Genomvote

Immediately before their coverage of the 1997 General Election, BBC One ran something rather interesting - a repeat of the election-themed Blackadder the Third episode Dish and Dishonesty. It is a rare example of the BBC's mainstream channel tying into an election on the day - the only time they've attempted to do so since is 2010, when Have I Got News for You was moved out of the Friday night slot it had occupied for 19 years by scheduling genius Jay Hunt and plonked on Thursdays, with the stated reason that it would allow them to do an election special on the day Britain went to the polls. However, on the actual day of recording itself, they realised that if they went ahead with this plan the episode would be broadcast before the polls had closed, meaning the panellists would be forbidden from expressing any opinionated comments about the election. Realising this was less than ideal, the episode's recording date was hurriedly shifted to Friday morning, for broadcast later that evening. (This tight turnaround is also used by whichever Radio 4 is running at 6.30pm on Fridays at the time of the election - indeed, The News Quiz has often recorded on Friday morning for episodes during the campaign, rather than just the episode immediately after the results.)

BBC Two, however, often used to run 'alternative' political-themed programming once the polls have closed on the night, with 1997's Election Night Armistice being surely the crowning example (also accompanied by a HIGNFY special, which was also done in 1992 as a special standalone episode a few weeks ahead of a full new series); 1987 similarly featured Jasper Carrott's Election Confidential live from the Television Centre. In 1983 BBC One's live coverage actually didn't start until 10.40pm, with Mr Carrott having a similar live election special from 10pm (and in 1979 a Mike Yarwood Christmas special, delayed due to the election being called, was sandwiched inbetween two bits of coverage).

The last sighting of this was a new series of Dead Ringers in 2005, and since then Channel 4 have taken over the mantle with their Alternative Election Night, although in 2017 an 'election special' of Mock the Week was broadcast, the show having been coincidentally scheduled to return on that date long before the snap election was called. Maybe that quirk of scheduling will convince the Beeb to return to producing their own alternative election coverage?