Just A Classic Minute 40th Anniversary Collection

Sep 21, 2024 9:52 PM

Author: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.

Reviews

An intriguing history of humour's bad boys claims that almost every great comedian is a damaged soul ... Delightful nuggets for the new wave of comedy enthusiasts

—— Sunday Times

Dessau shows us that comedians tend to be weird, or compulsive, or obsessive; they veer easily towards depression; and they mostly find themselves, at least for a period, desperately out of fashion. Beyond this, he doesn't overanalyse. He simply lines them up, one after the other, and recounts their strange lives

—— Evening Standard

Many intriguing tales of dark and outrageous dysfunction

—— ShortList

Entertaining insight and audacity - Dessau has been reviewing comedy for more than 30 years, and knows his stuff ... A fascinating look at the dark side of stand-up

—— Time Out, 4 stars

Its sporadic vulgarity leavened by wit and insight, the book mirrors the mood of a late-night gig.

—— Independent

I can see a marked improvement in my posture and tone.

—— Susan D'Arcy, Sunday Times Style

A loving and detailed biog

—— Mojo

Cute on the machinations of the industry and internal band politics

—— The Times, Book of the Week

Brilliant... forensically put together

—— Gordon Smart , XFM

The real pleasure of his beguiling, meandering narrative is not the destination but the rococo scenery en route. ****

—— Francis Wheen , Mail on Sunday

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