Channel 4's comedy news show has potential.

Last night, rather than watch Huw Edwards et al, I tuned into Channel 4’s new “comedy and current affairs show”, 10 O’Clock Live.  It was a bit rough round the edges, but it’s an interesting concept nonetheless.

David Mitchell, Lauren Laverne. Charlie Brooker and Jimmy Carr host a live programme based on recent events, which includes round table discussions and interviews.  The mixture of satire and levity with debate and opinion is rather unfamiliar in this country, but we‘ll get used to it.

The presenters were visibly edgy last night and the whooping live audience was just distracting, but a willingness to blend jokes with a semi-serious look at issues has potential.  The interviews were pretty superficial and David Mitchell was given the run around by David Willetts, but you could tell he was really trying!

I’d imagine the format will get tighter as the weeks progress.  Channel 4 should certainly lose the audience, but hopefully it keeps mixing the satire and sketches with political guests and discussion.  Even Jimmy Carr decided to throw in a few opinions alongside the gags last night.

Perhaps that will get old quickly, but on its first outing it was even charming.

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