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News Entry Date -- December 23, 2001:
Amazon.com is listing Merlin: The
Return as available on VHS and DVD in NTSC format NOW. The video and DVD
are listed as special orders, and there's no information listed for them. So
there's no guarantee that they're actually available. It's possible this is a
Canadian release, which would explain the special order part. The British
release of the video and DVD is scheduled for February 11, 2002. Online video
stores are taking pre-orders now.
According to news reports from last week, filming on Rik's new series Believe Nothing will begin in April. The six-part series ITV1 series is being written by Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran, creators of The New Statesman. (See the October 14 news for the initial news on this new series)
News Entry Date -- December 5, 2001:
Thanks to Marc
Hammond, we've found out that Rik will be on BBC Radio 2 on Tuesday, December
11th on the Steve Wright In The Afternoon show.
Marc also reports that Rik was on Radio 5 Live on the BBC a few months back. And on December 12th of last year, some of the cast of A Family Affair were on BBC Radio Hereford & Worcester and mentioned Rik glowingly.
News Entry Date -- December 2, 2001:
According to
Empire magazine, Rik's appearance as Peeves the Poltergeist in
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone will be included in the DVD
release of the film. The scene was cut from the theatrical release, but had
been reported as appearing in the upcoming second Harry Potter
film. Thanks to TC and Jude for this information!
The Sunday, December 2nd magazine section of News of the World includes some photos of Rik and Ade as Ritchie and Eddie.
News Entry Date -- November 30, 2001:
On November
29, Rik and Ade appeared on London Today during the afternoon on
ITV.
News Entry Date -- November 26, 2001:
Merlin
The Return will finally be released on video this coming February.
News Entry Date -- November 20, 2001:
Rik's
appearance onThe Big Breakfast took place on November 19. But he
wasn't on for long! He appeared on the "Snap Cackle and Pop" segment for less
than a minute. Shown behind him during his segment was a collection of
underwear that people have thrown at him during the Pants Song at
Bottom Live 4. And speaking of pants...the silver thong thrown to
Rik at the end of the new Bottom 4 video belongs to none other than Sammie
Williamson, a regular at this site.
News Entry Date -- November 16, 2001:
Rik will be
appearing on The Big Breakfast sometime during the week of
November 19 -- 23 at 7:00am. Thanks to Berni for this info!
News Entry Date -- November 3, 2001:
Rik's
appearance as Peeves the Poltergeist in the upcoming Harry Potter film has been
cut out. Two different explanations for the cut have been reported in the
press. The first reason given is that the film needed to be shortened. The
second reason given is that the director didn't like the design of the scene
featuring Peeves, but that he'd include the scene in the second Harry Potter
film.
News Entry Date -- October 14, 2001:
The Rik &
Ade fans get together recently took place in London. Read all about it
here!
According to reports in The Mirror and Annova, Rik will play a university professor named Adonis Cnut in a new sitcom by Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran. The show is (for now) titled Believe Nothing. Thanks to TC Wickland for passing on this info.
One of the recent Bottom 4 shows in Nottingham was filmed for the forthcoming video/DVD release in November. Film cameras were also spotted at at least one other venue, so it looks like some of the other shows are being preserved on tape for posterity.
The episode of Murder Rooms Rik appeared in is scheduled to be released on video in the UK on November 5. The title of the episode is The White Knight Strategem.
A new round of ads for Virgin Trains featuring Rik are being shown in the UK. Keep your eyes open during those commercial breaks!
The results of the fourth website poll, which asked, "Who is Your Favorite Character of Rik's?" are available here. Richie from Bottom seems to be the clear winner.
There's an interview with Rik and Ade in the November issue of British Maxim.
News Entry Date -- September 23, 2001:
Thanks to
James Gibbon for letting us know that Rik & Ade are going to be guests on
Jonathan Ross on Saturday, September 29th. The show will air on BBC Radio 2
from 9:00am to 12:00pm GMT. If you can't listen on the radio, then tune in on
the internet at http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/
Thanks to Sandford Reed and James Reeves for sending us some very interesting Bottom Live 4 video release news! According to the Blackstar website, the new live show will be released on VHS and DVD on November 19, 2001. This is before the tour even ends! Both the video and DVD will be available in PAL format only.
Thanks to Joanne, we now know what's for sale at the Bottom 4 shows. The
items are:
Programs: £5
T-shirts: £10
Hooded sweatshirts:
£20
Posters: £2
Mugs: £5
Knitted beanie hats:
£10
Ade was recently injured — by Rik! — during the Bottom tour. See the full story from Annova here (thanks to TC Wickland for this!).
There's been some recent press on the newest Bottom tour in the UK. Reviews, interviews, ads and articles. The most recent one was a two page interview with Rik in the Daily Express Saturday Magazine on September 22nd. More will come as the tour progresses, I'm sure! If you live in the UK, keep your eyes peeled. You never know where Rik will pop up in print!
News Entry Date -- September 3, 2001:
Rik is slated
to guest star in the new series Murder Rooms on BBC1 on September
25th. He plays Lieutenant Daniel Blaney in this Victorian drama. The title of
the episode is The White Knight Strategem.
The results of the third website poll, which asked, "What is Your Favorite Episode of Rik Mayall Presents?" are available here.
News Entry Date -- June 24, 2001:
Clips of Rik and
Ade from Bottom Live 2 appeared on Arthur Smith's radio show on
BBC Radio 2 on June 23. Titled The Smith Lectures, the subject of
the show was money. It's part of a 10 part series, so perhaps Rik and Ade will
pop up again? Thanks to
Jen's Rik and
Ade Site for the news and Lady Rikette for info on what appeared on the
show.
News Entry Date -- June 8, 2001:
Margret reports
that GHP is available for rental right now in Germany. It's
supposed to be released for sale on video and DVD July 19th.
News Entry Date -- May 22, 2001:
Helen recently
found this info on Tales of Moral Uplift and Improvement on the
BBC's website:
Tuesday 29th May
Tales of Moral Uplift and Improvement - NEW SERIES
9.45pm - 10.00pm
Rik Mayall stars as the narrator, Mrs Fffine Carmody, in 'Tales of Uplift and Moral Improvement' a series of dark, twisted stories from the heart of Edwardian England. Driven by Fffine Carmody's barely suppressed fascism,each story explores a particular moral dilemma faced by a child. But these aren't the kind of stories you'd actually let your own children watch. Ffine Carmody's sick take on life leads a fat girl to be drowned in sweets,a liar to starve to death and a bully to find himself chained up in an Afghan Jail. The series was written and created by Kirk and Messingham and directed by Bob Baldwin. In episode one, Mrs Ffine Carmody tells the tale of Master Thomas who just wouldn't obey his Nanny. Nanny after nanny came into his unfortunate house and felt lucky enough to leave intact. And then comes Nanny Bobbins. She proves more than a match for the errant child.
News Entry Date -- May 15, 2001:
Another
Bottom 4 2001: An Arse Oddity date has popped up. This one is at
the Manchester Apollo on Monday, October 29th at 7:30pm.
All incoming tour dates will now be listed on a tour date list page.
News Entry Date -- May 14, 2001:
Bottom 4
2001: An Arse Oddity IS COMING SOON! Thanks to Euan Ross for tipping me
off about it. He spotted an ad for Bottom Live 4 at the Clyde Auditorium in
Glasgow. This lead me to the Clyde Auditorium website,
which lists the following:
08/11/01 (November 8, for those in North America)
Bottom 4
Tickets £19.50, £18.50 and £17.50
Available from SECC Box Office Tel: 0870 040 4000
So far, no other dates have popped up anywhere, but if any become known, it will be reported here ASAP!
Recent Rik related DVD releases include the first two Bottom live films and the first season of The New Statesman.
News Entry Date -- May 12, 2001:
For the results
of our second website poll, which asked, "What's Your Favorite Film of Rik's?",
click here.
GHP is now out on DVD in Australia, but video won't be released till June 23rd. Thanks to Katrina for this info!
This site is featured in The Good Web Guide to Comedy: The 100 Best Websites, which came out on May 3. We were very lucky and got a wonderful review! Read it here: Page 129 (73K), Page 130 (66K), Page 131 (36K). Please note that the files are large to ensure readability.
The results of the The 100 Greatest TV Characters are in. Rik placed two characters in the top twenty. Alan B'Stard came in at number 17 (but is labeled as number 18 on the Channel 4 website), and Rick from the Young Ones was number 14. No interviews with Rik were shown, but Marks and Gran were interviewed briefly. The full results are on the Channel 4 website. Thanks to Nick Spencer and Liz for this info.
According to Lady Rikette, Rik ws shown on a recent bloopers (tv filming mistakes) program in England. Clips from The New Statesman and one from The Comic Strip Presents were shown. She also reports that Kevin Turvey was mentioned on a radio program about comedians recently. It featured a clip of Kevin plus some information on Rik's career as told by Bob Monkhouse.
News Entry Date -- April 25, 2001:
Rik will appear
in a new tv show titled Tales Of Moral Uplift And Improvement.
He'll appear as the storyteller of a collection of 13 tales. As narrator he
will be playing a woman named "Ffione Carmody". It will air on BBC Choice in
June and perhaps move to BBC2 later on. Thanks to Bev for this info!
The Adrian Edmondson website is shutting down after being on the web for almost two years. I'd like to take this time to thank Chrissie for all the hard work she put into it to keep everyone updated on what Rik's better half has been up to!
News Entry Date -- April 21, 2001:
Rick from
The Young Ones is included in the nominees list of
The 100 Greatest TV
Characters. at number 85. And Alan B'Stard appears as number 1. A TV
version of the list revealing the voting results will be on British tv in May.
Thanks to the various people who sent me this news!
1. Alan B'Stard (87-94) - Rik Mayall "Imagine what we could do. Smash the NHS, disenfranchise women, reintroduce slavery."
The member for Haltemprice North, whose 26 thousand plus majority was ensured by a nasty car crash involving both his opponents. Who's Who describes his interests as "Making money, boozing, driving, dining at other peoples' expense, bonking, grinding the faces off the poor."
85. Rick (The Young Ones) (82-84) - Rik Mayall "It's as if Cliff Richard never existed." If the Young Ones were a family, Mike was Dad, Neil was Mum consigned to a life of drudgery, Vivyan was the hyperactive son and Rik was little sister complete with pigtails and a crush on a teen idol (Sir Cliff).
News Entry Date -- April 1, 2001:
Rik was featured
in a BBC1 program called Action Animals on March 24. He was shown
on the set of Kevin of the North being taught to drive a sleigh
pulled by huskies. Some clips from the film were also featured. BBC Choice may
rerun this show — check your tv listings! Thanks to Berni for this
news!
Rik's voice was featured on the cartoon Oscar's Orchestra as the voice of Young William Tell on March 16. Oscar's Orchestra. Thanks to Jen's Rik and Ade Site for this info!
News Entry Date -- March 25, 2001:
For the results
of our first website poll, which asked, "What's Your Favorite TV Series of
Rik's?", click here.
News Entry Date -- March 6, 2001:
For those in the
US wanting to see the trailer for the upcoming Harry Potter film,
newspaper ads say that it's being shown before screenings of See Spot
Run. Rik is NOT in the HP trailer, from what's been
reported, so only spend your money to see it if you're curious about the film
as a whole!
News Entry Date -- February 25, 2001:
Thanks to
Chrissie MacDonald of
The Adrian
Edmondson Web Site for some VERY exclusive Bottom news!:
"Rik and Ade have been writing a new Bottom series. They have just completed writing the third episode -— and they have changed the setting from the flat to being stuck on an island! Sound familiar? This is spin-off from the Hooligan's Island tour that they did in 1997. It will be great viewing when it is produced and goes to air. (Thanks Al, for this scoop!) 22nd February 2001"
The Harry Potter film is scheduled to be released on November 16 in the US. According to the February 21st issue of the New York Daily News, Coca-Cola will act as the sole global marketing partner for the film. Characters from the film will show up on Coca-Cola products, and tie in commercials for the film and soft drinks will also be made. Whether Rik or the other stars will appear in these remains to be seen. For now, an official Harry Potter web site has just been set up, and it appears that movie information will be added regularly.
Who Shot Alan B'Stard is being re-released on home video in the UK very soon.
News Entry Date -- February 6, 2001:
Jesus
Christ Superstar will be released on video and DVD in the US on March
20. You can preorder now from online video stores such as
amazon.com.
Anders Holstad Lilleng from Norway reports that GHP has gotten great reviews there! It received 5 out of 6 stars in the magazine Vi Menn. And 5 out of 7 on DVDnett.no. According to DVDnett, "it's impossible to give the movie a sensible grade, but some place around five for the fans, and probably two for the others."
There's a video interview with Rik from the premiere of Ben Elton's Maybe Baby at the Films2 website at: http://www.films2.com/newpages/promotions.asp.
News Entry Date -- January 2, 2001:
Thanks to
Anders Holstad Lilleng for letting us know that GHP was recently
released on VHS in Norway by Sandrew Metronomehere.
