BBC confirms return of Room 101

The BBC has confirmed the return of comedy panel show Room 101 with Frank Skinner as the new host. The new series will kick off on BBC One from Friday 20th January.

Room 101 returns in a prime-time slot for BBC One with new host Frank Skinner. Made by Hat Trick Productions, the series will air weekly from Friday 20 January at 8.30pm. This fast moving panel show meets talk show sees Frank refereeing three celebrities each week as they compete for his approval to banish their top peeve, annoyance, irritation or worst nightmare to the depths of Room 101 forever.

“It’s recently become clear to me that people are at their most articulate and passionate when slagging stuff off. That’s the last time I type my name into Google. Still, that bodes well for the new, revamped series of Room 101. I’m really looking forward to hearing my guests wax lyrical about the people and things they hate most.” – Frank Skinner

Inspired by Hat Trick Productions’ original Room 101, which ran for 11 successful and very popular series between 1994 and 2007, the new format has even more guests and pet hates. When Frank appeared on Room 101 in 1995, he successfully managed to banish Action Man toys and unidentified tubes in meat and also nominated David Baddiel’s cat to be destroyed. Now it will be Frank who will decide whose dislikes are the most dislikeable.

“We can’t wait to get this much loved show back on the air where it belongs. After seeing so many imitations over the past few years, it’s very pleasing to bring the real thing back and in a new version with Frank Skinner as host.” – Jimmy Mulville,  Executive producer

He follows original host Nick Hancock and Paul Merton, who fronted the programme from 1999 and hosted his final Room 101 in January 2006. Ian Hislop, his fellow team captain on Have I Got News For You, was his very last guest. Guests on the new series include: Fern Britton, Danny Baker, Robert Webb, Gregg Wallace, Gabby Logan, Sarah Millican, Alice Cooper, Chris Tarrant, Chris Packham, Ross Noble, Jamelia, Germaine Greer, Alistair McGowan, Josh Groban, Hilary Devey, Nick Hewer, Carol Vorderman, Rhod Gilbert, Lauren Laverne, David O’ Doherty, Larry Lamb, John Prescott, Micky Flanagan and Rebecca Front.  Special extended repeats (of 40 minutes each) will also be screened with the transmission details to be confirmed.

The concept of Room 101, the most awful place in the universe, was created by author George Orwell as a torture chamber in his classic novel Nineteen Eighty-Four. Famously he named Room 101 after a meeting room at BBC Broadcasting House. Room 101 is produced by Adam Copeland (John Bishop’s Britain), the series producer is Stu Mather (Never Mind The Buzzcocks, Would I Lie To You). The executive producers are Richard Wilson (Have I Got News For You) and Jimmy Mulville.

The series has been commissioned by Mirella Breda, Executive Editor, BBC and is a Hat Trick Production for BBC One.