Just A Minute: Silver Minutes

Question: What do you do with the hole in a doughnut? Answer: Try to talk about it for a whole minute without repetition, deviation or hesitation - and without coming to blows with fellow panellists! That's the challenge that has awaited scores of guests on Just a Minute over the years. To celebrate its Silver Jubilee, four of the game's best known players - Clement Freud, Peter Jones, Derek Nimmo and the irrepressible, not to say uncontrollable, Kenneth Williams - respond to some pretty silly topics with hilarious results in two complete programmes of this much loved radio series. In addition, such talented talkers as Peter Cook, Stephen Fry, Sheila Hancock, Paul Merton and Victoria Wood all add their own unique contributions to the laughter. From 'The Most Extraordinary Person I Ever Met' and 'My Pet' to 'Wilhelm Furtwangler' and 'Burping', the wicked inventiveness of the panellists is well and truly exercised under the watchful eye of ever-jovial, though constantly embattled, chairman Nicholas Parsons.

A special anniversary edition celebrating 25 years of the BBC radio show Just a Minute.

Ian Messiter (Author) Ian Messiter was the creator of a number of quizzes and game shows, but is best known as the inventor of the massively popular and long-running radio panel game Just a Minute. Nicholas Parsons (Reader) Nicholas Parsons was born in Grantham, Lincolnshire, in 1923 and moved to London with his family at the age of eight. His career in entertainment spanned eight decades and, in 2004, he was awarded an OBE for his services to drama and broadcasting. He died in January 2020 after a short illness. Various (Reader) Various

Just A Minute: The Best Of 2011

'Welcome to Just a Minute! And as The Minute Waltz fades away... please talk for 60 seconds on a random subject without repetition, hesitation or deviation...' First broadcast in 1967, Just a Minute is one of the longest-running radio comedy shows. A national institution, it is also loved and listened to all around the world. These four episodes find regulars Paul Merton, Graham Norton, Tony Hawks and Julian Clary attempting to talk non-stop for sixty seconds, along with special guests that include Stephen Fry, Sir Terry Wogan, Gyles Brandreth, Ross Noble, Sue Perkins and Liza Tarbuck. Among the subjects hilariously tackled are Dear Listener, The Best Sort of Babysitter, The Dictionary, A Limerick, The History of the World, How to Clean a Chandelier and On Valentine's Day, I Received... Join host Nicholas Parsons and the distinguished panellists, as they use their intellect, imagination and verbal dexterity to beat the clock and win the points in these four ferociously funny shows. 
 
2 CDs. 1 hr 51 mins.

Four specially selected episodes of Radio 4's much-loved panel game, hosted by Nicholas Parsons.

22 Original BBC Radio 4 Episodes

Just A Minute: The Classic Collection

Kenneth Williams, Clement Freud, Derek Nimmo, Peter Jones and Paul Merton are the ‘Famous Five’ of Just a Minute: sparkling raconteurs whose sharp wits and skill made them consistently a pleasure to listen to. Each brings their own unique quality to the show, and this box set showcases their highlights - the moments which reveal these talented players at the very top of their game. Also among the featured shows are the first ever Just a Minute, plus the 25th anniversary edition and the infamous episode when Clement Freud failed to appear and the show’s ever capable chairman Nicholas Parsons replaced him as a panellist. Full of fast-paced, irreverent fun and ferocious competition, this collection is a goldmine of wonderful comedy nuggets from five fantastically funny comedians. 
 
11 CDs. 11 hrs.

Twenty-two episodes of the ever-popular BBC Radio 4 panel game chaired by Nicholas Parsons, showcasing five key players from the past five decades - Kenneth Williams, Clement Freud, Derek Nimmo, Peter Jones and Paul Merton - and including two very special editions of the show.

Ian Messiter (Author) Ian Messiter was the creator of a number of quizzes and game shows, but is best known as the inventor of the massively popular and long-running radio panel game Just a Minute. Paul Merton (Reader) Paul Merton was born in 1957, long before such things were fashionable. He spent his first eight years living within cheering distance of Fulham Football ground at Craven Cottage although he can’t remember any cheering. Upon leaving school with two ropey A Levels and a CSE Grade 5 Maths, Paul enlisted in the Civil Service where he survived for two and a half years. He made his stand-up debut at London’s Comedy Store in 1982 where his policeman on acid routine regularly stopped the show. In 1985 he joined the Comedy Store Players, an improvised comedy group which led, in 1988, to him appearing on Whose Line is it Anyway? for the first few series before he couldn’t stick it anymore. 
 
He has appeared on Have I Got News For You as a team captain since 1990 and is also proud of his other long running gig, Radio 4’s Just a Minute. Other TV highlights include his eponymous surreal sketch series from 1991-3; interviewing Spike Milligan in what was to be his last major television appearance as host of Room 101; and making several programmes about early cinema, including The Birth Of Hollywood which he co-wrote with his wife, Suki Webster. 
 
He still performs with the Comedy Stores Players every Sunday. Clement Freud (Reader) Sir Clement Freud, grandson of Sigmund, was born in Berlin, 1924. His varied career began in Britain as one of our first 'celebrity chefs', and then as a familiar face on TV in a series of dog food adverts. In 1973 he became the liberal MP for Ely and retained his seat for 14 years, subsequently being awarded a knighthood. He was a much-loved regular panellist on long-running Radio 4 show Just a Minute. Nicholas Parsons (Reader) Nicholas Parsons was born in Grantham, Lincolnshire, in 1923 and moved to London with his family at the age of eight. His career in entertainment spanned eight decades and, in 2004, he was awarded an OBE for his services to drama and broadcasting. He died in January 2020 after a short illness. Various (Reader) Various

Just A Classic Minute Volume 7

Just as uproariously funny – and terrifically popular – today as when it first began on BBC Radio 4 in 1967, Just a Minute challenges contestants to speak for one minute on a given subject without repetition, hesitation or deviation. Its mix of irreverent fun and ferocious competition has always attracted stellar names from the world of comedy and theatre, all of whom pit their wits – and their wit – against regular players including Kenneth Williams, Paul Merton (here making his first ever appearance), Derek Nimmo, Clement Freud and Peter Jones. Including these guests in the four archive programmes: Geraldine Jones, Alfred Marks and Tim Rice. The programmes are from 30 September 1968, 30 March 1977, 22 May 1979 and 25 April 1989.

Four hilarious classic archive episodes of the ever-popular comedy panel game.

Just A Minute: The Best Of 2009

‘Welcome to Just a Minute! And as The Minute Waltz fades away... please talk for 60 seconds on a random subject without repetition, hesitation or deviation...’ First broadcast in 1967, Just a Minute is one of the longest-running radio comedy shows. A national institution, it is also loved and listened to all around the world. These four episodes find regulars Paul Merton and Clement Freud attempting to talk non-stop for sixty seconds, along with special guests Gyles Brandreth, Jack Dee, Pam Ayres, Sir Tim Rice, Tony Hawks, Liza Tarbuck, Sheila Hancock, David Mitchell, Josie Lawrence and Sue Perkins. Among the subjects hilariously tackled are tomboys, my secret vice, charisma, hot air, ‘Speakers’ Corner’, cat lovers, agony aunts and bugs. Join host Nicholas Parsons and the distinguished panellists, as they use their intellect, imagination and verbal dexterity to beat the clock and win the points in these four ferociously funny shows.

Just A Classic Minute Volume 6

Just as uproariously funny and terrifically popular today as when it first began on BBC Radio 4 in 1967, Just a Minute challenges contestants to speak for one minute on a given subject without repetition, hesitation or deviation. Its mix of irreverent fun and ferocious competition has always attracted stellar names from the world of comedy and theatre, all of whom pit their wits and their wit against regular players including Kenneth Williams, Paul Merton, Derek Nimmo, Clement Freud and Peter Jones. Each episode is preceded by extracts from a fascinating conversation between Nicholas Parsons and Paul Merton, in which they good-humouredly reflect upon the enormous appeal of the game, the various techniques for playing it, the numerous guest players who have taken part over the years, and their favourite moments in these particular episodes. Among the guests in these four archive programmes are Sheila Hancock, Eddie Izzard and Bernard Cribbins. The original transmission dates of these episodes are 11th April 1978, 23rd January 1982, 19th February 1994 and 8th February 1997.

Nicholas Parsons and Paul Merton present four classic archive episodes of the ever-popular comedy panel game.

Ian Messiter

Nicholas Parsons

Guests

This special celebratory selection of episodes marks the 40th anniversary of Just a Minute, and features episodes from each decade of the programme's history - the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. Nicholas Parsons introduces each episode and provides fascinating background information on the game, as well as memories of its players and its devisor, Ian Messiter. As funny and popular today as when it first began in 1967, Just a Minute challenges contestants to speak for one minute on a given subject without repetition, hesitation or deviation. Regular players include Kenneth Williams, Clement Freud, Derek Nimmo, Peter Jones and Paul Merton. Among the guests who also pit their wits - and their wit - against the clock are Ray Alan, Peter Cook, Stephen Fry, Sheila Hancock, Thora Hird, Geraldine Jones, John Junkin, Maureen Lipman, Alfred Marks, Bob Monkhouse, Jan Ravens, Tim Rice, Wendy Richard, Barry Took, Tommy Trinder and Victoria Wood.

Ian Messiter

Just A Classic Minute 40th Anniversary Collection

Select a format:

Retailers:

Summary

More books from this author