Alex Horne tells Chris Evans about his ‘very silly’ new sitcom, The Horne Section TV Show

Virgin Radio

3 Nov 2022, 11:58

Comedian and Taskmaster creator Alex Horne joined The Chris Evans Breakfast Show with Sky to talk about his brand new sitcom, The Horne Section TV Show.

The six-part comedy is available on All 4 from today, and the first episode will air on Channel 4 at 10pm on 17th November. It sees Alex - tired of being the Taskmaster’s assistant - attempt to become the star of his own programme. He told Chris: “The show is me and the band, The Horne Section, making a TV show called The Horne Section TV Show for Channel 4, all about me and the band, The Horne Section, making a show for Channel 4, called The Horne Section TV Show. Does that clear it up?”

Revealing that he plays “a man called Alex Horne,” the comedian also said: “It’s a very silly show.”

The narrative follows Alex and his loyal band as they pull out all the stops to impress the big bosses at Channel 4. The show’s star explained: “When it goes on Channel 4 in two weeks, it’s on immediately after Taskmaster. So, you’ll watch an episode of Taskmaster and then you see me backstage at Taskmaster, and being brought on by Greg [Davies], and slagged off by Greg. And so I get very frustrated and demand to get my own show from Channel 4, and they accidentally commission it. But I have to get permission from Greg.” 

The six-part scripted series also stars Taskmaster alumni Tim Key and Desiree Burch, as well as John Oliver. Of the latter, Alex said: “He’s huge in America, but the joke in the show is that he is desperate to be in my show, because he wants to get his big break in the UK.”

Other special guests include Martin Kemp, Big Zuu, Imogen Heap, Anneka Rice, and Dr Ranj Singh. “We lucked out with the people we persuaded to be in it,” its protagonist said.

Another familiar appearance comes from Virgin Radio’s very own Rachel Horne, who is, of course, married to Alex. Rachel’s voice features, although we don’t see her on screen. “I think she should use her voice more often! She’s a really good recording artist,” her husband said. 

He added: “We do see Rachel’s ankles in episode one, but a little spoiler is they’re not Rachel’s ankles!”

Much of The Horne Section TV Show is set in a very aesthetically pleasing house, which serves as the Horne family home in the programme. “The house is the shape of a tea caddy. It’s designed to look like a tea caddy because it was bought with money from the tea industry in the 1900s,” Alex explained.

“It’s owned by Imogen Heap, the singer. So, it’s got a recording studio underneath and she has brought up her own children in that house. So it sort of embodies the show, and she’s in the show as well. She pops into it at one point.” 

All the music in the show is by The Horne section, and Alex told Chris: “There’s a music video in every show. Obviously, Flight of the Conchords is the best show with a band in recent times... But I think it’s a cross between Flight of the Conchords and The Goodies.”

The Horne Section TV Show is available now on All 4, and on Channel 4 at 10pm on Thursday 17th November.

For more great interviews listen to  The Chris Evans Breakfast Show with Sky, weekdays from 6:30am on Virgin Radio, or  catch up on-demand here.