This Hour Has 22 Minutes: Canadian satirical news and sketch show

Format and recurring elements

The show mixes a faux newscast format with field pieces, mock interviews and character-driven sketches. Regular features often mimic television news segments or celebrity interviews and shift between scripted bits and improvised encounters with members of the public. Over the years the cast has introduced memorable recurring personas and short-run satirical segments that lampoon politicians, institutions and current events.

Typical components include:

• Anchored “news” desk segments and headline parodies
• On-location ambush interviews and man-on-the-street pieces
• Character sketches led by ensemble cast members

History and development

Premiering in the early 1990s, the program was developed by a team of Canadian comedy writers and producers and has featured many well-known national comedians among its ensemble. Its tone blends broad sketch comedy with pointed political satire and has evolved with changing political and media landscapes while keeping a focus on Canadian affairs and public figures.

The series has earned recognition within Canada for its cultural impact and for launching or boosting the profiles of several comedians. It has received multiple national television awards and nominations for writing and performance, reflecting its long-standing presence in Canadian broadcasting.

Controversies and public impact

Because the show directly targets politicians and institutions, some segments have provoked debate. In the mid-2000s an episode featuring a staged bit in which a politician performed a symbolic act toward a political doll became widely discussed and led to consequences for the politician involved. The program’s mix of satire and ambush-style encounters has often tested the boundaries between comedy and political consequence.

This Hour Has 22 Minutes remains an influential example of televised political satire in Canada, notable for its blend of sketch comedy and faux-news presentation and for engaging a national audience on public life and current affairs. For further context about its format and episodes see network pages and program guides linked here: series overview, episode guide, press coverage, political reactions.