Welcome to Just a Minute, as the sound of the Minute Waltz fades away once again, it is my pleasure to introduce you to our four skilled players…….

A year ago I was writing an update to this page after the sad loss of Derek Nimmo, and now it is after losing Peter Jones. In order to fully appreciate their contributions to the show, there will be a complete restructing of this page over the next month or so. In the meantime, I have tarted up everything that was here before and hope that you will have a look back soon for the new stuff.

I have finally got around to finding a semi-fitting tribute for Derek Nimmo now, although any further suggestions would be welcomed, so why not go over to that and have a read

Now I think we can start....

Just a Minute is a Radio Four panel game which has run since 1967, was devised by Ian Messiter, and has, nearly always, been chaired by Nicholas Parsons.

The idea came about whilst he was daydreaming at school. His Latin Master,Parry-Jones, caught him and as a punishment made him stand up in front of his class and speak for a whole minute on a subject of his masters choosing without HESITATION, REPITITION or DEVIATION. It began life as ONE MINUTE PLEASE in 1951 and had Roy Plomley as the compere, Gilbert Harding and Kenneth Horne on the panels, and can claim Gerard Hoffnung amongst its discoveries. In 1967, the name changed to JUST A MINUTE, (a title that the BBC had originally turned down!!) and the format changed slightly with a reduction in the panel size from three to two. Nic Parsons took over in the chair (although for a few programmes, Kenneth took over as the chair - this came about after the players continually referred to Parsons ineptness, and Kenneth suggested he could do better).

Regular panellists have included Kenneth Williams (hence the inclusion on these pages!!), Peter Jones (better known as the book in The Hitch-Hikers Guide in the Galaxy, and from various radio comedy series with Peter Ustinov), Clement Freud (Now Sir Clement and a very well thought of food critic), and Derek Nimmo (All Gas and Gaiters). This said, the list of others who have appeared on the show is long and impressive, Peter Cook, Shiela Hancock, Barry Took, Barry Cryer, Caroline Quentin, Fred MacAulay, Tony Slattery, Stephen Fry, Wendy Richards, Elaine Stritch, Lance Percival, Victoria Wood, Richard ‘Stinker’ Murdoch, Tony Hawks, Kit Hesketh-Harvey, and Sandy Toksvik.

In 1988, the future of the series was in serious doubt when Kenneth Williams died, leaving a very large gap. His presence in the show was probably the most high profile out of all the players, and he was re-known for his philanthropy and ability to control the mood of the audience. As it was, the hole was filled by an aspiring young comedian who wrote to the producer asking to be on the show - Paul Merton. He appeared in the first series following Kenneth’s death and it is this fact that has allowed Just a Minute to live on.

It was after Kenneth’s death that the series transferred to ITV, with the same sort of format, but with the inclusion of a ‘sight’ round. Unfortunately the series didn’t really take off. Whilst on the subject of TV, there was a pilot made for the BBC and clips, with all the regulars on it, was shown on the BBC documentaries on Kenneth Williams earlier this year (1998).

It is strange to think that a schoolboy punishment could lead to nearly 50 years of entertainment on BBC radio.

Here are a few excerpts from various shows:

Note that the word or phrase on the card is in italics and capitals!

CF: CHEEK is when someone of diminished responsibility, goes to the British Broadcasting Corporation and elects to be chairman of a panel game on the basis that he might have some idea of how to control people who’s multi-syllabic words he doesn’t understand, who’s meaning he is unable to comprehend, and who’s hours and time he is unable to keep. I’ve now said unable three times, and no-one has interupted me…
PJ: Well I’m not interupting ‘cos I’m enjoying it…