The Nightly Show host John Bishop defends ITV’s decision to move News at Ten and says the show has been “a learning experience”
Bishop will take over from David Walliams hosting the second week of the ITV programme
The Nightly Show’s second host John Bishop has defended ITV’s decision to move the News at Ten to a later slot to make way for the new entertainment and chat show.
Bishop, who is taking over from David Walliams as presenter next week, said that it was “a big thing” for the channel to do.
“I think you’ve got to commend them for it,” he said. “Whether in the long term the British viewing public like that but really, do you want to be made miserable at 10 o’clock or do you want to have a laugh?”
Scheduled daily at 10pm, the new entertainment show has shunted the news bulletin down the schedules to 10:30pm – much to the annoyance of many viewers as well as ITN journalists and editors.
Bishop was the final guest on Friday night’s episode of the topical daily show, and when asked by Walliams how he was feeling about hosting the show all next week, he said: “I’ll see how it goes.”
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The Liverpudlian comedian also said that the show’s debut week had been “a learning experience”.
Bishop, who said he had been watching the programme, added: “Because it’s a new thing, it’s new telly, it’s a new slot. People don’t like change. But I think if you’re going to be brave you best do it this way. You’ve had a go at it and I think the channel’s had a go at it.
“I’ve enjoyed it,” Bishop continued. “There’s bits I’ve enjoyed more than other bits. I’ll be honest with you, anyone watching at home: just turn the light down on the brightness. F**king bright, this show,” he quipped.
To which Walliams retorted: “That’s not my fault, in fairness.”
Bishop, who also said he thinks The Nightly Show will “become a mainstay” on the channel, added: “But it’s a learning process and that’s why I said I’d do it. Although I do feel a little bit like will.i.am now when he pressed that button by mistake,” he laughed, referring to The Voice coach's recent gaffe. “‘Let’s make the most of it.’”
When Walliams, who said he had “enjoyed” his debut week hosting the show, went to produce some gifts for Bishop to wish him luck on the programme, Bishop retorted: “Is one of them a crash helmet?”
Ratings for The Nightly Show have fluctuated over its debut week. Despite starting strongly with 2.8 million viewers, that crashed to 1.2 million the following day.
The show then had a boost on Wednesday night and pulled in 1.8 million viewers when it aired straight after Benidorm, but suffered another dip on Thursday when the episode drew 1.3 million.
