The Word, Series 3, Episode 19, 19/03/93

The Word – Series 3, Episode 19 (19 March 1993, Channel 4)

Ah yes, another Friday night on The Word, Channel 4’s bold experiment in finding out how much chaos you can cram into one programme before Ofcom invents new rules. This week’s star guest is future Oscar-winner Halle Berry, who gamely smiles through questions about Eddie Murphy, crack dens and beauty pageants, while probably wondering why she flew all the way from Cleveland just to be insulted by a British audience in baseball caps.

The comedy quota is filled by Keith Allen, a man so perpetually confrontational he makes Piers Morgan look like a therapy dog. He reflects on his career with that unique mix of charm and menace that makes you laugh nervously and check the exits.

Music comes courtesy of East 17, brooding in beanies while telling us to “Slow It Down,” Back To The Planet, whose unplugged guitars symbolise both anarchy and poor stage management, and Freaky Realistic, who bravely try to sound like their name.

Elsewhere, the show investigates America’s booming alien-abductee scene (turns out it’s mostly therapy, hypnosis, and purple pens shoved up noses), while back in London an entire room of adults dress as pirates to celebrate Adam Ant, who joins via satellite to remind us that New Romanticism is apparently immortal. For balance, Bob Holness is humiliated with a crusty “makeover,” proving that even game show hosts aren’t safe from Planet 24’s fever-dream production meetings.

The result? A show that’s equal parts music magazine, conspiracy hotline, and prank gone too far. In other words: classic Word.