The Word, Series 2, Episode 2, 06/11/92 (CLEANER)

Episode 2 – The Word (6th Nov 1992)
Ah yes, another Friday night in the ‘90s where chaos was marketed as youth television. This week, Channel 4 decided the nation needed Cindy Crawford’s teenage rival (because why stop exploiting minors at modeling?), some “world’s youngest divas” (pre–TikTok fame-seekers), and—of course—men and women who “just can’t get enough” (of what, you ask? Honestly, we’re not sure either).

Meanwhile, Bernard Manning got let loose at Britain’s “seaside spectacular” in Blackpool, which is basically code for 40 acres of potatoes, toe-sucking lollies, and enough hot dogs to choke a donkey. The Illuminations are going out, so why not celebrate the slow death of a resort town by cramming in fortune tellers, awkward cabaret, and Japanese tourists dragged on stage for comic relief.

Elsewhere, a man calling himself *Mr. Memory* promises to remember everyone’s name in the audience (because clearly, this is what the youth tuned in for), while David Hasselhoff’s “parts” are teased in a way Baywatch producers definitely did not sign off on.

Dexter Fletcher and Julia Sawalha stop by to remind us that actors in the ‘90s had to endure toe-curling interviews where their relationships were mined harder than the North Sea oil fields. En Vogue turn up to show what actual talent looks like, while Shonen Knife and Stereo MCs provide the kind of live music that made you forget, briefly, that Bernard Manning was still lurking in the wings.

Oh, and in breaking news: Milli Vanilli threaten to sing live (brace yourselves), Nicolas Cage’s bungee-jumping groin strain gets national airtime, and someone thought it was a good idea to bring up sex addiction *before* the 10pm watershed.

In short: a fever dream of early ‘90s television, where Blackpool’s tat, tabloid gossip, and toe-sucking lollies were sold as cutting-edge youth culture—wrapped up with live music that actually made the whole mess watchable.