Issue number 194 of Goon Show news has been printed, posted and is generally on its way to our members.
Hopefully, it’s a collectible rather than a recyclable. Whatever you do with yours, we hope you enjoy this quarter’s selection of articles. The topics include:
The Best of Fred TV show A 1950 Michael Bentine feature
The Australian Goon Appreciation Society
The Goon Show in Canada in the 1950s
The Penny Points to Paradise movie
A look at a Goon Show you’ve never heard
the story of the Goon Show Scripts books
A gracious letter from our royal patron
and much more…
The Goon Show News newsletter is published quarterly and sent to all of our members. A sample copy can be downloaded here. If you’re not getting it, why not join the GSPS. You won’t be disappointed.
The September edition of the GSPS newsletter (due to appear any day now) includes an article about the Goons-related ‘Fred’ TV shows of the mid-1950s, and speculation about a soon to come video release. The British Film Institute has rather pre-empted this with their announcement of their forthcoming DVD/Blu-ray box set – The Goons at Rediffusion…
In the mid-1950s, four outstanding Associated-Rediffusion television shows – The Idiot Weekly, Price 2d, A Show Called Fred, Son of Fred and Yes, It’s the Cathode-Ray Tube Show! – adapted the brilliantly bizarre humour of BBC radio comedy The Goon Show into visual form.
Initially overseen by director Richard Lester and starring Peter Sellers and Spike Milligan, but only broadcast in the London region, these supremely silly and surreal sketch shows remain the most uproariously successful attempts to capture the quicksilver genius of The Goons on the telly-box.
This long-overdue box set gathers together all available archival material that still exists from these shows – newly scanned and re-presented in the best possible quality, for new generations of comedy fans to enjoy. Also included is a lavish array of hens’-teeth rarities, featuring members of the Goon Show or their entourage, also from the Associated-Rediffusion collection, much of which appears here on disc for the very first time. [All BFI words]
Huge news for The Goon Show Preservation Society! We are delighted to announce a special event to mark the 75th anniversary of The Goon Show!
The GSPS has teamed up with the Borthwick Institute for Archives and Birmingham Comedy Festival to create an afternoon of Goon Show goodies at the Scenic Stage Theatre at the University of York, home to our society archives. The event is made possible by being part of the York 50-Plus Festival and profits are going to AgeUK. There will be a look at the history of the series and a chance to see some of our archive materials, and live stage performances of two classic shows! We hope to add some special guests to the line-up and include a post-show Q&A.
It is all in a very good cause, and we hope you can make it along to commemorate 75 glorious years! Please, open your wallets and repeat after me, “help yourself!”
The event, taking place at 2pm on Saturday 17th October 2026 in the Scenic Stage Theatre at the University of York, is part of the York 50-Plus Festival and supporting AgeUK York.
Here are the key event details:
Date – Saturday 17th October 2026 from 2pm until 4pm Venue – The Scenic Stage Theatre, University of York East Campus, YO10 5GB Admission Price – Tickets £10 with all profits to AgeUK York
Tickets are available now via this link, or this QR code below:
BBC Radio 4 Extra’s regular Tuesday Goon Show slot is on the verge of competing it’s run through the series. It reaches the end of the Vintage Goons series with The Albert Memorial episode on 28th July, and that will be followed with The Last Goon Show Of All on 4th August.
What’s coming after that is a run of the six part The Milligan Papers series from Radio 4 in 1987. It starts on 11th August with The Incredible Case of the Vanishing Flying Scotsman.
The series was written by John Antrobus. It starred Spike Milligan, with John Bluthal, Chris Langham, John Antrobus and George Chisholm leading his Gentlemen of Jazz.
update After the Milligan Papers run, there’s a Goon Show scheduled for 22nd September. It’s episode 4/23The Greatest Mountain in the World, which is just about the earliest show available. Hopefully it’s the start of a long run.
These shows are available for 30 days after they are broadcast on BBC Sounds. Streaming BBC radio shows on catch-up is no longer available outside the UK. There is still a live stream here.
The popular Telegoons puppet TV series was seen on BBC TV between 1963 and 1965.
When production ceased, some of the studio puppets were given as gifts to friends, whilst others were exhibited in the popular Nellie McQueens restaurant in Sunbury on Thames until that restaurant ceased trading in 1992.
At that time, those restaurant puppets were also given away to well known customers and friends of David Young (brother of Tony Young, who co-founded and produced the series).
Where are they now?
The Goon Show Preservation Society (established 1972) is making one last effort to gather in stories of any of the individual puppets themselves, from the people who were given them (or their families), to add to our extensive documentary Encyclopedia Goonicus project.
Please use this form to send any information which might help
The GSPS will be represented again at the next Talking Pictures TV Festival of Film and TV Roadshow. This time it’s in the Midlands, on Sunday 13th September at the Redditch Palace Theatre.
Hopefully we’ll have our stand where visitors can come and chat to us, and maybe even buy stuff. And not only that, our own Richard Usher will be appearing on stage performing a couple of Goon-style sketches which were originally written for Peter Sellers by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson.
And not only only that, Richard will be overshadowed on stage by a lady with a Goon Show connection. The legendary actress Britt Ekland, once married to Peter Sellers of course, is topping the bill.
For more information about who else is appearing, and how to get tickets, visit renownfilms.co.uk.
The first Goon Show was broadcast on the BBC Home Service on 28th May 1951.
Hello Folks! Calling Folks! Are you celebrating the 75th anniversary of our beloved show in style?
Sadly, it wasn’t possible to get an actual Goon Show arranged to celebrate the milestone (oh we tried folks, we really tried…), but there should be plenty going on to commemorate it in other ways.
One way the GSPS is celebrating the day is with the publication of the new (seventh) edition of Encyclopaedia Goonicus, our archive collection of documents and recordings which we make available to paid-up members of the society.
There’s also a new 75th Anniversary page on the website looking at some stories from that 1951 broadcast.
And to celebrate the anniversary, there’s a special discount offer on our membership fee to those of you who might be persuaded to join our society.
On yesterday’s episode of GoonPod, Tyler Adams marked the anniversary with six Goon Show fans having a round table discussion about our favourite show Find it on your usual podcast source or try here if you don’t have one.
I will be taking to the stage at the TPTV event in September with two performances of some long-forgotten Galton and Simpson mini–Goon Shows, and the mighty Hambledon Productions will soon be touring the UK with The Phantom Raspberry Blower of Old London Town.
Looking ahead, this year’s Annual Gathering will be taking place at Stephens House & Gardens in Finchley on Saturday 10th October, and we hope to see lots of you there.
A message from our editor has arrived. It says he’s been visited by the nice lady in her red van. What does that mean? You can imagine what you like, we choose to think that the June issue of the GSPS newsletter has entered the postal system, and it’ll be delivered to our members once they’ve found the Stolen Postman*.
In this newsletter issue, we’re celebrating the 75th Anniversary of our beloved radio show first hitting the airwaves. And there’s more than anniversary talk, just look at the crowded contents list above.
The Goon Show News newsletter is published quarterly and sent to all of our members. A sample copy can be downloaded here. If you’re not getting it, why not take advantage of the special offer now on and join the GSPS. You won’t be disappointed.
* A postman hasn’t really been stolen. It’s an attempted humorous reference to a Goon Show episode.
It’s time to get your tickets for the UK stage tour of The Phantom Raspberry Blower of Old London Town.
The work was written by Spike Milligan and Ronnie Barker. It was originally conceived to be a Goon Show revival project, however, Peter, Harry and Spike couldn’t get together at the time.
Many will remember the Phantom from its serialisation on The Two Ronnies TV show. Actually that was 50 years ago, so many more might not.
For those who don’t remember, it’s a Victorian London set spoof on the Jack the Ripper story. With the Milligan and Barker connection, expect surreal absurdism, clever puns, near-the-knuckle ribaldry, quick-fire jokes and wordplay.
Hambledon Productions, the theatre company which specialises in vintage comedy, have adapted the show and are touring it from September to November this year. Details of the tour and tickets are on the Hambledon Productions website.
A celebration of 75 years of the Goon Show being held on 28th May has come to our attention.
It’s part of the regular monthly series of WAM (Words Art Music) events held in St. Elvan’s Church in Aberdare. In the words of the organisers: Join us for a WAM | Thursday Night Radio Play Special, as we celebrate the 75th anniversary (to the day Minn) of the first ever broadcast of the iconic Goon Show. Expect madness, mayhem – and more!
The Goon Show Preservation Society 