We reported previously that long term availability of Goon Shows to stream from the BBC Sounds app and website appears to be coming to an end. The countdown is continuing, and it looks like the 30th of March will be the last day many episodes will be available. After that, there will only be the shows which have been played on the three-times-on-Tuesday slot on Radio 4 Extra during the previous thirty days. (except, see below)
My count is that a total of 124 of the at least 149 episodes for which there are recordings available have been aired on Radio 4 Extra, and then been available to stream. At the beginning of February, 103 of these episodes were still live.
What will be left after 30th March? There’s a little bit of good news. A batch of shows, from episode 8 of series 5 (The Marie Celeste) to the first of series 6 (The Man Who Won the War) have escaped this cull. Their expiry date is set for 15 February 2026. So it will be those sixteen meantime, plus whichever four have been on 4 Extra during the past thirty days.
At least that’s my reading of the situation. Check back at the end of March to see if anything’s changed.
The available shows are listed here on BBC Sounds,
and our reference chart is here
The Goon Show Preservation Society 