1 9 9 2 – 1 9 9 4 (UK)
30 x 25 minute episodes
Geordie stand-up comedian Mickey Hutton hosted this live Friday afternoon BBC1 series for kids.
Each week, Mickey introduced a selection of comedians, chart bands and variety acts from a large converted aircraft hangar manned by an eccentric set of characters, including the club’s bouncers Ox (Mark Hayford) and Weasel (James Hamill), Australian head waitress Shaz (Pippa Hinchley), and the hapless Bazza (Greg Cruttwell).
Regular gatecrashers amongst the lively audience were Jackie (Helen Sheals) and Bunty (Candida Gubbins), two pushy journalists from Fab 17 magazine.
A ‘Battle of the Bands’ gave new young bands a chance to impress the audience by playing a snatch of their demo tape live, with the studio audience deciding – via the ‘Screamometer’ – who got a booking on the show.
Guest comedians included Miles Crawford, Les Bubb, Wattle & Daub, Steve Rawlings, The Rubber Bishops, Martin Soan, Richard Morton, Steve Murray, and Alistair McGowan.
Musical guests included Voice of the Beehive, The Beautiful South, Take That, Cathy Dennis, and Yazz.
Hutton was joined in 1994 by co-presenters Colette Brown and Paul Leyshon and a surreal three-minute soap opera called I Hate This House (starring Helen Lederer and an 18-stone actor called Stan Nelson playing a big baby) was introduced to the show in the same year.
Other features included “The Fame Game”, “Teacher on the Hot Seat” and “Taking the Mickey”.
Hangar 17 was filmed in Elstree Studio D.
Host
Mickey Hutton
Colette Brown
Paul Leyshon
Ox
Mark Hayford
Weasel
James Hamill
Shaz
Pippa Hinchley
Bazza
Greg Cruttwell
Jackie
Helen Sheals
Bunty
Candida Gubbins