UK Panel Show Gender Breakdown

By @slowe@mastodon.me.uk & @LoveGraphs. Stats last updated 23 May 2024

Generally, panel shows on UK television include few female guests. Most have male hosts and male captains/regulars. Even omitting the regulars, the guests are mostly men too. It is a problem that half the population are under-represented in these long-running TV and radio shows.

Is the situation really that bad? In short, yes (but slowly improving). I've compiled some statistics for current, long-running, shows from comedy.co.uk, Love Graphs (thanks Richard!), just-a-minute.info, IMdB, iPlayer, BBC Genome, Wikipedia and broadcasts to illustrate the point. The table below is split into comedy panel shows and others^*. Many of them are comedy panel shows so I've made a non-exhaustive list of funny women to provide inspiration for the show makers.

Comedy panel shows	All appearances	Guest appearances	Total appearances	Episodes	Score /10	Updated
Argumental (Dave)	94.5% 5.5%	86.4% 13.6%	220	44	2	2016-07-28
I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue (BBC Radio 4)	94.5% 5.5%	75.0% 25.0%	2689	536	3	2024-03-06
They Think It's All Over (BBC One)	94.4% 5.6%	84.3% 15.7%	1057	151	2	2024-03-06
Jest A Minute (BBC Radio Wales)	93.3% 6.7%	83.3% 16.7%	60	12	2	2024-03-11
Was It Something I Said? (Channel 4)	90.0% 10.0%	75.0% 25.0%	40	8	4	2024-03-12
Comedy World Cup (Channel 4)	90.0% 10.0%	76.5% 23.5%	50	7	3	2024-03-12
Whose Line Is It Anyway? (BBC Radio 4)	90.0% 10.0%	87.5% 12.5%	30	6	2	2016-02-07
Alexander Armstrong's Big Ask (Dave)	87.7% 12.3%	82.2% 17.8%	65	13	3	2016-04-15
The Blame Game (BBC Northern Ireland)	87.5% 12.5%	47.5% 52.5%	592	129	7	2024-03-06
Mock The Week (BBC Two)	83.6% 16.4%	67.1% 32.9%	1505	202	5	2024-03-12
Have I Got News For You (BBC One)	83.2% 0.1% 16.7%	68.4% 0.2% 31.4%	2872	574	5	2024-03-06
A League Of Their Own (Sky 1)	82.5% 17.5%	66.7% 33.3%	1057	151	5	2024-03-06
Just A Minute (BBC Radio 4)	82.1% 17.9%	71.8% 28.2%	5008	995	5	2024-03-06
Play To The Whistle (ITV)	81.1% 18.9%	80.7% 19.3%	159	19	4	2017-12-28
Never Mind The Buzzcocks (BBC Two)	80.0% 20.0%	67.7% 32.3%	2085	296	5	2024-03-06
It's Your Round (BBC Radio 4)	80.0% 20.0%	75.0% 25.0%	60	12	5	2024-03-11
Does The Team Think... (BBC Radio 2)	80.0% 20.0%	75.0% 25.0%	80	16	5	2024-05-23
Virtually Famous (E4)	78.5% 21.5%	68.4% 31.6%	260	36	5	2021-04-10
The 99p Challenge (BBC Radio 4)	78.0% 22.0%	85.9% 14.1%	150	30	4	2017-02-18
Would I Lie To You? (BBC One)	77.0% 23.0%	59.7% 40.3%	1043	149	6	2024-03-12
It's Only TV But I Like It (BBC1)	76.6% 23.4%	59.7% 40.3%	222	31	6	2017-03-21
8 Out of 10 Cats (Channel 4)	76.0% 24.0%	62.8% 37.2%	1427	203	6	2024-03-12
The News Quiz (BBC Radio 4)	75.9% 24.1%	71.3% 28.7%	5018	1045	5	2024-03-09
The Big Fat Quiz (Channel 4)	75.9% 24.1%	58.8% 41.2%	224	32	7	2024-03-08
It's Only A Theory (BBC Four)	75.0% 25.0%	40.0% 60.0%	24	8	9	2016-02-07
The Unbelievable Truth (BBC Radio 4)	74.8% 25.2%	68.5% 31.5%	884	176	6	2024-03-08
The Fake News Show (Channel 4)	74.1% 25.9%	83.3% 16.7%	27	5	4	2017-12-28
You Have Been Watching (Channel 4)	73.9% 26.1%	65.4% 34.6%	69	17	6	2017-01-28
The Christian O'Connell Solution (BBC Radio 5 Live)	73.8% 26.2%	55.6% 44.4%	65	16	7	2017-03-16
So Wrong It's Right (BBC Radio 4)	73.5% 26.5%	60.0% 40.0%	68	17	7	2024-03-11
QI (BBC One/Two/Four)	73.3% 26.7%	68.1% 31.9%	1507	301	6	2024-03-08
Bad Language (BBC Northern Ireland)	73.3% 26.7%	83.3% 16.7%	30	6	4	2016-02-23
The Brain Drain (BBC2)	73.0% 27.0%	72.4% 27.6%	74	14	5	2017-03-23
Shooting Stars (BBC Two)	72.4% 27.6%	62.0% 38.0%	651	72	7	2024-05-23
Rob Brydon's Annually Retentive (BBC Three)	72.2% 27.8%	75.4% 24.6%	97	12	5	2024-03-12
Duck Quacks Don't Echo (Sky 1)	72.0% 28.0%	62.6% 37.4%	164	41	7	2017-12-28
It's Not What You Know (BBC Radio 4)	70.7% 29.3%	61.3% 38.7%	99	24	7	2024-03-09
Ask Rhod Gilbert (BBC One)	70.4% 29.6%	42.0% 58.0%	98	16	9	2016-04-15
Safe Word (ITV2)	70.3% 29.7%	73.1% 26.9%	91	13	6	2021-04-10
Taskmaster (Dave)	68.8% 1.0% 30.2%	56.4% 1.3% 42.3%	1052	150	7	2024-01-16
Sweat the Small Stuff (BBC Three)	67.4% 32.6%	62.6% 37.4%	242	32	7	2024-05-23
Go 8 Bit (Dave)	67.3% 32.7%	51.9% 48.1%	156	26	8	2019-01-03
Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled (Dave)	66.5% 0.3% 33.2%	58.1% 0.4% 41.5%	310	62	7	2024-05-23
Reality Bites (ITV2)	65.7% 34.3%	65.3% 34.7%	67	6	7	2024-05-23
You Heard It Here First (BBC Radio 4)	60.0% 5.0% 35.0%	50.0% 6.2% 43.8%	20	4	8	2024-03-11
Bring The Noise (Sky One)	64.7% 35.3%	64.7% 35.3%	51	8	7	2024-03-11
Hypothetical (Dave)	64.1% 35.9%	46.1% 53.9%	192	32	9	2024-03-11
8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown (Channel 4)	63.4% 36.6%	65.1% 34.9%	1342	157	7	2024-03-11
Don't Ask Me Ask Britain (ITV 1)	63.3% 36.7%	8.3% 91.7%	30	6	7	2024-05-23
Heresy (BBC Radio 4)	62.3% 37.7%	72.4% 27.6%	284	70	7	2024-03-11
Wordaholics (BBC Radio 4)	62.2% 37.8%	77.5% 22.5%	90	18	6	2024-03-11
Fake Reaction (ITV2)	61.9% 38.1%	58.3% 41.7%	126	18	8	2017-02-18
Breaking The News (BBC Radio Scotland)	60.4% 39.6%	50.8% 49.2%	1426	285	9	2024-03-11
One Person Found This Helpful (BBC Radio 4)	60.0% 40.0%	50.0% 50.0%	15	3	9	2024-03-11
The Complaints Department (Comedy Central)	60.0% 40.0%	50.0% 50.0%	30	6	9	2024-03-12
Rob Beckett's Smart TV (Sky Max)	60.0% 40.0%	55.6% 44.4%	15	2	8	2024-03-11
As Seen On TV (BBC One)	58.9% 41.1%	53.1% 46.9%	56	8	9	2024-03-11
Celebrity Juice (ITV2)	58.0% 42.0%	68.3% 31.7%	2162	276	7	2024-05-23
Outsiders (Dave)	57.1% 42.9%	50.0% 50.0%	126	18	9	2024-03-11
Harry Hill's Alien Fun Capsule (ITV)	56.9% 43.1%	46.3% 53.7%	102	20	10	2023-10-07
Sorry, I Didn't Know (ITV2)	55.7% 0.7% 43.6%	58.5% 1.3% 40.2%	140	20	8	2024-03-12
What The Dickens? (Sky Arts 1)	56.4% 43.6%	77.3% 22.7%	110	22	7	2017-12-28
Question Team (Dave)	54.2% 45.8%	43.3% 56.7%	83	16	10	2024-03-11
Insert Name Here (BBC Two)	54.1% 45.9%	44.6% 55.4%	196	28	10	2024-03-10
Frankie Boyle's New World Order (BBC Two)	50.8% 49.2%	48.0% 52.0%	246	42	10	2024-03-06
It's Not Me, It's You (Channel 5)	48.2% 51.8%	55.2% 44.8%	56	8	10	2024-05-23
Do The Right Thing (Comedy.co.uk)	48.2% 51.8%	67.4% 32.6%	199	37	8	2024-03-09
Best Behaviour (BBC Radio 4)	45.8% 54.2%	61.1% 38.9%	24	6	9	2016-02-07
Comedy Game Night (Comedy Central)	42.2% 57.8%	46.7% 53.3%	90	10	9	2024-03-12
Global Pillage (The Spontaneity Shop)	41.6% 0.6% 57.8%	29.9% 1.1% 69.0%	495	71	7	2024-03-11
Dilemma (BBC Radio 4)	41.6% 58.4%	52.0% 48.0%	125	25	9	2016-02-07
Listomania (BBC Radio 2)	40.0% 60.0%	50.0% 50.0%	30	6	9	2016-02-14
Best Medicine (BBC Radio 4)	35.3% 64.7%	43.9% 56.1%	51	10	8	2024-03-11
Out Of Order (TV) (Comedy Central)	26.7% 73.3%	66.7% 33.3%	15	3	9	2024-03-12
Elephant in the Room (BBC Radio 4)	20.0% 80.0%	25.0% 75.0%	65	13	5	2024-03-11
Nature Table (BBC Radio 4)	20.0% 80.0%	26.3% 73.7%	25	6	5	2024-03-11
Where's the F in News (BBC Radio 4)	0.0% 100.0%	0.0% 100.0%	75	15	0	2024-03-11
Comedy total	75.5% 24.5%	65.7% 34.3%	39840	6980
Other panel shows
Out Of Order (Radio) (BBC Radio 4)	96.7% 3.3%	87.8% 12.2%	521	127	2	2016-02-08
Petrolheads (BBC Two)	93.3% 6.7%	91.7% 8.3%	30	6	2	2016-02-07
Fighting Talk (BBC Radio 5 Live)	90.3% 9.7%	89.8% 10.2%	2615	526	2	2021-04-09
The Last Leg (Channel 4)	87.7% 12.3%	66.2% 33.8%	560	119	5	2017-05-19
The Infinite Monkey Cage (BBC Radio 4)	83.3% 16.7%	72.9% 27.1%	426	82	4	2024-03-08
A Question of Sport (BBC One)	77.3% 22.7%	83.5% 16.5%	2963	1128	4	2017-03-03
Question Time (BBC One)	70.1% 29.9%	64.0% 36.0%	7717	1423	7	2019-12-10
In Our Time (BBC Radio 4)	69.2% 30.8%	58.6% 41.4%	2756	706	7	2019-12-10
Call My Bluff (BBC One)	67.4% 32.6%	52.3% 47.7%	5421	1045	8	2016-12-29
Gardener's Question Time (BBC Radio 4)	65.2% 34.8%	54.3% 45.7%	1919	465	8	2016-05-01
Loose Women (ITV)	19.4% 0.1% 80.5%	51.2% 0.2% 48.6%	15786	2485	7	2024-05-23
Petticoat Line (BBC Home Service/BBC Radio 4)	0.0% 100.0%	0.0% 100.0%	573	116	0	2023-10-06
Other total	51.7% 48.3%	61.6% 38.4%	41287	8228

Discussion

Nearly all these long-running shows under-represent women even if you ignore the regulars. Few shows have equal representation amongst guests. I contend that some shows even under-represent the number of women on the comedy circuit (which, from various evidence, is around 17-24%).

Funny women

If you are looking for some funny women, here is a non-exhaustive list of suggestions (feel free to tell me more suggestions)

Update 8 February 2014: The BBC's director of TV has said that "panel shows such as QI and Mock the Week will no longer have all-male line-ups". It is good to know the issue is being tackled. Hopefully it doesn't result in women being limited to one per episode.

Update October 2015: As I worried, Mock The Week seem to have used the 2014 ruling to limit women to one per episode. I agree with the departing Andy Parsons that they could take the opportunity to have a woman regular.

Update December 2016: This research got written up by Chortle and the Guardian. The Guardian article included some good quotes from comedians. Robert Lawson and Ursula Lutzky have an article about language splits on a season of Mock the Week (Discourse, Context & Media, Volume 13, Part B, September 2016, Pages 143–153).

Update December 2017: Tiff Stevenson wrote about the BBC moving away from comedy panel shows back in August.

Please TV-land people: sort this all out.