TFI Friday could return permanently after tonight’s anniversary special

TFI Friday could make a more permanent return to our screens, if tonight's one-off special is a hit (which it is almost certain to be). 

 

The Chris Evans-fronted show, which first broadcast in 1996, is coming back for one night only. It will be aired at 9pm – much later than the traditional 6pm slot – and guests will include former Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher and the Lightning Sees' Ian Broudie, as well as The Who's Roger Daltrey and Ringo Starr's son Zak Starkey. 

 

Blur, Stone Roses, Rudimental, Primal Scream guitarist Mani and Years & Years will perform, while Jeremy Clarkson will make his first interview since being axed from Top Gear. 

 

Even Happy Mondays' singer Shaun Ryder – who famously forced the show to move from a live to pre-recorded broadcast after a string of expletives – will appear. 

 

The 90-minute special is being aired to celebrate the show's 20th birthday – although it is in fact 19 years since it debuted. 

 

With that mix it looks likely the show will be a ratings hit for Channel 4 – and insiders have told The Guardian that it would be “a no-brainer” for it to be brought back if so. 

 

However, it will largely depend on Evans, who has described the anniversary show as “closure” but also said a return was “eminently doable, forever”. 

 

Former producer Will Macdonald – he of the Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiilllllllllllllllll fame – told the paper: “There’s no point in deciding whether that will happen until we do it and see what happens. We have all had fun getting back together, but the experience of doing the live show will ultimately determine whether we want to do it again.”