About this season
Baddiel and Skinner unplanned was a free-form talk show hosted by British comedians/personalities David Baddiel and Frank Skinner and produced by Avalon Television. Its concept was developed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and had a run in the West End at the Shaftesbury Theatre in 2001. The show features the two hosts sitting on a couch on-stage and responding to questions from the audience — at times rather seriously, but usually with bizarre digressions into satirical comedy. An audience member is chosen as "Secretary" and has the job of keeping a note of the topics covered on a white board. In practice, the personality of the secretary will also prompt many jokes — usually at his or her expense. At the end of the show, Skinner asks either the secretary or the audience to choose between two song books, and to pick a page number between 1 and 20. This process determines which song is performed by the duo, sung by Skinner with Baddiel accompanying him on piano. Topics of discussion are wholly mandated by the audience and have ranged from discussions of the war against Iraq and other political events to comments on the latest plot twists of popular soap operas and the Atkins diet. Skinner's Catholicism and Baddiel's Jewish faith are also occasional targets of humour.
Episodes (13)
1. Baggy Trousers
Aired 14 January 2001 • 30 min
Frank and David sit on the sofa and talk to the audience about various subjects.
2. Memories are Made of This
Aired 15 January 2001 • 30 min
Frank and David sit on the sofa and talk to the audience about various subjects including 'memories'.
3. Waterloo
Aired 17 January 2001 • 30 min
Frank and David sit on the sofa and talk to the audience about various subjects including 'waterloo'.
4. Baby One More Time
Aired 19 January 2001 • 30 min
Frank and David sit on the sofa and talk to the audience about various subjects including 'britney spears song 'hit me baby one more time''.
5. Lost in Music
Aired 21 January 2001 • 30 min
Frank and David sit on the sofa and talk to the audience about various subjects.
6. I Only Want to Be with You
Aired 22 January 2001 • 30 min
Frank and David sit on the sofa and talk to the audience about various subjects.
7. Crazy
Aired 24 January 2001 • 30 min
Frank and David sit on the sofa and talk to the audience about various subjects.
8. A Night to Remember
Aired 26 January 2001 • 30 min
Frank and David sit on the sofa and talk to the audience about various subjects.
9. What a Wonderful World
Aired 28 January 2001 • 30 min
Frank and David sit on the sofa and talk to the audience about various subjects including 'baggy trousers'.
10. Killing Me Softly
Aired 29 January 2001 • 30 min
Frank and David sit on the sofa and talk to the audience about various subjects.
11. The In Crowd
Aired 31 January 2001 • 30 min
Frank and David sit on the sofa and talk to the audience about various subjects.
12. Baddiel & Skinner Unpaid
Aired 16 March 2001 • 30 min
Frank and David sit on the sofa and talk to the audience about various subjects.
13. Big Spender
Aired 2 February 2001 • 30 min