1 Leicester Square

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1 Leicester Square

The 1 Leicester Square title card
Genre Chatshow
Runing time 54 mins (approx.)
Host Russell Brand
Notable Guests Stephen Merchant (25 Sept 2006), Mackensie Crook (9 July 2006)
Country UK
Network MTV UK
Original runs 23 April 2006 – September 2006
No. of episodes 16+
IMDB Profile


1 Leicester Square is a chatshow on MTV UK that is hosted by Russell Brand. The show features celebrity guests, musical entertainment and various assides featuring the presenter. The theme tune is taken from the opening of Led Zeppelin's song Moby Dick. The show is widely viewed as a vehicle for the comeback of Russell Brand after his sacking from MTV in 2001.

Format of the Show

The show begins with an announcer introducing the presenter, Russell Brand. Controversially, he was once introduced as being 'bigger than Jesus' in reference to a misquoted claim by John Lennon claiming that The Beatles were bigger than Jesus. After entering Brand sits in a flamboyantly upholstered chair with a zebra fabric for the seat covering. He then introduces the musical act for the show and they will play a track. After this, an announcer will introduce the first guest (usually the biggest star) with a comically fabricated fact or anecdote about them. The guest will then be interviewed whilst they sit on a sofa next to Russell. After this interview, there is usually a commercial break.

After the break, Brand usually interviews the musical act that is on the show this week in another area of the studio. This is usually punctuated with a sketch and Daniel and Len's Video Review (see below). This interview is typically followed with another interview by Brand next to a mock bar with another celebrity. After this interview there is another commercial break.

The last Portion of the show is taken up with the segment For Pity's Sake Help Us (see below), followed by another performance from the guest musical act.

Short Features

Daniel and Len's Video Review

Daniel and Len's Video Review is a weekly feature of the program in which there are typically three different reviews of videos that have been recently released. The actual reviewing takes a backseat to discussion of developments in the lives of Daniel and his grandson Len. Daniel is played by Russell Brand and is portrayed as an old man, whilst Len (played by Brand's friend and BBC 6 Music colleague Matt Morgan) is portrayed as a very pale baby. There is an ongoing theme of Daniel's struggle to seduce elaine, a social worker who was assigned to look after Len. Dogtanian was also frequently referred to, being championed by Len and damned by Daniel after he lived in their house, strutting around in a vest top 'giving it the big I am'.

Pimp My Application

Pimp My Application is a spoof of the popular MTV UK show Pimp My Ride UK. It has only appeared once on the show. Russell Brand parodies Tim Westwood, giving him a hook for a hand, a peg leg and a squawking voice. Brand lampoons the show by using over-exaggerated street speak when describing how they are going to 'pimp' up a person's CV when he is applying for a job.

For Pity's Sake Help Us

This is a feature that Brand always ends the show with, save the last musical performance. Audience members are asked if they have any problems and these are then answered by some of the celebrities that have appeared earlier in the show.

The Rats

The Rats is a sketch that is performed before each of the commercial breaks and at the end of the show. Two rats are crudely manipulated and given human voices. They will usually engage in a short, humorous conversation that loosely relates to a topic of discussion in the previous segment.

Minor Characters

Gatwick

Gatwick is a model of a man that loosely resembles Prince Charles and is occasionally used by Brand as a prop on the show.

Dan the Researcher

Dan is the show's mysterious researcher that Brand alludes to after fabricating or bringing up an obscure fact about his interviewee.

Guests

The show has featured many guests on it. These include: -

  • Stephen Merchant 25 September 2006
  • Mackenzie Crook 9 July 2006
  • Alicia Silverstone
  • Christina Aguilera
  • Christian Slater
  • Uma Thurman
  • Tom Cruise
  • Jamie Foxx
  • Anthony Stewart Head
  • Tara Palmer Tomkinson
  • Boy George
  • Tim Westwood
  • Dannii Minogue
  • Nerina Pallot
  • Tom Jones
  • Graham Norton
  • Ross Noble
  • Steve Coogan
  • Rob Brydon
  • Busta Rhymes
  • Noel Gallagher
  • Carmen Electra

The Show has occasionally featured interviews that are pre-recorded, outside of the studio. Guests that have been interviewed in this fashion include: -

  • Brandon Routh
  • Kevin Spacey
  • Kate Bosworth
  • Kelly Brook

Videos of some of the guests' interviews are available on MTV's website

Musical Acts

Musical acts that have appeared on the show include: -

  • Orson
  • The Zutons
  • Wolfmother
  • Dirty Pretty Things
  • Gnarls Barkley
  • The Streets
  • Embrace
  • The Kooks
  • Guillemots


External links

Official Links

Fansites and Resources

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