From 2005 to 2021 the C4 show 8 Out of 10 Cats (here) ran for 204 original episodes, plus 24 Best Bits compilations.

It’s still a much-loved show (clips all over YouTube and, of course, went on to spawn 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown) and here is a look at who made the most appearances.

Looking down the list of names it’s always fun to spot the people who’ve gone on to do shows of their own, the ones that have been on shows like Catsdown and Last Ones Laughing…and the ones that you think “what happened to them?”.

The Main Characters

Jimmy Carr hosted all 204 episodes, aided (and abetted) by the 2 Captain roles.

• Sean Lock – 164
• Jon Richardson – 81
• Jason Manford – 49
• Rob Beckett – 40
• Dave Spikey – 34
• Aisling Bea – 22
• Katherine Ryan – 13
• Sara Pascoe – 2
• Josh Widdicombe, Kerry Godliman and Tom Allen – 1 each

Panellists

Across the 16 years the 204 shows featured 370 different names, across the 4 panellist seats.

• Joe Wilkinson – 21
• David O’Doherty – 15
• Johnny Vegas – 12
• Krishnan Guru-Murthy – 12
• Katherine Ryan – 11
• Sara Millican – 11
• David Walliams – 10
• Jack Dee – 10
• Claudia Winkleman – 9
• Henning Wehn – 9
• Josh Widdicombe – 9
• Roisin Conaty – 9
• Carol Vorderman – 8
• Rachel Riley – 8
• Rob Beckett – 8
• Vic Reeves (Jim Moir) – 8
• Alan Carr – 7
• Alex Brooker – 7
• Frankie Boyle – 7
• Gabby Logan – 7
• Jack Whitehall – 7
• Jamelia – 7
• Lee Mack – 7
• Micky Flanagan – 7
• Mel Giedroyc – 6
• Nick Helm – 6
• Reginald D Hunter – 6
• Alex Jones – 5
• Alex Zane – 5
• Holly Walsh – 5
• Kelly Osbourne – 5
• Mark Watson – 5
• Russell Kane – 5
• Stephen Mangan – 5
• Tom Allen – 5
• Ulrika Jonsson – 5

As the lists of names are getting longer…

4 Shows

Aisling Bea, Alun Cochrane, Chris Ramsey, Dr Christian Jessen, James Acaster, James Corden, Jamie Laing, Jessica Knappett, Joe Lycett, Lauren Laverne, Lorraine Kelly, Louie Spence, Louis Walsh, Peter Serafinowicz, Rhod Gilbert, Richard Osman, Sara Pascoe, Scott Capurro, Steve Jones, Tess Daly, Trisha Goddard, Vernon Kay

3 Shows

Charlie Brooker, Chris Addison, Craig Revell-Horwood, Ellie Taylor, Example, Gemma Collins, Greg Davies, Harriet Kemsley, Jade Goody, Jamali Maddix, Jason Manford, Joan Rivers, Jodie Kidd, Joe Swash, Joey Essex, John Bishop, Johnny Vaughan, Josie Long, Kate Humble, Kerry Godliman, Liza Tarbuck, Maisie Adam, Mel C, Michael McIntyre, Miles Jupp, Natalie Cassidy, Nish Kumar, Paddy McGuinness, Paisley Billings, Romesh Ranganathan, Rosie Jones, Sally Lindsay, Seann Walsh, Shappi Khorsandi, Stacey Solomon, Vanessa Feltz

2 Shows

Alan Cumming, Catherine Bohart, Christopher Biggins, Dane Baptiste, Daniel Sloss, Danny Dyer, Danny Wallace, David Baddiel, Debra Stephenson, Denise van Outen, Desiree Burch, Eamonn Holmes, Ed Gamble, Fin Taylor, Fiona Allen, Fred Sirieix, Freddie Flintoff, Gok Wan, Griff Rhys-Jones, Holly Willoughby, Iain Lee, Isy Suttie, Jedward, Jo Brand, Joel Dommett, Jonathan Ross, Jordan Stephens, June Sarpong, Justin Moorhouse, Kiri Pritchard-McLean, Konnie Huq, Lethal Bizzle, Liam Charles, Louis Smith, Matthew Crosby, Natasia Demetriou, Nick Grimshaw, Ola the comedian, Paul Foot, Paul Hollywood, Peter Andre, Phil Spencer, Phil Wang, Phill Jupitus, Rhys Thomas, Rich Hall, Richard Madeley, Rick Edwards, Rob Rouse, Scarlett Moffatt, Simon Amstell, Sophie Duker, Spencer Matthews, Tiff Stevenson, Tim Minchin, Tom Davis, Tom Read Wilson, Tom Rosenthal, Tony Law

Just the 1 Appearance

217 people made just the 1 show appearance…

As a topical show (in the earlier seasons – details in here) panellists often included Olympic Athletes, Newsreaders and Reality TV people, that were having their 15 minutes, for one reason or another.

Guests from such as Australia or the US may have only had the one opportunity to appear, where a record day matched up with them having a trip to the UK. Some may have just wanted to raise their profile (to promote something) and I would imagine a small number won’t have been a good fit and were not invited back.

Others may have felt that they didn’t perform at their best on this type of show (both Jim Jefferies and Michael McIntyre mentioned this, in later years) and some may have just been last minute stand ins, doing a favour. With the BFQ, for example, Jonathan Ross owns the format (see here) and has to sometimes fill in for a last-minute no show.

Jon Richardson was a panellist in 2010, with that show having Sean Lock and Jason Manford as Captains.

Jimmy has said that Emo Philips was a big influence – would imagine he would be thrilled to have worked with him.

Al Porter, Alan Davies, Alex James (Blur), Alex Reid, Alexa Chung, Alice Levine, Amir Khan, Amy Childs, Andrew Maxwell, Andy Zaltzman, Angela Barnes, Angela Scanlon, Anna Richardson, Ant Middleton, Ayda Field, Bear Grylls, Ben Miller, Bez (Happy Mondays), Bill Oddie, Bobby Mair, Boy George, Brad / James from Vamps, Brian Belo, Bruno Tonioli, Carol McGiffin, Carol Thatcher, Carrie Fisher, Cathy Newman, Chantelle Houghton, Charley Uchea, Charlie Clements, Charlotte Ritchie, Chris Hoy, Chris Kamara, Chris Moyles, Chris O’Dowd, Christian O’Connell, Christian Slater, Danny Jones, Darren Harriott, Dave Johns, David Gest, David Hasselhoff, David Mitchell, Dawn O’Porter, Deborah Meaden, Denise Lewis, Derek Laud, Dom Joly, Donna & Verona, Dotty, Doug Stanhope, Dr Ranj Singh, Dr Xand van Tulleken, Duncan Bannatyne, Duncan James, Ed Byrne, Edith Bowman, Ella Eyre, Ellie Simmonds, Ellis James, Emily Atack, Emo Philips, Fay Ripley, Fern Brady, Fern Britton, Gemma Cairney, Geoff Norcott, Georgia Toffolo, Georgie Thompson, Germaine Greer, Gerry Stergiopoulos, Glenn Wool, Grace Adams-Short, Greg Rusedski, Greg Rutherford, Gregg Wallace, Hannah Cockroft, Hannibal Buress, Hari Kondabolu, Helen Chamberlain, Helen Flanagan, Henry Winkler, Heston Blumenthal, Humphrey Ker, Jack Osbourne, James McQuillan, Jamie Cullum, Janet Street-Porter, Janice Dickinson, Jarred Christmas, Jason Biggs, Jayde Adams, Jayne Middlemiss, Jennie Bond, Jennie McAlpine, Jennifer Metcalfe, Jeremy Clarkson, Jeremy Edwards, Jermaine Jenas, Jerry Springer, Jessica Stevenson, Jim Jefferies, Jimeoin, John Barrowman, John Hannah, John Thomson, Jon Richardson, Jordan (Rizzle Kicks), Josh Jones, Josie Gibson, Judi Love, Julian Clary, Kate Garraway, Kate Silverton. Katie Hopkins. Kayvan Novak, Kelly Hoppen, Kelvin MacKenzie, Ken Livingstone, Kerry Howard, Kevin Bridges, Kian Egan, Kieron Harvey, Kimberley Walsh, Kimberley Wyatt, Kirsty Gallacher, Kirsty Young, Kym Marsh, Laurence Llewellyn-Bowen, Lea Walker, Les Dennis, Lisa Appleton, Lloyd Griffith, Lorraine Pascale, Lou Sanders, Louise Redknapp, Luke Marsden, Mario Marconi, Matt Edmondson, Matt Forde, Matt Littler, Maya Jama, Meera Syal, Michael Ball, Michelle Wolf, Mike Wilmot, Myleene Klass, Nadine Coyle, Nancy Dell’Olio, Neil Morrissey, Nicky Hambleton-Jones, Nicola Adams, Nikki Grahame, Olivia Lee, Ollie Locke, Olly Murs, Oti Mabuse, Ovie Soko, Pamela Anderson, Patrick Kielty, Patsy Kensit, Patsy Palmer, Paul Chowdhry, Paul Kaye, Peaches Geldof, Peter Jones, Peter Shilton, Piers Morgan, Raef Bjayou, Ralph Little, Rebecca Adlington, Rev. Kate Bottley, Richard Ayoade, Richard Bacon, Richard E. Grant, Richard Hammond, Ricky Wilson, Rob Delaney, Ronan Keating, Rose Matafeo, Rufus Hound, Russell Howard, Russell Peters, Ruth Badger, Rylan Clark-Neal, Sally Phillips, Sam Buttery, Sam Simmons, Sara Barron, Sarah Beeney, Sarah Keyworth, Sarah Silverman, Sophie Hermann, Stephen Baldwin, Stephen Graham, Stewart Francis, Stewart Lee, Sue Perkins, Susan Calman, Susie Essman, Suzi Ruffell, Tara Palmer-Tomkinson, Terry Christian, Theo Paphitis, Thomas Skinner, Thomas Turgoose, Tim Westwood, Tina Malone, Tinchy Stryder, Tom Felton, Uri Geller, Victoria Coren, Vogue Williams, Wes Nelson, Yvette Fielding, Zoe Ball