- Title: Comic Strip - Bad News Tour
- Date: 23rd January 1983
- Description:A series of self contained TV films starring performers from London's "Comic Strip" comedy club and their friends including Dawn French,Jennifer Saunders,Adrian Edmondson and Rik Mayall. The Comic Strip was aired on Channel 4's first night and served to bring about fresh,modern and often controversial comedy. Written by Peter Richardson and Peter Richens Director: Sandy Johnson Cast: Vim (Adrian Edmondson),Den (Nigel Planer),Colin (Rik Mayall),Spider (Peter Richardson),Tracy (Dawn French),Sally (Jennifer Saunders),Cheryl (Serena Evans),Neighbour (Bert Parnaby),Manager (Neville Smith),Girlfriend (Judy Hawkins),Cashier (Chara Bala Choksi) (The Bad News Tour) This film is about a documentary being made about a heavy metal band touring Britain. After picking up a hitch-hiker on the way they meet Sally Freedman in a roadside cafe. She joins them on the road and provokes a ridiculous argument about whether the band can really be classed as heavy metal. Matters are further complicated by their dilapidated van breaking down. After much arguing with the director of the documentary,they finally get a tow from the documentary crew's Winnebago. On reaching the venue they are to play at that night,they find the manager most uncooperative,and eventually play to an audience of four people and a dog. They then find that the director has asked the manager not to pay the band in order to achieve an interesting reaction for the camera- the reaction is that the band steal the camera and sound equipment and lock themselves away in the manager's office so that they can make their own documentary. But then they run out of film.
- Broadcaster:Channel 4
- Collection: Channel 4
- Genre:Entertainment
- Producer:Filmworks and So Does Video
- Programme Episode:Episode 4
- Transmission Date:23/01/1983
- Rights:Worldwide
- Decade: 1980s