Although the pilot episode of Beadle's Hot Shots had been a substantial hit, the belated follow-up series sadly didn't catch on with the general public.
Averaging 6.2 million viewers over the six episodes, this first edition was the only one to make the UK TV Top 70, reaching 63rd place with 7.36 million viewers.
Averaging 6.2 million viewers over the six episodes, this first edition was the only one to make the UK TV Top 70, reaching 63rd place with 7.36 million viewers.
This edition received a positive review in The Times, with journalist Lynne Truss stating (22nd January 1996):
"When Channel 4 came up with Takeover TV last May, the result was a mixed success. The idea was that members of the public would send in little spoofs and sketches on video. But when little Johnny Thing of Weybridge sent his funny Star Trek spoof (I've forgotten the details), his parents complained vehemently to Right to Reply. Having stayed up to a suspiciously late hour to watch Takeover TV (and alerted elderly relatives by phone) they were shocked to discover that Johnny's film was shown alongside a lot of lewd transvestites, stoned students, and a man with a talking bum.
But now the public is safe from such embarrassment, because Beadle's Hot Shots on ITV is scheduled at 8.15 on Saturday night, and it could not be cosier. Not only are the innocent (and very funny) clips shown before an enthusiastic LWT studio audience, but the makers are invited onstage for more joshing, to prove how harmless it all is. An alarming number of the sketches on Saturday included pretend violence (man run over by speeding car; man caught up in cement mixer), and there was a man with a comical truss over his trousers which we will naturally pass over without comment. But the inventiveness was of a high order generally. One sketch drew together On the Buses and the Village People in an interesting combination. It was more entertaining than the washing lines in Peter York's Eighties, truly."
"When Channel 4 came up with Takeover TV last May, the result was a mixed success. The idea was that members of the public would send in little spoofs and sketches on video. But when little Johnny Thing of Weybridge sent his funny Star Trek spoof (I've forgotten the details), his parents complained vehemently to Right to Reply. Having stayed up to a suspiciously late hour to watch Takeover TV (and alerted elderly relatives by phone) they were shocked to discover that Johnny's film was shown alongside a lot of lewd transvestites, stoned students, and a man with a talking bum.
But now the public is safe from such embarrassment, because Beadle's Hot Shots on ITV is scheduled at 8.15 on Saturday night, and it could not be cosier. Not only are the innocent (and very funny) clips shown before an enthusiastic LWT studio audience, but the makers are invited onstage for more joshing, to prove how harmless it all is. An alarming number of the sketches on Saturday included pretend violence (man run over by speeding car; man caught up in cement mixer), and there was a man with a comical truss over his trousers which we will naturally pass over without comment. But the inventiveness was of a high order generally. One sketch drew together On the Buses and the Village People in an interesting combination. It was more entertaining than the washing lines in Peter York's Eighties, truly."