Jack Whitehall and his septuagenarian father Michael, a former agent to Colin Firth and Judi Dench, turned the traditional chat-show format into a family squabble recorded at Riverside Studios. Each episode pairs A-list guests with parlour games, quizzes and scripted sketches, all routinely derailed by Michael’s withering asides about his son’s dress sense, career choices and interviewing technique. The first series landed on BBC Three in November 2013, clocking up six half-hour episodes before two summer specials tackled the World Cup and Father’s Day.
The show’s upgrade to BBC Two for the second run began on 5 January 2015, extending the running time to 45 minutes and booking heavier-hitters such as Jeremy Clarkson and Kate Winslet. Ratings held, so an End of Year Special followed on 26 December 2015. Tiger Aspect Productions kept the set deliberately domestic: mismatched armchairs, a drinks trolley and the lingering sense that filming could be interrupted by Mrs Whitehall arriving home.
No third series materialised. BBC Two quietly shelved Backchat after the festive special, leaving fifteen episodes in total, though the Whitehalls resurrected the bickering act in 2017 for Netflix’s Travels with My Father.
Production Details
BBC Three / 2 Seasons / 12 Episodes / 2013 - Present
Main Cast
Jack Whitehall as Self - Host
Michael Whitehall as Self - Host
