"...on Television" or "...on TV", was a long running late-night television programme on ITV. The programme featured a number of clips from unusual or, (often unintentionally), amusing television programmes and commercials from around the world. The show was fronted initially by Clive James, then by Keith Floyd, and finally by Chris Tarrant. The show was named "Tarrant on TV", for 16 years.

The show started off in 1982, hosted by the Australian television critic and satirist Clive James. However, when Clive defected to the BBC, a new replacement host was needed and so celebrity chef Keith Floyd was brought in for one series of six episodes in 1989 before Chris Tarrant took over in 1990.

For the tenth anniversary in 1992, Tarrant would present the compilation series Tarrant's Ten Years of Television (later 10 Years on TV), which showed clips of the past five series and specials, and sometimes included extended footage that was unsuitable for transmission in the original show.

Tarrant on TV showed bizarre clips from all over the world but most notably from the far eastern countries of Japan and Korea. Clips vary from a Japanese crying contest, a Japanese contraception advert and the Japanese TV show Za Gaman in which contestants must endure the most pain, to a profane North Korean propaganda film, and an advert showing eggs being fired from the bottom. Tarrant on TV also covered the more violent and unusual shows of the Jerry Springer Show. Many of the clips viewers may find offensive often displayed nudity, strong language, crude or dark humour and violence.

One rather bizarre test Tarrant tried in his early presenting was to bring on special guests, and Hollywood-star Mel Brooks was willing to appear in a show on 4 April 1992. Brooks only agreed to appear as to claiming that he loved British television and was lucky to see Clive James On Television after being given copies by friends in the UK. Tarrant and Brooks (who somehow knew Tarrant from spending time watching British television on visits) focused the episode on different types of humour in Sweden, America and Israel. The episode went well and both were pleased with the completed show, but owning to copyright issue payments of the clips themselves, LWT said it would be too expensive to also pay for a guest each week and the idea was shortly dropped and remembered as a one-off.

In 1996, Clive James decided to return to hosting the programme, but found he would have to do a spin-off series as Tarrant was making his name clear. Clive James on TV ran for two series in 1996 and 1997, and was fronted by Carlton Television instead of LWT. The series was axed due to poor ratings.

At this time, it's unknown if there's going to be another series in the future as Tarrant has been in a recent scandal about his alcoholism, and has recently been presenting more gameshows for ITV and Challenge. Many claim that the programme has ended after 20 years of material.

The theme tune used from 1996 - 2006 was Syd Dale's "The Penthouse Suite".

Shows from around the world

These are the shows that a majority of clips are taken from:

• The Japanese TV show Za Gaman aka Endurance (mainly in the Clive James shows and 10 Years on Television - best of show)
• American comedy series The Man Show (Tarrant late 1990s 2000s)
• The Jerry Springer Show (early 1990s, before the full show was broadcast by ITV)

Series Guide

• Series 1 26 September 31 October 1982
• Series 2 23 October 4 December 1983
• Series 3 28 October 2 December 1984
• Special 1 5 January 1986
• Special 2 29 March 1986
• Special 3 28 June 1986
• Special 4 28 December 1986
• Special 5 1 January 1987
• Special 6 19 April 1987
• Special 7 11 October 1987
• Special 8 1 January 1988
• Series 4 5 March 16 April 1989
• Series 5 21 January 25 February 1990
• Special 9 30 December 1990
• Special 10 4 January 1992
• Special 11 4 April 1992
• Special 12 11 July 1992
• Series 6 (Tarrant's Ten Years of..) - 13 February - 20 March 1993
• Special 13 26 September 1993
• Special 14 (Tarrant's Ten Years of..) - 17 September 1994
• Special 15 (Tarrant's Ten Years of..) - 24 September 1994
• Series 7 (10 Years on..) - 19 March - 16 April 1995
• Series 8 8 September 13 October 1996
• Series 9 4 January 22 February 1998
• Series 10 3 January 21 March 1999
• Series 11 4 January 28 February 2000
• Series 12 21 January 18 March 2001
• Special 25 March 2001 (Tarrant on CCTV)
• Special 16 20 January 2002 (Tarrant on CCTV)
• Series 13 3 May 5 July 2002
• Special 17 7 July 2002 (Tarrant on CCTV)
• Series 14 12 September 7 November 2002
• Special 18 23 November 2002
• Special 19 14 December 2002
• Series 15 2 January 25 May 2003
• Special 20 5 May 2003 (Tarrant on CCTV)
• Special 21 4 September 2003
• Special 22 23 October 2003
• Special 23 7 November 2003
• Special 24 24 December 2003
• Series 16 6 February 22 March 2004
• Special 25 13 May 2004 (Japan special)
• Series 17 10 June 1 July 2004 (The Best of... Series)
• Special 26 5 July 2004
• Special 27 31 August 2004
• Series 18 8 October 23 November 2004
• Series 19 30 May 27 June 2005
• Special 28 5 October 2006