TFI Friday fans have slammed Channel 4’s reboot of Chris Evans’s iconic 90s chat show as a ‘huge missed opportunity’.
The unfiltered show first aired back in 1996 and found a home on Channel 4 before being pulled from the air in 2000.
Aside from its brief revival in 2015, the show boasts a controversial history, from including segments about ‘fat lookalikes’ to asking Victoria Beckham to weight herself.
But, after the show was rebooted earlier this year on YouTube alongside the 60-year-old presenter’s Virgin Radio programme, it has now returned to its original home as a six-part TV series.
Last night’s episode featured guests Jack Savoretti, Indian superstar Shreya Ghoshal and Sam Ryder.
However, reacting to the relaunch, several fans claimed that it all felt ‘pointless’.
Writing on X, Jamie said: ‘I think most people tuning into #TFI tonight on Channel 4 will be disappointed. The media have built it up via headlines into a full return.
‘From what I’ve seen on YouTube, #TFIUnplugged has more resemblance to a visual podcast than the show from the 90s.’
Another user called @Bat_n_Trap added: ‘Let’s be frank TFI Friday was a disaster. Best bits were the throwbacks… Why not Do a “best of ” for 6 weeks, as new stuff is lame.’
Calling it ‘tame’, Scarlett also questioned: ‘Whose idea was the TFI programme? Full of old clips from celebrities who have since passed with a section at the beginning saying that it’s 2026. Pointless.’
Chris Evans TFI Friday controversies
More widely, the series wasn’t without its controversies.
- One competition to win a car for their parents put two children head-to-head in a staring contest, which ended in tears, outcry from viewers and an official reprimand.
- Both children were brought back onto the show as adults in 2015 where they were both gifted holidays to Barbados.
- In the first season of the show in the mid-90s, Happy Mondays lead vocalist Shaun Ryder dropped the F-bomb which lead to Chris giving an onscreen apology and the music artist from being issued a ban.
- Still Shaun did make a comeback and performed an expletive-filled version of the Sex Pistols’ Pretty Vacant which led to more apologies and consequences for Channel 4.
Meanwhile, Darren added: ‘Missed a huge chance to become amazing again & I am gutted it’s this bad!
‘New #tfifriday sorry absolute crap! Where’s the anarchy or chaos of the old days?’
However, not all viewers were as equally displeased, as some actually enjoyed the nostalgic elements.
An X user called @PutTheTellyOn said: ‘I love it. It was always crap but it was good crap! Sometimes crap is great, Chris has always been a master at it!’
Before describing it as ‘pub humour’ and ‘harmless nostalgia’, they even called it for it to be put out live at 10pm instead of The Last Leg.
Sharon also wrote: ‘I loved it. Bring it back,’ as Steve claimed: ‘I’ve been transported back 20 years and I’m loving it.
Similarly, Lee said that he ‘felt nostalgic’, while Mike added: ‘Kind of surreal watching this… I’m transported back to the late 90s, when it was a must watch every Friday night.
‘Nice to have a mix of nostalgia, with a modern twist.’
Commenting on the series, Channel 4’s Cimran Shah said: ‘TFI Friday was doing stripped-back, personality-led chat long before visualised podcasts were a twinkle in our eyes!’
‘I’m thrilled that this deal brings TFI back to Channel 4, reimagined in a way that feels fresh, immediate and perfectly suited for a new generation wherever they watch Channel 4.’
TFI Friday launched on Friday, April 17 at 11pm on Channel 4.
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