Rude Tube is a British television programme broadcast on Channel 4 and its sister channel E4.[1] Most of the programme's episodes have been presented by British comedian Alex Zane,[2] who launched the show's pilot episode in February 2008.[3] Comedian Matt Kirshen presented the show's first full series in 2008 on E4. Zane has hosted the show since its 2009 New Year special. Johnny Vegas and Emma Frain have also featured in multiple sketches between clips on episodes hosted by Alex Zane. The pilot episode in February 2008 was followed by a first series which aired from November to December of that year. A Christmas episode followed the series. A New Year episode was broadcast on 3 January 2009. A second series aired across October 2009.

Rude Tube
Rude Tube Title Card, 2017
Also known asRude(ish) Tube (pre-watershed edition)
GenreClip show
Presented byAlex Zane
Matt Kirshen (2008)
Opening theme"Trash" by The Whip
Country of originUnited Kingdom
No. of series11 Specials
No. of episodes99
Original release
NetworkChannel 4 (2008–2015)
E4 (2008–2017)
Release6 February 2008 (2008-02-06) –
18 July 2017 (2017-07-18)

The eleventh and final series debuted on E4 on Tuesday 16 May 2017 with an episode entitled "Animals Assemble".[4] The programme broadcast its last episode on 18 July 2017.

Format

edit

Rude Tube is a clip show with the majority of episodes formatted as a run-down of the "top internet viral videos", usually with either 100 or 50 clips per episode, although the first series presented by Matt Kirshen only had 20 clips per half-hour episode. Episodes are usually interspersed with interview clips with the viral videos' creators and stars.[citation needed]

Most episodes of Rude Tube are themed, with titles including "Epic Fails", "Rude Tunes", "Utter Pranks", "Extreme Rides", "Daft Stunts", "Rude 'lympics", "Kick-Ass Animals" and "Gods of Geek". New Year special episodes were broadcast in early January from 2009 to 2015. Christmas special episodes were broadcast in December from 2011 to 2015.[citation needed]

A 20-episode spin-off series, Rude(ish) Tube, was first shown on E4 in 2012 and then received an additional series.[citation needed]

Broadcast history

edit

Pilot (Channel 4)

edit

Rude Tube was first broadcast on Channel 4 as a pilot episode on 6 February 2008, presented by Alex Zane. The pilot attracted 2.5 million viewers, aired in a Friday primetime slot, with a 10.8% share of UK TV viewers.[5][6]

Series 1 (E4)

edit

A full series followed later in the year. It was presented by Matt Kirshen and broadcast on Channel 4's free-to-view digital channel E4. The 6-episode series aired from November to December 2008.

Series 2–7 and Specials (Channel 4)

edit

A special episode entitled Rude Tube 2009 was broadcast on Channel 4 on 2 January 2009, with Alex Zane returning as host.[7] Zane would remain the show's main host for all future Channel 4 episodes. Rude Tube 2009 featured the "top 50 viral video clips on the web" as rated by number of views in 2008. The series was followed by a New Year special, broadcast on 2 January 2009.

A second series, known as Rude Tube III was broadcast on Channel 4 in October 2009 and featured three new 60-minute episodes. The series was followed by the second New Year special, broadcast on 3 January 2010.

A third series, Rude Tube IV commenced in October 2010 and ran for 6 episodes, followed by the third New Year special, broadcast on 7 January 2011. The special episode featured 100 clips, which were a combination of 50 highlights from Rude Tube IV and 50 new clips.

A fourth full series of the show featured eight new episodes and aired on Channel 4 from September to November 2011. This was followed by the first Rude Tube Christmas special – a countdown of 50 Christmas themed clips which aired on Christmas Day at 10pm on Channel 4. The Christmas special was followed by the fourth New Year special, broadcast on 6 January 2012.

A new series of six episodes began in September 2012, with the show's second Christmas special and fifth New Year special splitting the series, which concluded in early 2013. A further 15 episodes were broadcast in 2013, concluding with the third Christmas special on 27 December. A sixth New Year special followed on 3 January 2014. Comedian Johnny Vegas guest starred with Zane as the voice of the "talking computer" on some of the 2012 and 2013 episodes.[8]

Rude(ish) Tube (E4)

edit

Known as "Rude Tube's little sister", Rude(ish) Tube is a spin-off series featuring clips described as "very cheeky – if a bit less rude". The series is broadcast on E4.[9]

Series 8, Specials and move to E4

edit

Rude Tube returned for its eighth series in November 2014. Presented by Alex Zane, the main series premiered on E4 for the first time since series one. Series eight ran from 11 November to 30 December and consisted of eight individually-themed episodes. In addition, two special programmes, Rude Tube Christmas Cracker 2014 and Welcome to 2015 were shown on Channel 4 on 25 December 2014 and 1 January 2015 respectively.[citation needed]

Series 9 and Specials

edit

The ninth series of Rude Tube debuted on Sunday 2 August 2015 on E4 with an episode entitled 200% Cats – it ran for ten episodes with Zane returning as host.[10] The series was followed by the regular Christmas and New Year specials, broadcast on Channel 4 on 25 December 2015 and 1 January 2016 respectively.

Series 10 and Specials

edit

The tenth series debuted on E4 on Monday 11 January 2016 with an episode entitled "Daredevils & Dummies".[11] Rude Tube Christmas Cracker 2016 and Welcome To 2017 aired on Channel 4 on 24 and 30 December respectively.

Series 11

edit

The eleventh series debuted on E4 on Tuesday 16 May 2017 with an episode entitled "Animals Assemble".[4]

Episode guide

edit
Series Year Episodes Presenter Channel Dates
Pilot 2008
  • Rude Tube
Alex Zane Channel 4 6 February 2008
Series 1 2008
  • Pranks and Stunts
  • Freaky Skills and Geeky Thrills
  • Celebrity and Wannabe
  • Naughty and Naked
  • Animals and Kids
  • Drink and Drugs
Matt Kirshen E4 5 November to 10 December 2008
Special 2009
  • New Year Special
Alex Zane Channel 4 2 January 2009
Series 2 2009
  • Heroes and Villains
  • All Things Weird and Wonderful
  • Superstars of the Web
Alex Zane Channel 4 9 to 23 October 2009
Special 2010
  • New Year Special
Alex Zane Channel 4 3 January 2010
Series 3 2010
  • Epic Fails
  • Animal Madness
  • Ultimate Champions
  • Total Stunts
  • Rude Tunes
  • Viral Ads
Alex Zane Channel 4 5 October to 7 November 2010
Special 2011
  • Rude Tube 2011 (New Year Special)
Alex Zane Channel 4 7 January 2011
Series 4 2011
  • Mashed 'n' Mixed
  • Total Fails
  • Epic Skills
  • Utter Pranks
  • Love Bytes
  • Ultimate Stunts
  • Rude Zoo
  • Extreme Rides
Alex Zane Channel 4 12 September to 9 November 2011
Special 2011
  • Epic Christmas
Alex Zane Channel 4 25 December 2011
Special 2012
  • New Year with Rude Tube 2012
Alex Zane Channel 4 6 January 2012
Series 5 (part one) 2012
  • Utter Fails
  • Animal Anarchy
  • Serious Skills
  • Daft Stunts
Alex Zane Channel 4 10 September to 2 October 2012
Special 2012
  • Christmas Cracker
Alex Zane Channel 4 25 December 2012
Special 2013
  • Welcome to 2013
Alex Zane Channel 4 11 January 2013
Series 5 (part two) 2013
  • Totally Mashed
  • Complete Prankers
Alex Zane Channel 4 17 and 24 January 2013
Series 6 2013
  • Web Stars
  • WTF?!?
  • Rom Dot Com
  • Dumb and Dangerous
  • Rude 'lympics
  • Bad Trips
Alex Zane Channel 4 23 July to 27 August 2013
Series 7 2013
  • World of Fail
  • Kick-Ass Animals
  • Badass Stunts
  • Mashed Up
  • Super Pranks
  • Internet Incredibles
  • Gods of Geek
  • Web Celebs
Alex Zane Channel 4 8 September to 27 October 2013
Special 2013
  • Christmas Cracker 2013
Alex Zane Channel 4 27 December 2013
Special 2014
  • Welcome to 2014
Alex Zane Channel 4 3 January 2014
Series 8 2014
  • Planet Fail
  • Bad Ass Beasts
  • Viral Idols
  • Massive Prankers
  • Fearless & Foolish
  • World Wide Weird
  • Arena of Awesomeness
  • Cats and Dogs
Alex Zane E4 11 November to 30 December 2014
Special 2014
  • Christmas Cracker 2014
Alex Zane Channel 4 24 December 2014
Special 2015
  • Welcome to 2015
Alex Zane Channel 4 1 January 2015
Series 9 2015
  • 200% Cats
  • Masters of Disaster
  • Internet Icons
  • Cunning Stunts
  • Prank Bank
  • Kick-Ass Critters
  • OMFG
  • Love Sexy
  • Ultimate Lols
  • 200% Dogs
Alex Zane E4 2 August to 29 September 2015
Special 2015
  • Christmas Cracker 2015
Alex Zane Channel 4 25 December 2015
Special 2016
  • Welcome to 2016
Alex Zane Channel 4 1 January 2016
Series 10 2016
  • Daredevils & Dummies
  • Clan Anarchy
  • Mashed 'n' Trashed
  • Rudelympics
  • Feasts of Fury
  • Animals Unleashed
  • Man v Machine
  • Epic Legends
  • Cats v Dogs
  • World Wide Weirder
Alex Zane E4 11 January to 14 March 2016
Specials 2016
  • Christmas Cracker 2016
  • Welcome to 2017
Alex Zane Channel 4
  • 24 December 2016
  • 30 December 2016
Series 11 2017
  • Animals Assemble
  • Face Palms and Face Plants
  • Weird v Weirder
  • Superstars of Stupid
  • Ultimate Legends
  • Cats v Dogs – The Rematch
  • Planet Prank
  • Heroes of Fail
  • Creature Chaos
  • Greatest Hits
Alex Zane E4 16 May to 18 July 2017

Releases

edit
  • Alex Zane presents The Best of Rude Tube (2011, DVD, 158 minutes, Acorn Media)

International distribution

edit

The show airs in the United States on the Fusion cable & satellite channel.

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "Rude Tube: Rude Tube – Episode Guide". Channel 4. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  2. ^ "Programme Highlights: February 2008". Programming: C4. Channel 4. Archived from the original on 13 February 2008. Retrieved 21 February 2008.
  3. ^ "Rude Tube - TheTVDB.com". www.thetvdb.com. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  4. ^ a b "Rude Tube: Series 11". Retrieved 21 May 2017.
  5. ^ Darren Davidson (18 February 2008). "C4's Rude Tube beats new ITV dramas with 2.5m viewers". Media. Brand Republic. Retrieved 21 February 2008.
  6. ^ Paul Whitelaw (18 February 2008). "How the shirt on your back may break theirs". Living: TV review. The Scotsman. Retrieved 21 February 2008.
  7. ^ Radio Times
  8. ^ "Rude Tube Episode Guide".
  9. ^ "Rude(ish) Tube Episode Guide".
  10. ^ "Rude Tube: 200% Cats". Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  11. ^ "Rude Tube: Daredevils & Dummies". Retrieved 1 January 2016.
edit