Friday Night Live 2022 reboot line up as show returns to Channel 4 for 40th anniversary

Channel 4 is to bring back Friday Night Live as part of its 40th anniversary.

The legendary comedy show ran from 1985 to 1988 and launched a plethora of world-class comedy talent including Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders, Harry Enfield, Lee Evans, Jo Brand and Julian Clary.

Channel 4 has announced the show will return in 2022 with original host Ben Elton.

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He will be joined stars from the original series such as Harry Enfield, Julian Clary and Jo Brand, plus new faces Rosie Jones, Mawaan Rizwan, Jordan Gray, Ronni Ancona and Sam Campbell. Together, they will be giving us a mixture of topical sketches and incredible stand up.

The one-off special will air for 90-minutes on Friday, 21 October from 9PM.

Channel 4 tease: “For one night only,” Ben is back as ringmaster to unite the hottest new wave stand-ups and character comedians alongside some original show legends in a dangerously live night of comedy.”

Friday Night Live, Friday 21st October 9 – 10:30PM, Channel 4 & All 4

The show is one of many announced as part of the channel’s Truth and Dare Season” with the broadcaster saying the new programming will “set to do what Channel 4 was created for: to give voice to the unheard, say the unsayable and show the unseen.”

Other shows include Prince Andrew: The Musical, a number of documentaries and Jimmy Carr presenting an “arts event like no other”

Ian Katz, Chief Content Officer at Channel 4, said: “From musical satire about Prince Andrew to an exploration of cancel culture in art via men with very large penises, this season shows that Channel 4 is still as mischievous, disruptive and distinctive as when it was born 40 years ago.

“Instead of a nostalgia-thon of highlights from the last four decades, we are celebrating with a collection of irreverent, thought-provoking and hugely entertaining shows that no other broadcaster would air. If we must age, we plan to do it disgracefully.”