Wow, the 2005/06 repeats on Dave...

While it's slightly reassuring to know I'm only just one of many who's put some weight on in the last 10 years, it's curious watching these early shows with younger versions of popular celebrities and quite a few "where are they nows". Having not seen these shows since they were first on, it's amazing how certain bits come back. Kelly Osbourne springs to mind, claiming a major Hollywood actress to be a bitch, and despite being put under pressure, not giving the smallest clue as to who it was. Vic Reeves eventually steamed in with, "Is it Patricia Routledge?!" - Made me laugh again.

Though, in some ways it's dated for obvious reasons of it being satire, but possibly in humour too. Sean Lock seems sharper than ever now, and poor old Dave Spikey, while likeable, seemed a little stuck in the '80s - a bit Stan Boardman or a toned-down Bernard Manning. Even with it being only 10 years, the world has changed so much, and sadly, those times do seem simpler. Technology has gone crazy this decade, the news seems heavier with racist attacks, terrorism (9/11 and 7/7 aside), financial ruin, plus the scandals surrounding celebrities (whether the individual was proved innocent or not, it's scarred many childhoods!) Today, the unforgiving The Last Leg even seems to find it necessary to go serious at some points. The lack of a recent series suggests it's either been deemed too similar to the aforementioned or Mock The Week etc., or, it's just simpler to do the Countdown version to avoid the hassle of having to make the news seem funny! Last week, Mock The Week seemed to spend about two-thirds of the show referencing Cameron and his 1980s encounter with a pig.

Another even more curious thing is Jimmy Carr's laugh pre-2009ish is far more understated, and not the demented seal it's become since. Maybe he is a robot, and at the time Channel 4 decided to change his 'laugh tone'.