The ninth episode of a chat show presented by regional television personality Mike Neville that this week features the founder and editor of the Newcastle based comic Viz Chris Donald and local musician, scriptwriter, actor and comedian Mickey Hutton. Title: The Mike Neville Show To the applause of the studio audience presenter Mike Neville comes out on to the stage and introduces tonight’s programme describing his first guest as the man behind the phenomenon that is Viz the comic that...

The ninth episode of a chat show presented by regional television personality Mike Neville that this week features the founder and editor of the Newcastle based comic Viz Chris Donald and local musician, scriptwriter, actor and comedian Mickey Hutton. Title: The Mike Neville Show To the applause of the studio audience presenter Mike Neville comes out on to the stage and introduces tonight’s programme describing his first guest as the man behind the phenomenon that is Viz the comic that combines toilet humour and biting satire and created characters such as Sid the Sexist, the Fat Slags and Roger Mellie all of whom have become cult figures. A clip from the Peter Cook voiced cartoon series Roger Mellie the Man on the Telly changes to Chris Donald coming out onto the stage taking a seat beside Mike. Chris confesses that the character of Roger Mellie was based on Tyne Tees Television reporter Roderick Griffiths. Mike asks if he was surprised by the success of Viz which at its peak sold 1.25 million copies making it the third bestselling magazine in the county. He talks about his first job out of school as a civil servant at the Department of Health and Social Security at Long Benton, how he decided to turn what was a hobby into a living and how he and his fellow writers come up with the characters. Chris doesn’t believe Viz will go on forever believing it will eventually run out of steam as most of his readership will grow out of it. He is asked about ‘Lad’ culture which he believes is a media creation and that while the comic is ‘deliciously adolescent’ how it is created is not. Regarding criticisms of the comic Chris notes this mainly comes from people to whom Viz wasn’t created. He ends the interview talking about becoming a columnist for the Newcastle newspaper The Journal. Taking the programme into a commercial break Mike states that after the break he will be chatting with local comedian Mickey Hutton Title: The Mike Neville Show Returning from the break Mike Neville describes his next guest as a man of many talents’ musician, scriptwriter, actor and comedian whose television debut was particularly unusual as it involved in playing the role of God in A Streetcar Named Kevin. Following a clip from the programme Mickey Hutton comes out onto stage taking a seat beside Chris Donald and talks with Mike about this early role and about starting out as a musician working the northern clubs while still working as an engineer for shipbuilders Hawthorn Leslie. He is asked about moving into comedy and pursuing a career in London as well as about his involvement in the Jimmy Nail police procedural Spender and presenter of the BBC children’s variety show Hanger 17 which he also wrote. He has recently returned from performing in John Godber Bouncers at the Colchester Mercury Theatre describing it as a great experience. He is asked about the comedy scene in Newcastle which he is still involved in, and he and Chris Donald discuss why comedy hasn’t changed and about Geordie humour. Bringing the programme to an end Mike thanks his guests as well as the studio audience and provides details on next week’s programme when he will be joined by Newcastle United Chief Executive Freddie Fletcher and the successful Geordie-duo Ant and Dec. Title: The Mike Neville Show Credit: Title Music Alan Clark Floor Manager Herbie Newton Vision Mixer Peter Telford Cameras Simon Elphinstone Jimmy JIB Operator Ken Moulson Sound Mixer John Cook Lighting Director John Mason Production Co-ordinator Sarah Howie Production Manager Barbara Buglass Research Gaye Slater Designer Tim Trout Executive Producers Peter Mitchell, Malcolm Wright Producer Jo Mapplebeck Series Producer Keith Cheetham Director Tony Kysh Title: A Zenith North production for Tyne Tees Television. © Tyne Tees Television MCMXCVIII End title: A Tyne Tees Television programme for Channel 3 North East