Viewers have given the Paul O'Grady show the thumbs down
TV

Disappointed viewers complain “awful” Paul O’Grady show Saturday Night Line Up is too ‘tame’ for beloved star

How can it be fixed?

Fans of Paul O’Grady are not all that impressed with his new ITV show, despite adoring the 66-year-old telly favourite.

Viewers criticised last night’s (Saturday September 19) second episode of Paul O’Grady’s Saturday Night Line Up of the series as “awful”.

And people watching at home also suggested on social media the programme’s format was ‘too tame’ for his talents.

Guests on Paul O'Grady's Saturday Night Line Up
Paul O’Grady was joined on his show by Amanda Holden, David Haye., Johnny Vegas and Aston Merrygold (Credit ITV Hub)

‘Missing something’

One viewer pondered on Twitter whether Paul being ‘tied down to a script’ worked against his broadcasting instincts.

They complained: “Not really a big fan of Paul O’Grady’s Saturday Night Line Up. It misses something? I think it’s because they’ve tied him to an autocue.”

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Another person who replied agreed – and indicated they feel the set up ‘holds Paul back’.

“The format is a bit too loose,” they responded.

“Paul O’Grady is being a little too tame.”

Paul O'Grady laughs
Devoted fans aren’t convinced by aspects of the new Paul O’Grady show (Credit ITV Hub)

‘Paul O’Grady is better than this show’

Others agreed the show might not play to Paul’s strengths – and were “disappointed” by the structure.

“I had all hope for #saturdaynightlineup,” one tweeter began.

Paul O’Grady is being a little too tame.

“But extremely disappointed with the format. Thought it would be more Parkinson chat than Big Brother style games. #paulogrady.”

A respondent concurred: “Awful isn’t it ? And I’m a big, long time Paul O’Grady fan. Last week was bad, this week even worse. Cringeworthy. What a racket. Paul’s better than this. Sad really #paulogrady.”

Amanda Holden laughs on the Paul O'Grady show
Paul O’Grady fans were all quite as amused as Amanda Holden (Credit ITV Hub)

How other Paul O’Grady fans reacted to the show

Elsewhere, other viewers were in agreement with the points about the show’s format, but much more concise about it.

And it seems that the presence of guests Amanda Holden, David Haye, Johnny Vegas and Aston Merrygold didn’t help matters all that much.

“I like Paul O’Grady but he deserves a better format and better guests. #saturdaynightlineup,” one person tweeted.

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Another reflected: “Sorry but the new Paul O’Grady show on Saturday evenings is awful.”

And yet another person boiled their assessment down to: “Usually like Paul O’Grady but this is hella [blank] #SaturdayNightLineUp.”

– Paul O’Grady’s Saturday Night Line Up is on again next Saturday, Septemnber 25, from 9.35pm.

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Robert Leigh
Freelance writer