Sorry, I Didn't Know

Sorry, I Didn't Know is a British panel show broadcast on ITV, in which panelists answer questions about Black history. A pilot aired on ITV2 in 2016. A series of four episodes aired in October 2020, as part of Black History Month. The programme is hosted by Jimmy Akingbola and has team captains Chizzy Akudolu and Judi Love.

For the song, see Sorry (I Didn't Know).
Sorry, I Didn't Know
Title card
GenrePanel show
Created byFraser Ayres
Minnie Ayres
Presented byJimmy Akingbola
StarringChizzy Akudolu
Judi Love
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series1
No. of episodes5
Production
Executive producersFraser Ayres
Minnie Ayres
Jimmy Akingbola
Running time30 mins (incl. adverts)
Release
Original networkITV2 (pilot)
ITV (series 1)
Original release3 November 2016 (2016-11-03) –
present
External links
Website

Format

The host Jimmy Akingbola asks two teams questions relating to Black history.[1][2][3] Rounds variously show panelists attempting to finish a famous quote, work out the name of a Black person from yes/no questions, identify whether a fact presented by the other team is true or false, work out who invented particular technologies and when or match descriptions of people to their faces. In the final round, "General 'Tupidness", panelists buzz in to answer trivia questions about Black figures. Different round structures were used in the 2016 pilot.

Akingbola commented that the show inverts the norm of comedy panel shows which have white men as team captains and women or BAME people as "token" panelists.[4]

Production

The series was created by Fraser Ayres and Minnie Ayres.[5][4] The presenter Jimmy Akingbola served as producer.[6] Akingbola found presenting to be "fun and yet surreal"—his previous background was in acting.[7] The programme is produced by Triforce Productions, which Akingbola and Fraser Ayres co-founded.[5][7] In October 2016, it was announced that ITV commissioned a pilot, along with three other programmes featuring BAME comedians, to be aired in the run-up to the November 2016 MOBO Awards, which recognise excellence in black music.[8] The pilot aired on ITV2 on 3 November 2016.[9]

In May 2020, Akingbola commented on Twitter that the show had been rejected by ITV, the BBC, Channel 4, Channel 5 and Sky UK and that the production company was now looking to get the show commissioned in the United States.[5] In July 2020, he told Radio Times that the rejections were sometimes without comment and sometimes described the show as "a bit niche".[4]

The show was one of four shows commissioned for ITV as part of the 2020 Black History Month, celebrated in October in the United Kingdom.[10][11] The others were Alison Hammond: Back To School, Craig & Danny Funny, Black and on TV and IRL with Team Charlene. ITV additionally ran documentaries and other programmes relating to Black History Month, and a series of "It's all about" idents made by Black artists.[12] Sorry, I Didn't Know ran for four episodes.[5]

The show's commissioning followed a resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement after the May 2020 killing of George Floyd. Akingbola said that he did not think audiences had changed substantially since the pilot in 2016, only that "the need to serve them properly has increased exponentially" as the Black Lives Matter movement brought "a spotlight to the lack of inclusion". He criticized the pigeonholing of the programme as a "black show", aiming to disprove that "that black content does not appeal to mainstream audiences". Akingbola said that he hoped to see "non-tokenised shows throughout the year" in future.[13][14] He said that the crew would "love to have the opportunity" to be renewed for a second series and that the programme "wasn't made just for October".[7]

Episodes

Pilot (2016)

The pilot was presented by Jimmy Akingbola, with team captains Chizzy Akudolu and Jo Martin. It aired on ITV2 in the timeslot of 8:30 p.m. on Thursday under the title I'm Sorry, I Didn't Know.[9]

Original air dateChizzy's TeamJo's TeamScoresUK viewers
(millions)
3 November 2016 (2016-11-03)
Jimmy James Jones and Paul ChowdhryJudi Love and Toby Williams45–35TBA

Series 1 (2020)

The first series of four episodes premiered during Black History Month. It aired on ITV on Tuesdays at 10:45 p.m. The host was Jimmy Akingbola and Chizzy Akudolu and Judi Love served as team captains.[15]

No. in
series		Original air dateChizzy's TeamJudi's TeamWinning teamUK viewers
(millions)
1
6 October 2020 (2020-10-06)
Paul Chowdhry and Colin SalmonAngie Le Mar and Tom AllenDrawTBA
2
13 October 2020 (2020-10-13)
Nathan Caton and AJ AduduRussell Kane and Verona RoseJudiTBA
3
20 October 2020 (2020-10-20)
Humza Arshad and Kerry GodlimanKojo Anim and Jimmy James JonesDrawTBA
4
20 October 2020 (2020-10-20)
Sophie Duker and Toby WilliamsShaun Wallace and Paul ChowdhryJudiTBA

Reception

Steve Bennett reviewed the 2016 pilot positively, praising that Akingbola has an "innate authority" and the panelists "deliver as dependably and flippantly as any of the big panel shows". He described the questions as "at the smart end of the spectrum" for panel shows and found the programme "informative".[16]

References
  1. Donaldson, Brian (30 September 2020). "Best new TV to watch in October". The List. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  2. Ramsden, Sam (6 October 2020). "Alison Hammond Is Presenting A Documentary About Overlooked Black Brits". Bustle. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  3. "Don't myth it!". Chortle. 4 October 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  4. McLean, Craig (18 July 2020). "Idris Elba on making sure In the Long Run reflected racial realities: "We wish it could hit more people"". Radio Times. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  5. "Black panel show Sorry, I Didn't Know returns for series". British Comedy Guide. 27 August 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  6. Flint, Hanna (5 October 2020). "Jimmy Akingbola on Sorry I Didn't Know: 'Every broadcaster said it was not right for its audience'". i. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  7. "Jimmy Akingbola interview". British Comedy Guide. 16 October 2020. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
  8. "ITV2 orders new comedies featuring diverse talent". British Comedy Guide. 13 October 2016. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  9. "Pilot - I'm Sorry, I Didn't Know". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  10. Baker, Emily (8 October 2020). "Black History Month: All the new TV shows and documentaries marking the annual event". i. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  11. Craig, David (27 August 2020). "Alison Hammond to explore Black British history for ITV as new commissions announced". Radio Times. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  12. ""It's All About..." Black History Month on ITV". ITV. 1 October 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  13. Bakare, Lanre (28 September 2020). "Panel show host complains of 'black' label used across TV". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  14. Harrison, Ellie (29 September 2020). "ITV panel show host Jimmy Akingbola calls out use of 'black comedy' label". The Independent. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  15. "Series 1 - I'm Sorry, I Didn't Know". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  16. Bennett, Steve (1 November 2016). "ITV2 Fresh". Chortle. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
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