Low-key chat show

Press, 12 October 1988, Page 17

Low-key chat show

“It’s Only Wednesday,” a new, light, chat show starting tonight at 8 on Two, is hosted by Neil Roberts — the man behind “That’s Fairly Interesting.” This is the first chat show which Roberts has hosted for TV, and he admits to being both excited and terrified by the prospect. “The good thing is that we’re not trying to emulate the overseas chat shows, like Aspel or Johnny Carson,” says Roberts. “We’re just making a light, entertaining conversation programme; very New Zealand in

character, unpretentious and a little irreverent, with guests that Kiwis can recognise and identify with. “The main stipulation for the guests on the show is that they are entertaining. We don’t care if they are not particularly famous — important people talking about themselves don't necessarily make a good show. It’s going to be a bit of relaxed, quiet fun with no hype, a bit of music and a few laughs.” Roberts feels the key to a successful chat show is just to do the basics right, without the big band and grand staircase style of

some overseas shows. Besides, it would be a fool who attempted to outdo Dame Edna now. The show’s producer, Andrew Shaw, agrees: “We’re aware of the idiosyncracies of the New Zealand audience and are aiming to provide a show with an informal and comfortable style. This style does work in New Zealand — ‘Weekend’ has proved that. Kiwis prefer things that are unpretentious.” The resident band on the 11 half-hour shows is Wentworth Brewster and Co., a 19305-style swing quartet led by Grant Chilcott.