The Mighty Boosh: Julian Barratt on how HBO rejected his and Noel Fielding's 'ludicrous idea' for a TV show

'If we were on our own it would have been one of the worst moments ever'

Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding (Getty Images)

For those awaiting a Mighty Boosh reunion show, Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding speaking positively about working on new material together is incredibly exciting. However, fans could have seen the pair working together much sooner if HBO had allowed it.

In an interview with The Guardian, Barratt revealed how they once pitched the US cable channel an idea that sounds like something directly off The Boosh.

“Me and Noel went to HBO once and pitched this really ludicrous idea about us driving around in a haunted car and they just stared at us. Literally stared at us! It was awful,” he said.

“Luckily, we were together so we could laugh about it, but if we were on our own it would have been one of the worst moments ever.”

Imagine Howard Moon and Vince Noir racing around in a haunted car, it would have been quite something. Meanwhile, Barratt previously revealed the pair are working on new material together, all thanks to his children.

He said in a separate interview: “I decided to show them [The Mighty Boosh]. They were really enjoying it and I was enjoying it. And I was going, 'Yeah, this is really good.’

"Well I knew it was good, but I sort of didn’t know why it was good, in a way. So I was talking to Noel about that. I’d really like to do some more stuff with this. And there seems to be people wanting us to do that, so that’s what that was.

“We always have good chemistry when we get back together. It’s like [Noel’s] a brother, basically. So you may have times when you fall out but he’s always there.”

The pair last appeared together in the UK as The Mighty Boosh Band at London Soho Theatre in 2013, going on to play at Tenacious D’s Festival Supreme in California.

Since the last televised show in 2007, Barratt has starred in various other projects, including more niche films and a role in BBC Three’s Being Human. He’s currently promoting his upcoming show, Flowers.

Meanwhile, Fielding hosted his own Boosh-esque show, Noel Fielding's Luxury Comedy, which ran for two series. The comedian previously said there are no plans to do a third series as yet.