Hat Trick Productions is an independent British

production company A production company, production house, production studio, or a production team is a studio that creates works in the fields of performing arts, new media art, film, television, radio, comics, interactive arts, video games, websites, music, and v ...

that produces television and radio programmes, mainly specialising in comedy, based in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

History

Hat Trick Productions was founded in 1986 by

Rory McGrath Patrick Rory McGrath (born 17 March 1956) is a British comedian, television personality, and writer. He came to prominence in the comedy show ''Who Dares Wins'' and was a regular panellist on the game show ''They Think It's All Over'' for many ...

, Jimmy Mulville, and Denise O'Donoghue. Its first commission was ''

Chelmsford 123 ''Chelmsford 123'' is a British television situation comedy produced for Channel 4 by Hat Trick Productions. Chelmsford ran for two series, of six and seven episodes respectively, in 1988 and 1990. The series was set in the British town of Che ...

'', a situation comedy for

Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a fourth television service ...

. Two years later,

Geoffrey Perkins Geoffrey Howard Perkins (22 February 1953 – 29 August 2008) was a British comedy producer, writer and performer. Best known as the BBC head of comedy (1995–2001), he produced the first two radio series of ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galax ...

became company director, and helped to produce shows such as ''

Father Ted ''Father Ted'' is a sitcom created by Irish writers Graham Linehan and Arthur Mathews and produced by British production company Hat Trick Productions for Channel 4. It aired over three series from 21 April 1995 until 1 May 1998, includin ...

'', ''

Whose Line Is It Anyway? ''Whose Line Is It Anyway?'' is a short-form improvisational comedy show originating as a British radio programme, before moving to British television in 1988. Following the conclusion of the British run in 1999, ABC began airing an American ...

'', and '' Have I Got News for You''. Perkins left the organisation in 1995, to become head of comedy for

BBC Television BBC Television is a service of the BBC. The corporation has operated a public broadcast television service in the United Kingdom, under the terms of a royal charter, since 1927. It produced television programmes from its own studios from 193 ...

. Hat Trick International struck a first look deal with Cardiff Productions and has a joint venture with British television writer

Jed Mercurio Gerald Gary "Jed" Mercurio (born September 1966) is a British television writer, producer, director and novelist. A former hospital doctor and Royal Air Force officer, Mercurio has been ranked among UK television's leading writers. In 2017, Mer ...

called HTM Television, with this production company responsible for dramas such as ''Bloodlands'' with James Nesbitt and the forthcoming ''DI Ray'' with Parminder Nagra.

Current programmes

Hat Trick

* '' Bloodlands'' (BBC One 2021–present) * ''

Dinner Date ''Dinner Date'' is a British dating game show, which first aired on ITV from 9 August 2010 to 28 December 2012, with subsequent new series airing on sister channel ITVBe since 8 October 2014. The programme makes up a significant proportion ...

'' (ITV 2010–2012, ITVBe 2014–present) * '' Have I Got News for You'' (BBC Two 1990–2000, BBC One 2000–present) * ''

Hypothetical A hypothesis (plural hypotheses) is a proposed explanation for a phenomenon. For a hypothesis to be a scientific hypothesis, the scientific method requires that one can test it. Scientists generally base scientific hypotheses on previous obser ...

'' (Dave 2019–present) * '' Mastermind'' (BBC Two 2019–present) * '' Rich House Poor House (British television show, Channel 5 2017–present) * ''

Trigger Point Myofascial trigger points (MTrPs), also known as trigger points, are described as hyperirritable spots in the skeletal muscle. They are associated with palpable nodules in taut bands of muscle fibers. They are a topic of ongoing controversy, a ...

'' (ITV 2022–present) * '' Whose Line Is It Anyway? USA'' (ABC & ABC Family 1998–2007, The CW 2013–present, imported by

Dave Dave may refer to: Film, television, and theater * ''Dave'' (film), a 1993 film starring Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver * ''Dave'' (musical), a 2018 stage musical adaptation of the film * Dave (TV channel), a digital television channel in the ...

in 2021/22)

Former programmes

Hat Trick

* '' The Armstrong & Miller Show'' (BBC One 2007–2010) * '' Ballot Monkeys'' (Channel 4 2015) * ''

Bedtime Bedtime (also called putting to bed or tucking in) is a ritual part of parenting to help children feel more secure and become accustomed to a more rigid schedule of sleep than they might prefer. The ritual of bedtime is aimed at facilitating the ...

'' (BBC One 2001–2003) * '' The Big One'' (Channel 4 1992) * ''Bike Squad'' (ITV 2008) * ''

Bodies Bodies may refer to: * The plural of body * ''Bodies'' (2004 TV series), BBC television programme * Bodies (upcoming TV series), an upcoming British crime thriller limited series * "Bodies" (''Law & Order''), 2003 episode of ''Law & Order'' * B ...

'' (BBC Three 2004–2006) * '' Boomers'' (BBC One 2014–2016) * '' Boyz Unlimited'' (Channel 4 1999) * ''

The Brain Drain The Brain Drain is a BBC comedy panel show that ran for 2 series in the early 1990s. Presented by Jimmy Mulville and featuring a panel of 4 performers (including regular panellists Tony Hawks and (in the 2nd series) Jo Brand), the show was essen ...

'' (BBC Two 1992–1993) * '' Bromwell High'' (Channel 4 2005) * '' The Bubble'' (BBC Two 2010) * ''

Case Sensitive Case or CASE may refer to: Containers * Case (goods), a package of related merchandise * Cartridge case or casing, a firearm cartridge component * Bookcase, a piece of furniture used to store books * Briefcase or attaché case, a narrow box to ca ...

'' (ITV 2011–2012) * ''

Chartjackers ''Chartjackers'' is a British documentary series, produced by Hat Trick Productions and commissioned by BBC Switch. It documents the lives of four teenage video bloggers over the course of ten weeks, as they attempt to write, record and release ...

'' (BBC Two 2009) * ''

Cheap Cheap Cheap ''Cheap Cheap Cheap'' was a British television game show produced by Hat Trick Productions for Channel 4, presented and created by Noel Edmonds. Billed as "a game show that thinks it's a sitcom", the show takes place in a fictional general stor ...

'' (Channel 4 2017) * ''

'' (Channel 4 1988–1990) * ''

Chopratown ''Chopratown'' is a 2005 comedy drama from the BBC about private eye Vic Chopra (Sanjeev Bhaskar). In the film Chopra investigates Ali Ergun (Omid Djalili), a shady Turkish bakery owner. During his investigation he falls foul of Asian wide boy ...

'' (BBC One 2005) * ''

Critical Critical or Critically may refer to: *Critical, or critical but stable, medical states **Critical, or intensive care medicine * Critical juncture, a discontinuous change studied in the social sciences. *Critical Software, a company specializing ...

'' (Sky1 2015) * ''

Derry Girls ''Derry Girls'' is a British teen sitcom created and written by Lisa McGee that premiered on 4 January 2018 on Channel 4. The channel's most successful comedy since ''Father Ted'', the series was inspired by McGee's own experiences growing up ...

'' (Channel 4 2018–2022) * ''

Doctor Thorne ''Doctor Thorne'' by Anthony Trollope (Chapman and Hall, London, 1858) is the third novel in the ''Chronicles of Barsetshire'' series, between '' Barchester Towers'' and '' Framley Parsonage''. The idea of the plot was suggested to Trollope b ...

'' (ITV 2016) * '' Drop Dead Gorgeous'' (BBC Three 2006–2007) * ''

Drop the Dead Donkey ''Drop the Dead Donkey'' is a British television sitcom that was first shown on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom between 1990 and 1998. It is set in the offices of "GlobeLink News", a fictional TV news company. Recorded close to transmission, it ...

'' (Channel 4 1990–1998) * '' Episodes'' (BBC Two 2011–2018, Showtime 2011–2017) * ''

Facejacker ''Facejacker'' is a Channel 4 comedy series which started on 16 April 2010. It follows the similar show '' Fonejacker''. Kayvan Novak adopts various disguises (with the aid of prosthetics), including several characters heard in ''Fonejacker''. ...

'' (Channel 4 2010–2012) * ''

Fairy Tales A fairy tale (alternative names include fairytale, fairy story, magic tale, or wonder tale) is a short story that belongs to the folklore genre. Such stories typically feature magic (paranormal), magic, incantation, enchantments, and mythical ...

'' (BBC One 2008) * ''

The Fake News Show ''The Fake News Show'' is a British television comedy panel game show that has aired on Channel 4 as a pilot since 6 February 2017 and as a full series from 15 May 2017. It is hosted by Stephen Mangan with Katherine Ryan and Richard Osman as t ...

'' (Channel 4 2017) * ''

'' (Channel 4 1995–1998) * ''

Flack Flack may refer to: * ''Flack'' (TV series), a 2019 American-British TV series * Flack, Virginia, the former name of Waynesboro *Flack (or Flak), an informal term for a publicity manager *Flacking, a self-coined term for the art created by Emem ...

'' (POP TV and Showtime On Demand 2019–2020) * '' Fonejacker'' (E4 2006–2012) * '' Game On'' (BBC Two 1995–1998) * '' Game Show in My Head'' (CBS 2009) * ''

God on Trial ''God on Trial'' is a 2008 British television play written by Frank Cottrell-Boyce, starring Antony Sher, Rupert Graves and Jack Shepherd. The play takes place in Auschwitz during World War II. The Jewish prisoners put God on trial ''in abse ...

'' (BBC Two 2008) * ''

Great Night Out ''Great Night Out'' is a British comedy drama which aired on ITV in 2013. It was created by Mark Bussell and Justin Sbresni and starred Lee Boardman, William Ash, Craig Parkinson and Stephen Walters. The series was axed by ITV after one series ...

'' (ITV 2013) * '' Harry Enfield's Television Programme'' (BBC Two 1990–1992) * '' Horrible Science'' (CITV 2015) * ''

If I Ruled The World "If I Ruled the World" is a popular song, composed by Leslie Bricusse and Cyril Ornadel, which was originally from the 1963 West End musical '' Pickwick'' (based on Charles Dickens's ''The Pickwick Papers''). Background In the context of the ...

'' (BBC Two 1998–1999) * '' In Denial of Murder'' (BBC One 2004) * '' It's Only a Theory'' (BBC Four 2009) * '' Jeffrey Archer: The Truth'' (BBC One 2002) * '' Kate & Koji'' (ITV 2020–2022) * '' Kröd Mändoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire'' (BBC Two 2009, Comedy Central 2009) * ''

The Kumars at No. 42 ''The Kumars at No. 42'' is a British television show. It won an International Emmy in 2002 and 2003, and won a Peabody Award in 2004. It ran for seven series totalling 53 episodes. It was reportedly a favourite of Queen Elizabeth II. Plot Th ...

'' (BBC Two 2001–2004, BBC One 2005–2006, Sky1 2014) * ''

Life Isn't All Ha Ha Hee Hee ''Life Isn't All Ha Ha Hee Hee'' is a three-part BBC television miniseries from 2005, adapted from Meera Syal's 1999 novel of the same name. Plot Childhood friends Tania (Laila Rouass), Sunita (Meera Syal) and Chila ( Ayesha Dharker), now in thei ...

'' (BBC One 2005) * ''

Miss Marie Lloyd – Queen of The Music Hall ''Miss Marie Lloyd: Queen of The Music Hall'' is a British television drama directed by James Hawes and produced by Hat Trick Productions. It was first shown on BBC Four in 2007. The film traces the turbulent and unconventional life of Edwardia ...

'' (BBC Four 2007) * ''

Mutual Friends ''Mutual Friends'' is a British comedy drama television series broadcast in six episodes on BBC One in from 26 August until 30 September 2008. The series starred Marc Warren, Alexander Armstrong, Keeley Hawes, Sarah Alexander, Claire Rushbrook ...

'' (BBC One 2008) * '' Never Mind the Horrocks'' (Channel 4 1996) * ''

News Knight with Sir Trevor McDonald ''News Knight with Sir Trevor McDonald'', more commonly referred to as simply ''News Knight'' is a British television panel show shown on ITV, at 22:00 on Sunday nights. Fronted by Sir Trevor McDonald and in a similar style to the BBC One progr ...

'' (ITV 2007) * ''

Norbert Smith – a Life ''Norbert Smith: A Life'', also released as ''Sir Norbert Smith: A Life'', is a 1989 mockumentary (spoof documentary) television film, charting the life and career of the fictitious British actor Sir Norbert Smith. It stars Harry Enfield in the ...

'' (Channel 4 1989) * '' Outnumbered'' (BBC One 2007–2014; 16) * ''

The Omid Djalili Show ''The Omid Djalili Show'' is a British sketch comedy/stand-up comedy television show produced by the BBC and directed by Michael Cumming. Writing by Omid Djalili, Will Smith, Roger Drew, Ian Stone, Ricky Grover Michael Cumming, Rich Fulcher and ...

'' (BBC One 2007–2009) * '' Paul Merton: The Series'' (Channel 4 1991–1993) * '' The Peter Principle'' (BBC One 1995–2000) * ''

Power Monkeys ''Power Monkeys'' is a 2016 British political comedy series which appeared on Channel 4 in the run-up to and immediate aftermath of the 2016 UK EU membership referendum, and also lampooned the ongoing 2016 United States Presidential election camp ...

'' (Channel 4 2016) * '' Revolting'' (BBC One 2017) * ''

The Revolution Will Be Televised ''The Revolution Will Be Televised'' is a British television satire show starring Heydon Prowse and Jolyon Rubinstein, which was first screened on BBC Three in August 2012. Writing for ''The Guardian'', Sam Wollaston said it's "Sacha Baron Co ...

'' (BBC Three 2012–2015) * ''

Room 101 The Ministry of Truth, the Ministry of Peace, the Ministry of Love, and the Ministry of Plenty are the four ministries of the government of Oceania in the 1949 dystopian novel ''Nineteen Eighty-Four'', by George Orwell. The use of contradictory ...

'' (BBC Two 1994–2007, BBC One 2012–2018) * ''

Round the Bend ''Round the Bend!'' is a satirical British children's television series, which ran on Children's ITV for three series from January 6, 1989, to May 7, 1991. The programme was produced by Hat Trick Productions for Yorkshire Television. After its f ...

'' (CITV 1989–1991) * ''

The Royal Bodyguard ''The Royal Bodyguard'' is a British television sitcom, written by Mark Bussell and Justin Sbresni, and starring David Jason, Geoffrey Whitehead, Timothy Bentinck and Tim Downie. A series of six episodes began on 26 December 2011, concluding on ...

'' (BBC One 2011–2012) * '' The Secret'' (ITV 2016) * '' The Slow Norris'' (CITV 1996–1999) * '' Small Potatoes'' (Channel 4 1999–2001) * ''

Some Girls ''Some Girls'' is the 14th UK and 16th US album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 9 June 1978 by Rolling Stones Records. It was recorded in sessions held between October 1977 and February 1978 at Pathé Marconi Studios in ...

'' (BBC Three 2012–2014) * '' Spy'' (Sky1 2011–2012) * ''

Stephen Stephen or Steven is a common English first name. It is particularly significant to Christians, as it belonged to Saint Stephen ( grc-gre, Στέφανος ), an early disciple and deacon who, according to the Book of Acts, was stoned to death; ...

'' (ITV 2021) *'' Stuck'' (BBC Two 2022) * '' The Suspicions of Mr Whicher'' (ITV 2011–2014) * ''

This is David Lander ''This is David Lander'' is a TV show that parodies Roger Cook style doorstepping investigative journalism shows, starring Stephen Fry as David Lander and written by Tony Sarchet. It began as the BBC Radio 4 show ''Delve Special'', which bec ...

'' (Channel 4 1988) * '' Trevor's World of Sport'' (BBC One 2003) * '' Turn Back Time'' (BBC One 2006) * '' The Waiting Game'' (BBC One 2001–2002) * '' Warren'' (BBC One 2019) * ''

Whose Line is it Anyway? ''Whose Line Is It Anyway?'' is a short-form improvisational comedy show originating as a British radio programme, before moving to British television in 1988. Following the conclusion of the British run in 1999, ABC began airing an American ...

'' (Channel 4 1988–1999) * '' Worst Week'' (CBS 2008–2009) * '' The Worst Week of My Life'' (BBC One 2004–2006)

References

External links

* 1986 establishments in the United Kingdom Mass media companies established in 1986 Television production companies of the United Kingdom {{UK-media-company-stub