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  • New Chairperson Needed

    ATTENTION PLEASE!

    Richard Usher thanked John Repsch for his service.

    Following the long service of our chairman, John Repsch, he has decided to take a break and pass the chair to somebody else.

    We need your help!
    We need a new chairperson to help steer the Society towards its main goal, to keep The Goon Show fresh and alive in people’s minds and habits and to spread the word to the world.
    We need to keep the pressure on the BBC to broadcast shows, appeal to the public for more lost audio treasures, perhaps encourage theatre groups to perform scripts of shows the BBC no longer holds recordings of, and to help build our archive of everything Goon.
    In addition, we need to keep membership growing, and to find a long-term solution regarding our archive.

    If you are attracted by this role, please let the Secretary know. Alternatively, if you’d be interested in the secretary role, get in touch anyway. A reshuffle of roles could well be possible [Contact Form]
    Please briefly outline your history with the Society and The Goon Show, and your ideas to ensure the GSPS thrives and fulfils its central aim to: ‘… perpetuate enjoyment of The Goon Show among its members and the wider public, by increasing their knowledge and awareness of The Goon Show, including its pleasures and its place in entertainment history.’

    It’s your society, so why not become part of the team that runs it?

    Please…
    and thank you.

    Regards, Richard Usher
    Secretary (Acting Chairperson), GSPS

  • Goon Show 75th Anniversary event

    Hello Folks! Calling Folks!

    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
    Admission Price – Tickets £10 with all profits to AgeUK York

    Tickets are available now via this link, or this QR code below:

  • What’s coming up on 4 Extra?

    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.

    The Milligan Papers BBC page

    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.

  • Where Are The Telegoons?

    Whatever happened to

    THE TELEGOONS?

    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

    ← Back

    Thank you

    Thanks for that. We’ll have a look and get back to you.

    More on The Telegoons

  • We’ll be at TPTV at Redditch in September

    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 Goons Go To Africa Preview

    Last September, the author Stephen Palmer came to the GSPS Annual Gathering and told us about the book he was busy writing, The Goons Go To Africa. The book is now set to be published later this year.

    To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the first Goon Show broadcast, he has released this preview of the Hunt Emerson designed front cover.

    In the book, Stephen evokes the trials, losses, victories and success of The Goon Show using its own techniques. He imagines the men of the show, including those, like Jimmy Grafton, Larry Stephens, John Snagge and the irrepressible, remarkable Wallace Greenslade, who both supported Milligan and acted as the framework in which his genius flourished. This is no dry history of great times in radio broadcasting, this is the book of the show.

    • The first new book proper on The Goon Show for thirty years.
    • Tells the story of the main comic actors in vivid narrative format.
    • Follows the entire history of the show and through it interrogates the nature of humour.
    • Celebrates the legacy of the show through the use of its unique narrative form.
    • Includes the stories of Goon Show associates less well known to the general public.

    Update
    The book is now available for pre-order from the publishers Pen and Sword Books. click here for more.

    Spike and Steve

    Stephen Palmer is a professionally published author of thirty years, whose work has garnered much acclaim in genre, independent and national press. His books have encompassed SF, Steampunk, and in narrative non-fiction Music and Anthropology. He first discovered The Goon Show in his teens, where they had been lurking for a while. Now a mature adult in his sixties, he likes peace and love, laughter, and Spon. He lives in south Shropshire, but can often be found tramping the woods of north Herefordshire thinking green thoughts.

    Stephen’s Amazon Author page

  • The Goon Show 75th Anniversary

    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.

    At the time of writing, Stephens House were girding their loins in readiness for An Evening Without Spike Milligan, starring Jeremy Stockwell and featuring the multi-talented Jane Milligan. There’s also a celebratory event taking place in Aberdare.

    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.

    String Vest Fishes and Custard,

    Richard Usher
    secretary and acting-chair, GSPS

  • Goon Show Anniversary Newsletter

    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.

  • The Phantom Raspberry Blower is getting closer.

    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.

  • Celebrating the Goons in South Wales

    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!

    Information and tickets here


    SEAGOON: Welcome to Wales!
    MORIARTY: You’re welcome to it, too!
    From The Goon Show series 10 – The Chinese Legs

  • Another Series of Goon Pod

    We’re delighted that, after a break of three months, Tyler Adams’ podcast Goon Pod started a new series on 1st April.

    If you haven’t listened to Goon Pod before, and I know that won’t be many of you, it’s a weekly show which looks at various aspects of The Goon Show. It could be a specific episode from the radio show, the music, movies or other projects involving one or more of the cast, or even some celebrity guest who can talk about a connection. The new series has started with a look at a Peter Sellers film which is now 50 years old, The Return of the Pink Panther.

    Goon Pod can be supported through Patreon, where Tyler produces Goon Pod Film Club for subscribers, looking at the wider world of comedy.

    The 1963 Royal Variety Performance (with Steven Cockcroft) – Goon Pod

    An annual tradition dating back to the year the Titanic went down – a useful metaphor to describe some of the subsequent acts who sank without trace – the Royal Variety Performance brings together entertainers from around the world to perform in front of faintly bored members of the Royal Family for charity.Arguably the most memorable and significant show was in 1963, when a group from Liverpool took to the stage and belted out four numbers for the Queen Mum. This was the height of Beatlemania, yet John, Paul, George and Ringo were still sufficiently awed by the occasion that John’s well-rehearsed spontaneous quip about jewellery was delivered with a rather nervous, impish grin.Harry Secombe bookended the television coverage and also appeared on stage with the cast of Pickwick, wearing a bald wig so wrinkled and skew-whiff that it looked like a piece of ham on the turn with barbershop sweepings. He also closed the show with a joke about the Fab Four that nearly brought the house down. And speaking of ham, Pinky and Perky showed up too.The likes of Steptoe & Son (including Paul’s future grandfather), Marlene Dietrich and Eric Sykes are still remembered today, but whither Susan Maughan, Los Paraguayos and Buddy Greco in the public’s collective memory? Certainly, Goon Pod listeners will be familiar with the work of Flanders & Swann, Tommy Steele and even – gah! – Charlie Drake, but how many of them recall Dickie Henderson?Steven Cockcroft, erstwhile co-host of Nothing Is Real, describes the event as the ‘British Ed Sullivan Show’, introducing a much wider audience at home to the Beatles and giving them a rather sanitised look at what all the fuss was about. As one viewer wrote in a letter to The Daily Mail: “It was possible, for once, to hear as well as see the Beatles. What a pleasant change to be able to hear the celebrated Mersey Sound without the inevitable accompaniment of adolescent hysteria that passes weirdly these days.”Join Tyler and Steven as they navigate this bloated extravaganza of singers, funsters, jugglers and dancers. Fans of Elvis Costello may want to tune in too for some shameless name-dropping and his familial connection to the show.
    1. The 1963 Royal Variety Performance (with Steven Cockcroft)
    2. Soft Beds, Hard Battles (1974)
    3. Sellers & Milligan Mixtape
    4. The Silent Bugler
    5. Only Two Can Play (1962)