What Is The Format Of "Have I Got News For You"�?

The basic premise of this popular light entertainment programme has not altered since its first airing in 1990. Derived from Radio 4's News Quiz, it uses a game-show format to make fun of the week's news stories. Essentially it is a quiz. Round one consists of questions and answers based on photographs; in later rounds the contestants have to identify the "odd one out" in a group of people and things, and supply the missing words from newspaper and magazine headlines. Finally there is a caption competition, where they have to invent a caption for a photograph. But really the competitive element is mainly an excuse for satirical, very outspoken comments on public events and figures. Captains Paul Merton and Ian Hislop offer most of the entertainment, with guest contestants often having little to say. (In one famous episode, politician Roy Hattersley was unable to appear and was represented by a tub of lard. Its team won.)