VIDEO: BWW Exclusive - First Look at ERIC IDLE'S THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE on PBS

A cosmic explosion of comedy, music, dance and science, ERIC IDLE'S THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE tackles nothing less than the origins of the cosmos in a zany one-hour variety extravaganza premiering Friday, December 22, 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET (check local listings) on PBS. In his quest to unlock the SECRETS of the universe, Idle is ably assisted by renowned British physicist Brian Cox and special guests Warwick Davis, Noel Fielding, Robin Ince and Hannah Waddingham, with an appearance from European Space Agency astronaut and former Space Station crewmember Tim Peake. Today, BWW exclusively premieres a first look at the show!

Filmed before a live audience, ERIC IDLE'S THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE opens with Master of Ceremonies Idle introducing Professor Cox, who will deliver a lecture on the origins of the cosmos. His valiant attempts to explain the 138-billion-year history of the universe -- including the Big Bang, the space-time continuum, fundamental particles, gravitational fields and more -- are constantly interrupted by a motley crew of special guests, including popular British comedian and new host of the UK's The Great British Bake-Off Noel Fielding, who appears as both Albert Einstein and a Higgs Bosun particle; Warwick Davis, whose jokes about his height are paired with a song lamenting Pluto's diminished status in the solar system; and Game of Thrones' Hannah Waddingham, the original Lady of the Lake in Spamalot, who sings about time and the speed of light backed by dancers from the Muriel Tritt School of Music and Dance.

Written by Eric Idle of Monty Python, with songs by Idle and John du Prez of Spamalotfame, ERIC IDLE'S THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE marks the return of Rutland Weekend Television, Idle's BBC2 1970s sketch show, which presented its first Christmas special 40 years ago with Beatle George Harrison starring. Now Rutland Weekend Television is back with this new musical-comedy extravaganza featuring "the Beatle of science, Brian Cox," said Idle.

ERIC IDLE'S THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE is written and hosted by Eric Idle, with music by John Du Prez and Science by Professor Brian Cox. The choreographer is Arlene Phillips. The producer is Lisa Clark and the director is Matthew Amos. Starring Hannah Waddingham, Noel Fielding, and Warwick Davis. Produced by BBC in Association with Eagle Rock Entertainment.

Image courtesy of Courtesy of Guy Levy

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