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The show consists of a panel of four improvisational performers and comedians. They make up characters, scenes, and songs on the spot, sometimes based on audience suggestions or with pre-written prompts from the host. The show is formatted roughly as a mock competition, with the host arbitrarily assigning points and choosing a "winner" at the end of each episode who would (in the British version) undertake a improvisational act based on the closing credits. In a typical taping, each 'game' is played between one and three times, always with different prompts and suggestions. Then the show is edited and only those scenes deemed the best are actually broadcast.
In 2004, a similar show with almost the same cast premiered on The WB, called Drew Carey's Green Screen .
The show was created by Dan Patterson , and in its original form on BBC Radio 4, Clive Anderson presented the show, with two regulars, Stephen Fry and John Sessions, and two guests. It was later moved to the television station Channel 4, with little change in format except for a more varied guest rotation. Regular comedians from the British version included, as well as the former regulars, a variety of British, American, and CanadianCanada historically the Dominion of Canada is the second-largest, and northernmost, country in the world. It is a decentralized federation of 10 provinces and 3 territories, governed as a constitutional monarchy, and formed in 1867 through an act of Confe comedians, notably Josie LawrenceJosie Lawrence (born Dudley, 6 June, 1959) is a British comedian and actress. She came to fame as a regular guest on Whose Line Is It Anyway, and went on to appear in many other roles, including her own short-lived TV series Josie in 1991. She also starre, Paul MertonRoom 101 set Paul Merton (born January 17, 1957) is a British actor, deadpan comedian and writer, who is best known as a panellist on Have I Got News For You and Just a Minute on BBC Radio 4. Born Paul Martin in the Parsons Green area of London, he gained, Tony SlatteryTony Slattery (born November 9, 1959) is British actor and comedian. In his youth, he represented England at under-15 judo. He studied Mediaeval and Modern Languages at Cambridge University, where he also became a member of the Cambridge Footlights. Like, Ryan StilesRyan Stiles (born April 22, 1959) is a North American actor and widely believed to be one of the best improvisational comedians in the world. He was born in Seattle, Washington, United States, the youngest of five children. When Ryan was ten, his Canadian, Sandi ToksvigSandi Toksvig (born May 3, 1959 in Copenhagen) is a comedian and radio presenter famous in the United Kingdom. Her father was a foreign reporter for a Danish television channel, and she spent most of her youth abroad. She studied law and anthropology at G, Colin MochrieColin Mochrie (born 30 November 1957) is a Scottish-born Canadian actor and widely believed to be one of the best improv comedians in the world. He has twenty-five years of performing experience. Born in Kilmarnock, Scotland, he moved with his family to C, Mike McShane , and Greg ProopsGreg Proops (born October 3, 1959, in Phoenix, AZ) is an American actor and stand-up comedian, and enjoys immense popularity overseas as a comic and improviser. A native of San Francisco, Proops studied improvisation and acting at San Francisco University. Sessions was ever-present in the early days of the British television version, with Stiles becoming a staple in later episodes and having some influence on the creation and success of the American incarnation. Many of the performers, including Merton, Lawrence and Toksvig were regulars with the Comedy Store Players, an improvisational group based at the London Comedy Store. The theme tune for the British television incarnation of the show was composed by Philip Pope.
The reruns of the UK TV series were aired for many years on the US Comedy Central TV channel, and were brought to the attention of American comedian Drew Carey (who had a working relationship with regular Whose Line performer Stiles). Carey convinced ABC to air test episodes in the United States. The show was an inexpensive hit, and ABC kept Carey on as the host of a successful American version. The American version is almost identical to the UK series, though it has a less diverse rotation of games and performers, and features occasional celebrity guest appearances. Regular comedians on the American incarnation of the show include Colin Mochrie, Greg Proops, Ryan Stiles, Wayne Brady, Chip Esten , Brad Sherwood, Denny Siegel , Jeff Davis and Kathy Greenwood. Mochrie, Proops, Stiles, Esten and Sherwood all appeared multiple times on the British show. For a time, the British version of the series (with Clive Anderson still hosting) was taped in the same Hollywood studio as the American version, though this version was rarely shown on US TV. After a couple of years of simultaneous productions, the British version of the series was retired.