Just a Minute

Eight episodes of the ever-popular BBC Radio 4 panel game hosted by Nicholas Parsons – including two special shows recorded at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Just a Minute has been entertaining generations of listeners since its first series in 1967. Now Nicholas Parsons and guests return for the 76th series of the panel show where participants must try to speak for 60 seconds without hesitation, deviation or repetition. (No repetition? That's no small order after nearly 50 years...)

Guests include veteran players Paul Merton (now the second most prolific player of the game after Kenneth Williams), Sheila Hancock, Marcus Brigstocke, Gyles Brandreth, Julian Clary, Tony Hawks and Josie Lawrence. Among the other panellists are Nish Kumar and Janey Godley, and appearing for the first time are Will Self, Pippa Evans and Katherine Ryan, who completed the full minute on her very first turn.

The subjects include Maple Syrup, Andy Warhol, The Royal Mile, My Olympic Event, Hair of the Dog, Brighton Rock, Enid Blyton and The French Connection.

So join the plucky players as they prepare to do verbal battle on the show where every second counts! Duration: 4 hours approx.

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.

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.