 2010, ''[[The Guardian]]'''s Sam Leith wrote that ''The Jack Docherty Show'' had "died a death", musing: "I'm not sure even Jack Docherty remembers it very well."<ref name="guardian1"/>
In March 1999, Docherty said of his departure that he felt the show had "burned out" and was running out of guests.<ref name=bbcentertainment22031999/> In a 2008 interview he said the role of chat show host had not suited him, and that he had not enjoyed it. "You would be talking to people about what they were doing, and you actually wanted to be doing it yourself."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.scotsman.com/news/what_s_happened_to_jack_docherty_1_1171586 |title=What's happened to... Jack Docherty? – News |publisher=Scotsman.com |access-date=2011-12-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-interviews/2008/04/19/jack-docherty-holds-no-grudge-over-graham-norton-success-86908-20387636/ |title=Jack Docherty holds no grudge over Graham Norton success |publisher=The Daily Record |date=2008-04-19 |access-date=2011-12-02}}</ref> However, the programme is notable for featuring some of the first television work of writers [[Kevin Cecil]] and [[Andy Riley]], [[Jesse Armstrong]] and [[Sam Bain]], and writer/performers [[David Mitchell (comedian)|David Mitchell]] and [[Robert Webb]], all of whom have gone on to have successful comedy careers.
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{IMDb title|0122351}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20180529164432/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6a686897 ''The Jack Docherty Show''] at the [[British Film Institute]]{{better source needed|reason=Help request: a live link can be searched for at https://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web/search/expert - if available, replace the archive URL with the live link. Or if none found, remove this 'better source needed' template. | date=October 2023}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jack Docherty Show, The}} [[Category:1997 British television series debuts]] [[Category:1999 British television series endings]] [[Category:1990s British television talk shows]] [[Category:5 (British TV channel) original programming]] [[Category:English-language British television shows]]