CULT series Fantasy Football League is being revived by Sky, I can reveal – with a pilot to be filmed over the next few weeks.
The original BBC2 show was presented and created by Frank Skinner and David Baddiel. The new version will be fronted by fellow comics Matt Lucas and Elis James.
A TV insider said: “Fantasy Football is one of the most iconic football shows ever and there’s been a hugely vocal demand for its return for several years
“Sky believe their version can do it justice and eventually spark a full-on series.
“It will be very much in the mould of the original with a few modern tweaks.”
The show ran for 82 episodes from 1994 to 2004 and saw celebrity guests competing against each other as managers in a ‘fantasy league’ as well as chatting all things football.
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It moved to ITV towards the end of its run during the 1998 World Cup and the 2004 Euros.
Its peak was on BBC2 in the Nineties when big name guests including Dani Behr, Patsy Kensit and Sean Bean were managers.
It’s yet to be confirmed if Angus Loughran will reprise his role as silk-pyjama wearing Statto, whose unrivalled knowledge of the beautiful game provided insight and laughs.
Either way, football fans will lap it up.
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Si shows of his T Rex talents
SIMON Cowell reveals his surprise specialist subject in tomorrow night’s Britain’s Got Talent – dinosaurs.
When an act on the show features a line-up of dancing dinos he impresses the audience by correctly identifying them. Simon says: “Spinosaurus, raptor, T rex and raptor.”
Never one to miss an easy gag, co-judge David Walliams pokes fun at his surprise passion, saying: “You remember them from your youth, don’t you?”
Earlier in the series Simon’s general knowledge was questioned when he failed to identify a line-up of countries from their flags – and one happened to be England’s St George’s Cross, which he confused with the Swiss flag.
David pounced on his error, saying: “You idiot. What country are we in? England.”
Simon must have hit his head harder in that bike crash than we thought.
Number of the beast…
CHASER Mark Labbett has embarked on an unlikely new career as a bingo caller.
The ITV star will be making his debut in a Barnsley nightclub called Che Bar tonight.
And after The Beast has called the numbers in the bingo, revellers get the chance to go head-to-head and pit their wits against Mark in a Chase-style quiz.
Advertising the event, the venue says: “We have something big coming to Barnsley.”
Boozy bingo events are a new celeb sideline. Happy Mondays star Bez will call out the balls and host a DJ set at a £45-a-head bottomless brunch at Manchester’s Escape to Freight Island venue next month.
SAS Remi battles racists
SAS: Who Dares Wins star Remi Adeleke says he’s a victim of racism every day – despite his glittering career as a former US Navy SEAL.
The DS opens up in this Sunday’s episode, when he offers support to black recruit Shylla, a postwoman from Slough – who spoke of her racism ordeal during an emotional mirror room.
Remi says: “I go into stores sometimes and guess what? I still get looked at like I’m going to rob the store.
“Stop worrying about what other people think because it’s going to destroy you. We see an amazing person, I don’t care what other people have said about you, that s*** is a lie.”
Speaking afterwards to camera, Channel 4 star Remi believes his pep talk worked.
He adds: “I’m an African American, she’s black so that connection was obviously there. She felt like, ‘okay, this guys not just sharing words from what he knows, he’s sharing words from what he has experienced’.”
TV Bafta gig Sam is made
SAM Thompson has come a long way from being the spotty kid on Made In Chelsea.
Now he’s been announced as the social media host of the Bafta TV Awards next Sunday.
He’ll connect to a “squad of at-home content creators” which I assume will look a little like Gogglebox.
Red carpet coverage for YouTube and Facebook will be led by Vick Hope and Zeze Millz.
George Ezra will give an exclusive performance at the Royal Festival Hall of his new single Green Green Grass.
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He said: “I am looking forward to some fun on the Bafta red carpet next Sunday with my band.”
Richard Ayoade will host the main event.
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