Walliams & Friend

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox television |genre=Comedy show Sketch show |creator=David Walliams Dawson Bros. |starring={{unbulleted list|David Walliams|Ashley Gilmour|Jason Lewis|James Greene|Vernon Kay|Morgana Robinson}} Mike Wozniak |country=United Kingdom |language=English |num_episodes=7 |company=BBC |network=BBC One |first_aired={{start date|2015|12|24|df=y}} |last_aired={{end date|2016|12|27|df=y}} |num_series=1 (and 1 pilot) |runtime=40 minutes (pilot) 30 minutes (series) }} '''''Walliams & Friend''''' is a British sketch show, produced by and starring David Walliams. A pilot episode aired on BBC One on 24 December 2015 <ref name="David Friends">{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a668193/joanne-lumley-joins-david-walliams-new-bbc-sketch-show.html#~poaZCB7XphQUd5|title=Joanna Lumley joins David Walliams' new BBC sketch show|author=Rachel Babbage|date=12 September 2015|work=Digital Spy}}</ref> and a full series of 6 episodes was officially commissioned on 20 May 2016, which first aired on 25 November 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2016/05/20/24916/bbc_orders_walliams_&_friend_series|title=BBC orders Walliams & Friend series : News 2016 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide|last=Solutions|website=www.chortle.co.uk|access-date=2016-11-03}}</ref> BBC announced that ''Walliams & Friend'' was cancelled after the first series.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.whatsontv.co.uk/news/david-walliams-pull-out-stops-nightly-show-453703/|title=David Walliams: 'I'm going to pull out all the stops on The Nightly Show!'|date=21 February 2017|publisher=|accessdate=10 March 2017}}</ref>

== Episodes == {{Series overview | color0S = #FF9999 | link0S = #Pilot episode (2015) | linkT0S = Pilot | released0S = {{Start date|2015|12|24|df=y}} | color1 = #FFCCCC | link1 = #Series 1 (2016) | episodes1 = 6 | start1 = {{Start date|2016|11|25|df=y}} | end1 = {{End date|2016|12|27|df=y}} }}

=== Pilot episode (2015) === {{Episode table |total_width= |background=FF615F |overall= |series= |title= |director= |writer= |airdate= |viewers= |country=UK |episodes= {{Episode list |EpisodeNumber=1 |EpisodeNumber2=Pilot |Title=Joanna Lumley |DirectedBy=Matt Lipsey |WrittenBy=David Walliams & Dawson Bros. |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2015|12|24|df=y}} |Viewers=6.0<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2016/david-walliams-and-friend|title=BBC - David Walliams returns to BBC One with some familiar faces for new series, Walliams And Friend - Media Centre|publisher=|accessdate=10 March 2017}}</ref> |ShortSummary={{Col-begin}} {{Col-break}} #Head of BBC Announcement #'Brain Power' Show #The Seven Lumleys #'James Bond' Parody #Unhappily Married Couple #Liars Anonymous #Cash4Money #Home Crafts #Cheeky Selfie #1 {{Col-break}} #<li value="10">Autocorrect Founder</li> #Tanya's Tans #Bedtime Stories with Banker Dad #Oscar Wilde #Cheeky Selfie #2 #Simon Cowell and Uptown Boys #The Great British Bake Off - Mary and Paul's Dirty Talk #Newsreaders - Goodnight #Cheeky Selfie #3 {{col-end}}|LineColor=FF615F}} }}

=== Series 1 (2016) === {{Episode table |background=FF615F |overall= |series= |title= |director= |writer= |airdate= |viewers= |country=UK |episodes= {{Episode list|EpisodeNumber=2|EpisodeNumber2=1|Title=Jack Whitehall|RTitle=<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/walliams_and_friend/episodes/1/1/|title=Walliams & Friend Series 1, Episode 1 - Jack Whitehall - British Comedy Guide|first=|last= |publisher=British Comedy Guide|accessdate=10 March 2017}}</ref>|DirectedBy=Matt Lipsey|WrittenBy=David Walliams & Dawson Bros.|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2016|11|25|df=y}}|Viewers=5.6|ShortSummary={{Col-begin}} {{Col-break}} See Jack Whitehall as you've never seen him before. This episode includes Jack and David's inappropriate take on Sherlock and Watson; the world's worst dating show contestant and Jack doing something David has never done before - dressing as a woman. Also includes the launch of Britain's cruellest reality TV show, Celebrity Slammer, in which David finds himself locked up with the likes of The Chuckle Brothers and Bob Carolgees.

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{{Episode list|EpisodeNumber=3|EpisodeNumber2=2|Title=Harry Enfield|RTitle=<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/walliams_and_friend/episodes/1/2/|title=Walliams & Friend Series 1, Episode 2 - Harry Enfield - British Comedy Guide|first=|last= |publisher=British Comedy Guide|accessdate=10 March 2017}}</ref>|DirectedBy=Matt Lipsey|WrittenBy=David Walliams & Dawson Bros.|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2016|12|2|df=y}}|Viewers=5.1|ShortSummary={{Col-begin}} {{Col-break}} David Walliams and Harry Enfield appear together as John Torode and a rather fussy Gregg Wallace in MasterChef; portray a hilarious pair of ageing lotharios and take a look back at some of Harry's comedy characters that never saw the light of day - until a certain David Walliams got his hands on them. Adding a touch of royalty to proceedings, Her Majesty the Queen is surprised by her own family history when she takes part in the genealogy show Who Does One Think One Is?.

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{{Episode list|EpisodeNumber=4|EpisodeNumber2=3|Title=Sheridan Smith|RTitle=<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/walliams_and_friend/episodes/1/3/|title=Walliams & Friend Series 1, Episode 3 - Sheridan Smith - British Comedy Guide|first=|last= |publisher=British Comedy Guide|accessdate=10 March 2017}}</ref>|DirectedBy=Matt Lipsey|WrittenBy=David Walliams & Dawson Bros.|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2016|12|9|df=y}}|Viewers=5.2|ShortSummary={{Col-begin}} {{Col-break}} The multi-talented Sheridan Smith transforms into a real-life Barbie doll, faces an unlikely dilemma whilst filming a swords-and-sorcery epic, and hits all the wrong notes as a cruise ship singer with a chip on her shoulder. David and Sheridan play bickering husband and wife contestants on an ill-fated game show, What's She Cross About?, plus we get to travel back in time to the 1970s to watch the classic politically-correct film, Carry On Up The Sexual Harassment Tribunal. {{col-end}}|LineColor=FF615F}}

{{Episode list|EpisodeNumber=5|EpisodeNumber2=4|Title=Meera Syal|RTitle=<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/walliams_and_friend/episodes/1/4/|title=Walliams & Friend Series 1, Episode 4 - Meera Syal - British Comedy Guide|first=|last= |publisher=British Comedy Guide|accessdate=10 March 2017}}</ref>|DirectedBy=Matt Lipsey|WrittenBy=David Walliams & Dawson Bros.|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2016|12|16|df=y}}|Viewers=4.8|ShortSummary=David Walliams is joined by actress, writer and comedian Meera Syal. Together for the first time, these two classic sketch performers introduce us to the sadly disappointing pleasure robots of tomorrow. David and Meera also play a squabbling husband and wife, debates about Justin Bieber's hairstyle, commissions a prime-time TV entertainment show, desperately trying to explain their problematic marriage to their young daughter using her Peppa Pig dolls. Plus a struggling actress auditions for the role of background extra in the evening news and a robber meets his match in the BBC's newest police drama Good Cop, Indian Mum Cop. Absent:- Middle Class Jeremy Kyle {{Col-begin}} {{Col-break}} {{col-end}}|LineColor=FF615F}}

{{Episode list|EpisodeNumber=6|EpisodeNumber2=5|Title=Miranda Richardson|RTitle=<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/walliams_and_friend/episodes/1/5/|title=Walliams & Friend Series 1, Episode 5 - Miranda Richardson - British Comedy Guide|first=|last= |publisher=British Comedy Guide|accessdate=10 March 2017}}</ref>|DirectedBy=Matt Lipsey|WrittenBy=David Walliams & Dawson Bros.|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2016|12|23|df=y}}|Viewers=3.10|ShortSummary=David Walliams is joined by actress Miranda Richardson where they promote an advert for Hurt Feelings Direct, chooses a Christmas film to watch together that they don't agree on, introduces viewer Gillian Turner who loves Ant but hates Dec, a man refuses to pay 5p for a carrier bag at a supermarket by stuffing his items on his body, suggests an unlikely blockbuster movie starring Harry Potter & James Bond alongside choosing a new car, with "additional extras". Absent:- Il Prima Donnas. {{Col-begin}} {{Col-break}} {{col-end}}|LineColor=FF615F}}

{{Episode list|EpisodeNumber=7|EpisodeNumber2=6|Title=Hugh Bonneville|RTitle=<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/walliams_and_friend/episodes/1/6/|title=Walliams & Friend Series 1 - Hugh Bonneville - British Comedy Guide|first=|last= |publisher=British Comedy Guide|accessdate=10 March 2017}}</ref>|DirectedBy=Matt Lipsey|WrittenBy=David Walliams & Dawson Bros.|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2016|12|27|df=y}}|Viewers=2.3|ShortSummary={{Col-begin}} {{Col-break}} This Christmas Special was moved back from 10:00pm on BBC1 back to 11:20pm to make way for "George Michael at the Palais Garnier Paris", a schedule change to pay tribute to Wham! singer George Michael.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ukchristmastv.weebly.com/bbc-2016.html|title=BBC 2016}}</ref>

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== Reception == ''The Times'' described the show as "Exceptionally accomplished, with every sketch sharply observed and superbly performed",<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://twitter.com/ADawsonBros/status/818871465877639168|title=Andrew Dawson on Twitter|newspaper=Twitter|access-date=2017-02-23|language=en}}</ref> while ''The Independent'' made similar comparisons: "Worthy of Messrs Barker and Corbett at their best". ''The Guardian'' noted that the show "Thrives on charm and silliness and points a way for the sketch show to continue to exist on television".<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://find.net/television-radio/2016/Dec/10/walliams-friend-review-ooh-matron-it-s-sheridan-smith-s-turn/d60c50d016179afa|title=Walliams & Friend review – ooh matron, it's Sheridan Smith's turn|access-date=2017-02-23}}</ref> The Sunday People declared "The good old sketch show is back."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/FRIDAY+NOVEMBER+25;+TV+GUIDE.-a0470749623|title=FRIDAY NOVEMBER 25; TV GUIDE. - Free Online Library|website=www.thefreelibrary.com|access-date=2017-02-23}}</ref> while ''The Daily Telegraph'' said "David Walliams goes back to basics here with a series of comedy sketches that will remind many why they first found him funny.". However, later in the show's run, ''The Times'''s Andrew Billen predicted of the sketch genre that "Even Harry Enfield and David Walliams couldn't save the sketch show".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/low-ratings-dismal-reviews-the-shows-over-q9cn6jxjf|title=Low ratings, dismal reviews: the show's over|access-date=2017-02-23|language=en}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{BBC programme}} * {{IMDb title}} * {{British Comedy Guide|tv|walliams_and_friend}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Walliams and Friend}} Category:2010s British television sketch shows Category:2015 British television series debuts Category:2016 British television series endings Category:BBC television sketch shows Category:English-language British television shows Category:Television series created by David Walliams