Frank Skinner to front BBC2 entertainment show

Frank Skinner is to front a new BBC2 entertainment show, his first regular presenting job for the corporation for more than a decade since he departed following a row over his pay. The comedian's new show, Frank Skinner's Opinionated, will be his first for BBC2 since he last co-hosted Fantasy Football with David Baddiel during the 1996 European Championships. Skinner has done one-off presenting jobs for the BBC in recent years, including a Panorama special on taste and decency in TV early last year. He has also appeared as guest host and captain on Have I Got News for You and Never Mind the Buzzcocks, and featured in Children in Need series Around The World In 80 Days last autumn. However, he has not had his own show since negotiations over a new pay deal ended acrimoniously in late 1999 , with the corporation's then director of television, Alan Yentob, taking the unusual step of blaming Skinner's management and production company, Avalon, for the breakdown of months of talks. The BBC claimed at the time that Avalon was demanding £20m over two years for a deal for Skinner to work on drama and sitcoms across both its main TV channels as well as presenting his BBC1 chat show, The Frank Skinner Show. Following the breakdown in talks, Skinner took his chat show to ITV1 where it was a regular fixture until 2005. He also made Baddiel and Skinner Unplanned and sitcom Shane for ITV. In his new BBC show, Skinner, who writes a weekly column for the Times , will be joined by two comedians to discuss the week's events. The show will be broadcast from a different location around the country each week in front of a studio audience. "It's me, two guest comedians and, most importantly, the citizens of Great Britain sharing our opinions on stuff in the news. On a good week, I will probably crowd-surf," Skinner said. Frank Skinner's Opinionated is being made by Avalon from Scotland for the BBC. Executive producers will be Alan Tyler for the BBC and Avalon founder Jon Thoday. The producer is Paul McGettigan. The show was commissioned by Janice Hadlow, BBC2 controller, and Mark Linsey, controller, BBC entertainment commissioning. • To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email [email protected] or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. • If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".