jboothmillard Review of The Big Fat Quiz of the Year

The Big Fat Quiz of the Year (I) (2011 TV Special)

The Big Fat Quiz of the Year 2010

[8/10 · 26 January 2011]

If you are a fan of pub quizzes, and have a good knowledge of the news events in the world, entertainment, TV, film, music, sport, technology and science, politics and much more in the year gone by, then this is a great show to watch and have fun with. Hosted by Jimmy Carr, with celebrity panellists in three teams: Jonathan Ross and Ruth Jones (Wagner), Michael McIntyre and Alan Carr (Posh & Specs / Chatty and Fatty), and Richard Ayoade and Noel Fielding (The Electric Moccasins / Robson & Jerome). This quiz focused on the year 2010, with all sorts of questions to answer about the past twelve months. These questions are asked as they are, with video and sound clips, with pictures (including Say What You See), and by celebrity and mystery guests on screen or in the studio, so it really does feel like a proper quiz that you can take part in. Events in the year 2010 that were questioned and joked about, and mentioned (or pictured) included: Cheryl Cole becoming sick from malaria, Wagner on The X Factor, Michael McIntyre's autobiography, Alan Carr going back on tour, Jonathan Ross's comic books, Ruth Jones's biopic about Hattie Jacques, Richard Ayaode's directing the film Submarine, full body scanners introduced at all airports, Vernon Kay admitting intimate texts to female fans, footballer John Terry found out to be having an affair with the girlfriend of footballer Wayne Bridge, Yosemite Bear seeing a double rainbow and becoming a YouTube star with his reaction, Gordon Brown throwing tantrums and throwing objects when he was in 10 Downing Street, Ricky Martin coming out as gay, the banning of party drug Mephedrone aka Meow Meow, the volcanic ash cloud covering Iceland and causing problems for air travel, the launch of the Apple iPad, scientists trying everything including nylon tights, golf balls, rubber tyres and human hair to stop the oil spill in the gulf of Mexico, Gordon Brown caught on microphone calling Gillian Duffy a "bigoted woman", the divorce of Ashley Cole from Cheryl Cole after his texted nude images of himself and his affairs were found out, taxi driver Derrick Bird going on a gun rampage and killing twelve people and himself in Cumbria, the YouTube sensation of Rhona Williams in her Renault Clio being pushed by a large truck on the motorway and the driver didn't notice, Anna Chapman revealed as a Russian spy, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Universal Studios, Florida where you can eat Chocolate Frogs and drink Butterbeer, the longest game of tennis at Wimbledon between John Isner and Nicolas Mahut that went on for over 11 hours, the change in government where Gordon Brown resigned as Prime Minister and Nick Clegg and David Cameron formed a coalition, the cat who was filmed on CCTV being thrown into a wheelie bin by passer-by Mary Bale that caused shock and controversy, George Michael drink-driving his car into a branch of Snappy Snaps and someone afterwards writing on the damaged wall "Wham", the controversy and irritation of people blowing the vuvuzela instrument during the World Cup, Paul the octopus correctly predicting the results of the World Cup football matches, gunman Raoul Moat on the run from the police and Paul Gascoigne showing up with chicken, a dressing gown and lager to help the situation, The Stig (Ben Collins) on Top Gear revealing his identity in his autobiography, vajazzling, Toy Story 3, Alice in Wonderland, Kick-Ass, Wayne Rooney caught having an affair with two young women, the Pope visiting Britain and cardinal Walter Kasper saying the nation was like "a third world country", the poor condition hotel rooms before the start of the Commonwealth Games, Lady Gaga at a ceremony wearing a dress entirely made of meat (grilling steak), Ann Widdecombe on Strictly Come Dancing, Jack Duckworth dying on Coronation Street leaving with the ghost of dead wife Vera, This Is England '86, Matt Smith becoming the new Doctor Who, Big Brother ending on Channel 4 with Ultimate Big Brother which brought back memorable past contestants such as Nikki Grahame, Nadia Almada and eventual winner Brian Dowling, Sherlock with Benedict Cumberbatch, The Inbetweeners, The Queen Victoria pub burning down in EastEnders followed by the departure of Peggy Mitchell (Barbara Windsor), Wonders of the Solar System with Professor Brian Cox, Glee and their cover of "Don't Stop Believin'", Pineapple Dance Studios, The Trip with Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon, Junior Apprentice (now Young Apprentice) with 16-17 year-old business people competing for a £25,000 investment from Lord Sir Alan Sugar, I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! with Gillian McKeith, the 33 Chilean miners trapped for several days after an accidental cave collapse and all rescued by the government, George W. Bush releasing his memoirs, students rioting and protesting on the streets about increased tuition fees, "Telephone" by Lady Gaga feat. Beyoncé, the engagement of Prince William and Kate Middleton, James 'Jim' Naughtie accidentally swearing on BBC Radio 4 with the "C" word when speaking about Jeremy Hunt, and Dick Van Dyke falling asleep on his surfboard and being rescued by porpoises. Other celebrity and special mystery guests in the show included the children of Mitchell Brook Primary School in Neasden who act out well known news stories, Jon Snow who reads news related to lyrics from songs of the year, Gulliver's Travels star Jack Black, Russell Brand, Megamind star Will Ferrell, mystery guests Darryl Mann with Lola the cat who was thrown into the wheelie bin, the cast of science-fiction comedy drama Misfits (Antonia Thomas, Robert Sheehan, Lauren Socha, Iwan Rheon and Nathan Stewart-Jarrett), Jamie Oliver, Simon Pegg, The Green Hornet star Seth Rogen, Nicole Scherzinger, Pineapple Dance Studios star Louie Spence who performs an interpretive dance that represents a news story, and historian David Starkey describing a celebrity story as if it was an ancient historical event. The jokes and the questions are what make this show so much fun, they always choose the right celebrity panellists, and it works as a funny way to reminisce on the recent events you remember, a great comedy quiz show. Very good!