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The Spike Milligan Show on BBC Radio

As part of the BBC’s Centenary celebrations, several restored shows have been getting an airing.

We’ve already looked at Peter Sellers on Hancock’s Half Hour (here). Next up for Goon fans is The Spike Milligan Show, which will be on Radio 4 Extra at 1030 on Sunday 6th November 2022.
The original broadcast of this show, which was just called ‘Spike Milligan’, was on Sunday 29 July 1973 on BBC Radio 2. Click here for the programme info (and stream after the broadcast) on BBC Sounds.

Another restored show which the BBC have played was an alternative and slightly longer version of The Dreaded Batter Pudding Hurler of Bexhill-on-Sea, (series 5, episode 3) which was played on Radio 4 Extra on Tuesday 18 October 2022. It’s available to stream here, for one month only.

Peter Sellers with Tony Hancock

Causing much excitement, an until-now lost recording of a Peter Sellers performance has been found, and it’s being broadcast in a restored state on BBC Radio 4 on 18th October. The show is an episode from the first series of Hancock’s Half Hour which was only ever broadcast once, in February 1955. In it, Sellers stood in for an absent Kenneth Williams.

Radio 4 are also running a documentary about the search for old recordings and finding the lost episode. It’s called Raiders of the Lost Archive, and it’s available to stream on BBC Sounds.

After its first airing on Radio 4, the Hancock episode, which is titled The Marriage Bureau, will also be available to stream here.

Our favourite podcast – Goon Pod – is onto the story this week. Tyler’s guest is voice actor and restorer Keith Wickham, who presented and co-produced the Raiders of the Lost Archive programme.

Listeners' Top 20 British Sitcoms Of All Time – Goon Pod

Let's go out with a bang as we count down Listeners’ Top 20 British Sitcoms of All Time – as voted for by you. In total 73 different shows were nominated – some of the very greatest and most popular, others quite obscure or forgotten. But which ones made the final list? In this show we find out, with very special guests Chris Diamond and Donna Rees.Whether your tastes run towards the communal warmth of classic ensemble shows, the brittle awkwardness of suburban frustration, or the fragmented edges of sitcom storytelling, there’s plenty here to argue about. We talk about why some comedies endure, why others divide opinion and how shifting zeitgeists shape what people laugh at. Expect nostalgia, rediscovery and the occasional raised eyebrow or disapproving 'tut' as we move through the list. Will the obvious favourites dominate, or will a few unexpected titles sneak in? Expect a few surprises!

Spike – the play – the script

While the play Spike is touring the UK’s theatres, the script has become available to buy. So, if you’re not going to catch a performance in the theatre, or even if you are, here’s the chance to enjoy Nick Newnam & Ian Hislop’s text from the comfort of your own easy chair.

The script is available in paperback or spiral-bound format from Concord Theatricals, who also have a digital version available to be read on their Concord Reader+ app.
A paperback is also available at Amazon.

Buy a copy at Concord Theatricals
Buy a copy at Amazon
Dates for the theatre tour

Fiftieth Anniversary Newsletter

The 5^th of October this year is the 50^th anniversary of the original BBC Radio 4 broadcast of The Last Goon Show of All. As many of the original cast as possible had been gathered for the show, which itself was recorded to celebrate the BBCs 50^th anniversary.
It was after that show that enthusiasts came together to form the Goon Show Preservation Society.

To celebrate all these 50^th anniversaries, we’ve produced an anniversary edition of our newsletter, Goon Show News, which is on its way to our members. The magazine is full of stories and our members reminiscences of both the show and the fifty years the GSPS has been around.

What are your three favourite Goon Shows?

LAST CALL
Tyler Adams is planning an episode of the Goon Pod podcast for later in the year, to feature a list of the top twenty Goon Shows. To help compile the list, he’s asking all Goon fans to send him a message with the titles of their three favourite shows. Not an easy choice…
Tyler can be contacted through GoonPod’s Facebook or Twitter page, or by email at tyler.adams1974@gmail.com.

AGM report 2022

A group of us gathered at Stephens House and Gardens in Finchley on 24th September for our 2022 AGM event.

As far as the formal business of the meeting went, a fierce and wide-ranging debate lasting several moments led to the re-election of the whole GSPS Committee.

Other business of the day included marking the 50th anniversary of The Last Goon Show of All and the approaching 100th birthday of Michael Bentine. This featured a particularly fine cake created by the stage Goon actor, Mark Earby.

The highlights of the day involved Spike Milligan’s daughters, Jane and Silé. They conducted us on a tour of the lodge building at Stephens House, which is becoming the nerve centre of Spike Milligan Productions Ltd, and housing a developing archive of Spike’s belongings. Some day in the future it will be open to visitors. We all took the opportunity to visit the Spike Milligan memorial bench, which is just a few paces away.

After that, Jane and Silé were interviewed by Mark Cousins. The discussion, which ranged from growing up as Milligan children to what they’d like Spike’s legacy to be, delighted everyone present.

Watch out for a full report, coming to a GSPS newsletter soon.

_{Photos courtesy of Duncan Gray, Darren Vidler and Richard Usher}

Royal Patronage

Since 1998, the Goon Show Preservation Society has been honoured and enjoyed the patronage which HRH Prince Charles bestowed on us. This reflected his personal support. Famously, he is a big fan of the show who was very disappointed to miss the Last Goon Show of All recording, fifty years ago.

Everyone is aware of Charles’ accession to the throne. The GSPS sent a message of condolence to him as the events unfolded. As our new King, we wish him the most heartfelt support for the years ahead. Long may he reign.

There will undoubtedly be changes to the patronages which King Charles III maintains. We’ll wait to hear in the fulness of time whether the GSPS will continue to be honoured.

_{Prince Charles’ watercolours book – gifted to Spike}

Spike the play – on the road

Spike, the play written by Ian Hislop and Nick Newman, has hit the road and is touring the country. Your humble website builder has his tickets for a Glasgow performance and is waiting in a state of severe excitement.

See the previous post for tour dates, or check the play’s website.

We rather liked this review from behindthearras.com, who were at the show’s appearance at Malvern Festival Theatre.

Don’t miss it folks.

BBC Radio 4 Xtra News

BBC Radio 4 Xtra news / GSPS Archive news
Whichever… it’s news

The Beeb Beeb Ceeb has announced the closure of some broadcast services including Radio 4 Xtra, the current home of the weekly rebroadcast of The Goon Show (airs Tuesday at 08:00, 12:00 and 19:00).
Listeners of this station should not be too concerned, as it is strongly rumoured that Radio 4 Xtra will continue online as a digital service available via BBC Sounds.

Following the recent discovery that the BBC has been quietly cutting inappropriate things from programmes before rebroadcast, the highly-unpaid staff at Encyclopædia Goonicus Productions Unlimited have been capturing all episodes of The Goon Show from the latest series of rebroadcasts that commenced on Tuesday 21st December 2021, with an airing of series 6, episode 9: The International Christmas Pudding. These programmes will later be compared with previous broadcasts and recordings to determine the extent of the cuts.

Volunteers to participate in the exercise should submit their application forms together with the sizeable entrance fee to the editor of this publication. Our quest to preserve The Goon Show continues …

Hercules Grytpype-Thynne
aka someone else…
famed archivist protector and preserver

Goon Show News no. 177

The September 2022 issue of our newsletter has been sent out to members – and it’s only mid-August!