I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue: Difference between revisions

I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue

File:ISIHAC.jpg Cover for I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue Collection 1 (Volumes 1-3). From left to right: Graeme Garden, Barry Cryer, Humphrey Lyttelton, Tim Brooke-Taylor and Willie Rushton.
Other names	ISIHAC Clue
Genre	Comedy panel game
Running time	30 minutes
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Language(s)	English
Home station	BBC Radio 4
Starring	Humphrey Lyttelton Jack Dee Graeme Garden Barry Cryer Tim Brooke-Taylor Willie Rushton Colin Sell Various Guests
Produced by	David Hatch John Cassels Simon Brett Geoffrey Perkins Paul Mayhew-Archer Paul Spencer Jon Magnusson Jon Naismith (Current)
Recording studio	Various
Original release	11 April 1972 (1972-04-11) (except 1988, 2008) – present
Website	The ISIHAC team's official website The official BBC website

I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue, sometimes abbreviated to ISIHAC or simply Clue, is a BBC radio comedy panel game that has been broadcast since 11 April 1972. Since then, the programme has been produced at the rate of one or two series each year, being transmitted on BBC Radio 4, with occasional repeats on BBC Radio 4 Extra and the BBC's World Service. The format, introduced as "the antidote to panel games", consists of four comedians, split into two teams and "given silly things to do" by a chairman. Bar a period of split chairmanship in the first series, Humphrey Lyttelton ("Humph") served in this role from the programme's inception until his death in 2008. This role is currently held by Jack Dee.

The show was conceived in 1972 as a parody of the then-ubiquitous radio and TV panel games; it includes elements that satirise them. The 50th series was broadcast in November and December 2007 on BBC Radio 4. In April 2008, following the hospitalisation and subsequent death of Lyttelton, recording of the 51st series was postponed. The show recommenced on 15 June 2009 with Lyttelton being replaced by a trio of hosts: Stephen Fry, Jack Dee and Rob Brydon. Dee went on to host all episodes of the 52nd series later that year. He continues in that role for forthcoming series.

History

(L-R) Ross Noble, Tim Brooke-Taylor, Humphrey Lyttelton, producer Jon Naismith, Graeme Garden and Barry Cryer during a 2005 recording. Naismith is sitting in the chair reserved for "Samantha".

I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue developed from the long running radio sketch show I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again. The writers of the earlier show — John Cleese, Jo Kendall, David Hatch, Bill Oddie, Tim Brooke-Taylor and especially Graeme Garden — found that writing a radio series was a lot of work for little reward, so Garden suggested the idea of an unscripted show. It was decided that this would take the form of a parody panel game, with Garden, Brooke-Taylor, Oddie and Kendall as the panellists, with occasional appearances by others. Humphrey Lyttelton, previously well known as a jazz trumpeter and band leader, was invited to become the host because the others felt the role played by improvisation would make the new show the comedy equivalent of jazz. In the first season Lyttelton shared the role of chairman with Barry Cryer. However, Lyttelton soon made the role his own (especially once Cryer replaced Cleese as a regular panellist) and continued as chairman until his death on 25 April 2008.

A panel game with no competition was not itself a new idea: the BBC had a history of successful quiz shows designed to allow witty celebrities to entertain, and where winning was not remotely important. Examples include Just a Minute, My Word!, and My Music on the radio, and Call My Bluff on television.

The pilot episode opened with Graeme Garden and Jo Kendall singing the words of "Three Blind Mice" to the tune of "Ol' Man River" followed by Bill Oddie and Tim Brooke-Taylor performing the lyrics of "Sing a Song of Sixpence" to the melody of "These Foolish Things". Dave Lee was at the piano and a number of rounds were introduced by a short phrase of music. Other rounds included "Dialogue Read in a Specific Accent" and "Songs Sung as Animals".

Some early episodes of the series, including the first, were wiped in the late 1970s. Following the BBC's Treasure Hunt appeal for missing material in 2002, several shows were recovered from off-air recordings made by listeners.

In the first series Lyttelton alternated in the role of chairman with Barry Cryer, but from the second he took the position full time, with Cryer replacing Jo Kendall on the panel. In 1974 Bill Oddie was replaced by Willie Rushton, and the personnel remained constant from this point until Rushton's death in 1996. Since then the fourth seat on the panel has not been filled permanently, but instead has featured a variety of comedians.

The show has over two million listeners on Radio 4, and its recording sessions typically fill 1500-seat theatres within a week of being advertised. At least one recording for the spring 2006 series filled all its seats within three hours of the free tickets being made available, and the London recording of the autumn series in that year sold out in ten minutes. Although there are twelve Clue shows broadcast per year (six each in the spring and autumn), these are the result of just six recording sessions, each with two programmes being recorded back-to-back. To find out about forthcoming recordings, people can join the official mailing list at www.isihac.net [1]. The show was recently voted the second funniest radio programme ever, behind The Goon Show. It also has a large following among professional comedians such as Armando Iannucci, who turned down opportunities to work on it, preferring to remain a listener. Jack Dee, on the special I'm Sorry I Haven't a Desert Island, explained that he did not want to appear on Clue as he felt his voice would spoil it, but since then he has appeared as both a panellist and chairman.

Rob Brydon (centre) chairs the Newcastle recording of I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue. Also pictured are Tim Brooke-Taylor (low left) and Colin Sell (top left). The chair next to Brydon with the microphone is 'used' by "Samantha"

On 18 April 2008, the producer of I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue, Jon Naismith, announced that, owing to hospitalisation to repair an aortic aneurysm, Humphrey Lyttelton would be unable to record the upcoming scheduled shows, and that the recordings scheduled for spring 2008 would have to be postponed. He also revealed that the final show of the 2008 Best of tour on 22 April would be presented by Rob Brydon.

Following Lyttelton's death, there was speculation that the series might be cancelled because replacing Lyttelton would be extremely difficult, if not impossible. In a eulogy in The Guardian, Barry Cryer did not allude to the future of the programme, but said that there's "got to be an agonising reappraisal", and that Lyttelton was the "very hub of the show".

Barry Cryer, Tim Brooke-Taylor and Graeme Garden all ruled themselves out as hosts. Barry Cryer said that he did not think the programme would work if a panellist became chairman and that it "would need somebody of stature to be parachuted in". Frequent panellist Jeremy Hardy also ruled himself out as future host, saying "Humph had big shoes to fill and I wouldn't do it."

In the Clue mailout for September 2008, Naismith stated: "Despite the rumours, we've made no decisions about possible replacements for Humph, and are unlikely to make any decisions this year at least. Certainly I don't envisage us selecting anyone on a permanent basis for several series."

It was announced that the show would continue, with recording beginning in 2009. The first new shows would be hosted by rotating guest presenters (similar to the format of Have I Got News for You) before a permanent replacement host is decided. In the Clue mailout for February 2009, Naismith announced that Stephen Fry, Jack Dee and Rob Brydon would be hosting two shows each, to be recorded in April, May and June 2009 respectively. The programme returned on 15 June 2009 chaired by Fry with the usual panellists and special guest Victoria Wood. Every series aired since then has been chaired by Dee, though no announcement has been made that he is the permanent replacement. He is, however, continuing to host the current series, which began broadcasting on June 27 2011.

The official, authorised history of the show and ISIRTA, 'The Clue Bible' by Jem Roberts, was published by Preface Publishing in October 2009.

Participants

Humphrey Lyttelton and producer Jon Naismith during a 2005 recording of I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue at the Edinburgh Fringe.

Chairman Humph

Humphrey Lyttelton, affectionately referred to as Humph, was chairman of the show from its first episode in 1972 (although in the first series he shared presenting duties with Barry Cryer) until his death on 25 April 2008. He read the script introducing the programme and segments in an utterly deadpan manner. He claimed the secret was just to read what was in front of him without understanding why it was funny. He adopted the grumpy persona of someone who would really rather be somewhere else, which he attributed to worrying that, surrounded by four professional comedians, he would have nothing worthwhile to chip in. He did occasionally depart from the script, however, often bringing the house down with an ad-lib. He was credited by the regular panellists as being the chief reason for the show's longevity. The chairman's script is written by Iain Pattinson, who has worked on the show since 1992.

Chairmen since Lyttelton

Following the death of Humphrey Lyttelton, the role of chairman has since been delegated to a variety of different comedians, all of whom have been panellists on the show. When the show returned in June 2009, Stephen Fry, Jack Dee and Rob Brydon each chaired the show, depending on the location of recording. The following series, which began in November of that year, was chaired entirely by Dee, with Brydon as a panellist for the first two episodes. Since then, Dee has hosted every series, but has not been formally announced as Lyttelton's permanent replacement.

Panellists

The regular panellists for much of the show's history were:

• Graeme Garden was a member of the I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again team that the programme grew out of and has been a panellist since its first episode. Lyttelton described him as being very dry, biding his time before stepping in with a perfect punchline.
• Barry Cryer hosted six episodes in the show's first series before moving into a permanent seat on the panel. He is credited by the chairman as being the show's "bricks and mortar", providing quickfire one-liners in any situation. There is a running joke in the programme that he is a dirty old man with a drink problem.
• Tim Brooke-Taylor was also part of the I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again team and has also been with the show since the start. He is very popular with the crowd and adopts a vulnerable persona. Garden and Brooke-Taylor had previously worked together on television in The Goodies, and Brooke-Taylor in particular will occasionally drop references to that show into some of the games, eliciting cheers from the audience.
• Willie Rushton was one of the regular panel members from 1974 until his death in 1996. The other panellists have fond memories of his off-the-wall sense of humour and quick-fire puns.

Since Willie Rushton's death, his seat has been turned into a permanent guest spot. Guests have also appeared when one of the regulars was unavailable.

Guests have included:

• Bill Bailey (2002)
• Max Boyce (1998)
• Jo Brand (2009)
• Marcus Brigstocke (2011)
• Rob Brydon (2006–2011)
• John Cleese (regular panel member during the first series, 1972)
• Denise Coffey (1979–1997)
• Jack Dee (2004–2007)
• Kenny Everett (1985)
• Stephen Fry (1986–2007)
• Andy Hamilton (1999–2007)
• Mike Harding (1984–1986)
• Jeremy Hardy (1995–2011)
• Tony Hawks (1995–2006)
• Harry Hill (2003–2005)
• John Junkin (1975–1986)
• Phill Jupitus (1999–2011)
• Jo Kendall (regular panel member during the first series, 1972)
• Jonathan Lynn (1979)
• Fred MacAulay (1998–1999)
• Paul Merton (1991–1998)
• David Mitchell (2009–2011)
• Neil Mullarkey (2000)
• Ross Noble (2003–2011)
• Bill Oddie (regular panel member during the first two series, 1972–1973)
• Linda Smith (2001–2004)
• Bill Tidy (1985–1991, including replacement for Tim Brooke-Taylor for one series in 1991)
• Sandi Toksvig (1997–2010)
• Victoria Wood (2009)

Musical accompaniment

Early episodes featured Dave Lee, who provided piano accompaniment on I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again. However, Colin Sell now usually fulfills this role. He is often the butt of jokes making fun of his musical ability, which he takes in good part—he is unable to respond, as he has pointed out, due to the fact that he does not have his own microphone. For example: "When music experts hear Colin's compositions, they say he could have been another Berlin, Porter, or anybody else employed by the German State Railway." Occasionally, Sell does respond: he once corrected Humph, with the host replying, "Sorry, Colin, did I say something funny?", to which Sell answered, "Only briefly," causing the audience to laugh.

Guest pianists are called in when Sell has been unable to attend (or the ISIHAC team have "won the coin toss" as Lyttelton once said on the show), including Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band member and Monty Python collaborator Neil Innes, as well as Denis King and Matthew Scott. For a couple of Christmas specials, Lyttelton's band also appeared. Once, when Innes was guesting, Lyttelton outlined the musician's career, before concluding that this "has brought him to where he is today: standing in for Colin Sell." Innes then played the funeral march. On another appearance, Innes sang along to his own composition "I'm the Urban Spaceman" during a round of "Pick Up Song".

The theme music is called "The Schickel Shamble", by Ron Goodwin, and is from the film Monte Carlo or Bust. It was chosen by David Hatch.

Special guests

There have been a number of special guests. The late Raymond Baxter was occasionally drafted to commentate on sessions of Mornington Crescent. He also presented the one-off special, Everyman's Guide to Mornington Crescent. Both Dame Judi Dench and Alan Titchmarsh took part in Celebrity What's My Line?. Dame Judi Dench and Sir Michael Gambon performed the Mornington Crescent drama The Bromley by Bow Stratagem. John Humphrys was to be interviewed on one programme, but they ran out of time.

Scorers

Since 18 May 1985, the show's routines have included a fictional and completely silent scorer, "whose job is eased by the fact no points are actually awarded". This role is usually filled by "the lovely Samantha" — who sits on Humph's left hand. At the start of the programme, and when introducing appropriate rounds, Lyttelton would describe Samantha's social activities. This would usually be in the form of an apology received from the absent character who had been detained elsewhere, often with a "gentleman friend". These comments made the show notable for including far more and far ruder innuendo and double entendre than the BBC would ever broadcast on television in a similar early evening timeslot, though the show's standard response to this was that any dirty-mindedness is purely that of the listener. After the death of Lyttelton, Samantha remained the scorer, however her social activities are mentioned far less often by the new chairmen.

When Samantha has been unavailable her role has sometimes been filled by the Swedish stand-in scorer, Sven, or occasionally another substitute, Monica. When Margaret Thatcher left office in 1990, an episode which was aired not long afterward had Lyttelton introducing a scorer named Margaret filling in for Samantha. In an episode in November 1991, both Samantha and Sven were present, but they were occupied with each other during the performance and were thus unable to award any points.

Early in Samantha's career on ISIHAC, when it was not completely clear whether or not she was a fictional character, a letter appeared in the BBC's Radio Times magazine protesting at the sexist and humiliating treatment she received on the programme. Producer Jon Naismith adds, "I remember when we [Naismith and Iain Pattinson] took over the show we used to get quite a few letters accusing us of sexist references to Samantha."

Samantha's inabilities as a score-keeper for the game often form the basis for humour; in a programme from 1997, Humph said: "It's just occurred to me that Samantha hasn't given us the score... since 1981."

There is a seat with a microphone next to the Chairman which is 'used' by Samantha. During the introductory music Humphrey Lyttelton would stand up and 'help' Samantha into her seat. In practice the seat and microphone was only used by the producer to welcome the audience, to introduce the participants and to give any other information to the audience such as the expected date of broadcasting.

Correspondence

A regular feature on the programme, always preceding the game Mornington Crescent, is the fictional letters section, invariably containing one letter. This usually begins with the chairman sarcastically hyping the number of letters (for example, "I notice from the sheer weight of this week's postbag, we've received a little over no letters" and "I see from the number of letters raining down on us this week that the Scrabble factory has exploded again"). The letter each week is from a "Mrs Trellis of North Wales", an idiosyncratic and prolific correspondent to the chairman. Her incoherent letters usually involve her mistaking the chairman for another Radio 4 presenter or media personality. It may be "Dear Libby (she writes), why oh why oh why very nearly spells YOYO", or "Dear Mr Titchmarsh, never let them tell you that size isn't important. My aunt told me that, but then all my new wallpaper fell off."

Producers

The show has had a number of producers over the years:

• David Hatch (Produced only the pilot episode in 1972)
• John Cassels (1972–1974)
• Simon Brett (1975–1977)
• Geoffrey Perkins (1978–1981)
• Paul Mayhew-Archer (1982–1986)
• Paul Spencer (1987–1989)
• Jon Magnusson (1990–1991)
• Jon Naismith (1991–present)

Format

Introduction

The show roughly follows a standard panel game format: the chairman introduces the show with some humorous remarks, such as:

"Hello and welcome to I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue. Tonight, we promise you a nail-biting contest. Which will be followed by a nose-picking contest."

The chairman continues by providing a little background material about the place where the show is being recorded, which is interspersed with jokes based upon it. For example: "The story of Hastings only really begins with the historic battle, which was fought at a nearby town called Battle. Now, what are the chances of that happening?". Or that Northampton was originally titled Norse Hampton, being under the Danelaw, until King Alfred freed it with the women of the town rejoicing in the streets as he cried out "I have the hampton of a Norse".

The introduction generally ends with a put-down for the teams, such as:

"The Dorset coast is also famous for its sedimentary deposits dating from the Eocene Age, and the curious still come here in search of fossils and even obscure little-known dinosaurs...Let's meet the teams..."

Rounds

After this a series of nominally competitive rounds are introduced. In some games the panellists play as individuals, while for others they are grouped into two teams of two players. Most of the games involve interaction between the players, but the team games tend to consist of separate efforts. Although many of the games appear to end with a winner, the show is not, in fact, the least bit competitive. No score is kept and no winner is announced. Several games lack even the appearance of competitiveness.

The rounds are introduced by the chairman. Usually he rambles for a few sentences, apparently fairly aimlessly, before finishing on a double entendre set up by the preceding story. Each regular game has its own introduction. For example, "One Song to the Tune of Another" is always introduced using a complex analogy to allow the teams to better understand the concept involved, despite its totally self-explanatory title, often ending with a put-down at the expense of Colin Sell.

Time, destiny, fate and eternity

The show draws to a close with the chairman imparting some final words of wisdom intended to evoke time, destiny, fate and eternity, undercut with silliness. For example: "...And so, as the hunter of time blasts the moose of eternity, and the dairy counter worker of fate sighs and grabs her mop..." Lyttelton's final sign-off on the show, shortly before his death in April 2008, was: "And so as the loose-bowelled pigeon of time swoops low over the unsuspecting tourist of destiny, and the flatulent skunk of fate wanders into the air-conditioning system of eternity, I notice it's the end of the show."

Humour

Punning

Many of the games are inherently humorous and even those theoretically capable of being taken seriously are played for laughs. I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue's humour is mostly derived from wordplay of one kind or another such as puns or mocking other styles of speech. For example, in a round based on suggesting television programmes from biblical times:

• They Think It's All Jehovah
• I Love Lucifer
• The Exodus Files

By way of reversing this, the show also includes the "Uxbridge English Dictionary" where the panellists contribute, more or less at random, humorous redefinitions of real words. One example would be: "Puny: the Roman Catholic equivalent of tennis elbow" (explanation: "puny" sounds like pew-knee).

More puns were to be found in the "Arrivals at the Ball" section where the object was to create an announcement of the form "Mr and Mrs X and their son (or daughter)...." with the child's name forming a pun, preferably a laboured and feeble one. This grew out of the "drama" section of later shows in the I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again series, where conjuring funny names distracted from the lack of plot. For example: at the Criminals Ball, "Mr and Mrs Knee, and their Swedish son, Lars Knee!" (explanation: "Lars Knee" sounds a little like larceny).

Real-world humour

Most of the humour is detached from the real world. Steve Punt cites it as one of his favourite radio shows because "there's no points being made or targets being attacked." Contemporary references are occasionally made by participants but these are usually asides, not related to the thrust of the game. The show does occasionally comment on the outside world, though this is done from an innocent perspective. For example, the game "Complete George Bush Quotes" was once played, in which the teams had to supply the endings to phrases that George Bush had begun. This was mocking the American president's frequent verbal slips (see Bushism) rather than any aspects of his policy, with the teams frequently complaining that no matter what they said, they couldn't be any funnier than the real ending.

Invisible props and extras

A frequent source of humour is the supposed presence of something, or someone, which is visually impressive but makes no sound, and therefore cannot be fully appreciated by the radio audience. For example, the regular scorer is "the lovely Samantha" (who never speaks a word), and the team has trialled many "advanced laser scoreboards" over recent decades. In fact, these things are of course fictional — the "laser display screen" (sometimes described in more elaborate terms), used in rounds in which the panel must not see what the audience sees, most frequently "Sound Charades" (see below), is in fact the producer running on to the stage holding a large card with the words written on it (conveyed to listeners at home by the "mystery voice", a device also employed in the 1960s radio show Twenty Questions). This explains the joke, employed on many occasions, of the display screen being "so generously funded by our hosts". The studio audience invariably plays along with the joke by providing gasps of wonder and applause at the appropriate moment.

Possibly the most well-developed instance of this form-versus-content humour was an occasion when Humph announced that they had a very distinguished actor as a guest, and he would be joining in the game of Mornington Crescent. The panellists first played a normal game, ostensibly to give the guest a chance to acclimatise. With much gravitas the guest then approached the panel's table, taking his place such that he would be the last to make his first move. When the game started, the penultimate player, the last of the panellists, won on his first move, thus denying the distinguished guest the opportunity to make even a single move in the game. The chairman apologised, but explained that that was an unavoidable possibility in the game, and the guest gracefully left, without having ever uttered a word. The show was allegedly inundated with complaints at the treatment of Sir Alec Guinness. This story has become somewhat mythical and a favourite of Lyttelton's, who claimed in interviews that the "distinguished actor" had never actually been named on the show, but on the actual recording he can be heard to say, "Well I'm very sorry about that. Rather unfortunate. We would like to go on and ask you a few things about what you're doing currently, Sir Alec, but we do have to hurry on to the next game."

Musical rounds

Musical games are also played. These games are inherently silly and the results often amusingly awful. They often involve juxtaposing two elements of music that are normally kept apart, such as singing "One Song to the Tune of Another" or playing a song using only a swanee whistle and a kazoo. The fact that many of the panellists can't really sing (or, in Jeremy Hardy's case, really can't sing) is played for laughs, as is the (alleged) inability of the show's pianist, Colin Sell. The introduction to these rounds is often elaborate building up to a bad pun. For example, "One song to the tune of another" may be described in the terms of "Changing Rooms" [A DIY television programme], and I can guess what you are thinking panel— where is Handy Andy? Well, we don't need a bad craftsman smashing up a completely good piece of furniture. At the piano we have Colin Sell." In his defence, Sell has remarked that he cannot respond because he has no microphone.

On one Christmas edition, Colin Sell was asked to accompany Mrs Mills tunes in a Cockney style, somewhat like Chas and Dave, with Humph remarking, "That was actually quite good". Sell is an accomplished pianist, so it is played for laughs.

Another popular musical game is Just a Minim - a parody of another well know Radio 4 program, Just a Minute. In this, the panellists must sing a well known nursery rhyme whilst adhering to the rules of Just a Minute (avoiding repetition, deviation or hesitation). Many nursery rhymes has regular repetition in their lyrics (such as The Wheels on the Bus), making the game difficult and adding to the comedy.

Self-deprecatory humour

Self-deprecation forms a big part of the show's humour. It frequently pokes fun at itself and its supposed low quality. For example, Lyttelton was heard to exclaim at the end of a round:

• "Nietzsche said that life was a choice between suffering and boredom. He never said anything about having to put up with both at the same time."
• "I'm often prone to bouts of misplaced optimism. This round's going to be a hum-dinger!"
• "All good things must come to an end, so let's carry on."
• An introduction to "Sound Charades", a round based on Give Us a Clue, went: "In the TV version the teams were not allowed to speak, making the games both silent and hilarious. Our version differs in just two ways."

Parodies of other game shows

Parodies of other similar shows are also executed. "Celebrity What's My Line?" completely destroyed the intent of the original — for players to guess the occupation of a third party by asking yes/no questions. The I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue version once employed the famous actress (and fan of the show) Dame Judi Dench in this role, and the renowned television gardener Alan Titchmarsh. Each began by performing a mime illustrating their occupation, giving a cryptic clue to the panel (appearing to a radio listener as a short silence punctuated by exclamations from the panel and laughter from the studio audience), before fielding apparently serious questions from the teams, who pretended not to know who they were. Apart from the silliness of pretending that a celebrity's occupation is unknown, humour comes from the bizarre lines of questioning from the panel (e.g. "Is that your own hair?" or "Do you kill people for money?").

At the close of one show, the chairman asked the teams to read the cuttings that they had brought along with them, in the manner of fellow Radio 4 show The News Quiz. The teams proceeded to read their cuttings, but only to themselves. Hence followed some interested murmurs from the teams and much laughter from the audience. This is a good example of double-meanings being used in the Clue comedy style.

Another game called "Just a Minim" was based on long-running radio show Just a Minute, and required the contestants to sing a song "without repetition, hesitation, deviation or repetition" (as per the rules of Just a Minute). Of course this ruined the point of the game, since as the songs had predefined lyrics it would often be impossible to avoid repetition and deviation (from the true lyrics) simultaneously

Running jokes

After over thirty years on the air, one of the most important aspects of the show is its huge stock of running gags, which, if not always funny in themselves, can elicit huge anticipatory laughter from the studio audience. For example, when introducing Sound Charades the mere mention of Lionel Blair by the presenter will often bring roars of laughter in anticipation of an outrageous double-entendre based on his supposed homosexuality (he is not gay). In this round, Graeme Garden and Barry Cryer frequently play the characters of two Scots, Hamish and Dougal. Their skits usually begin with the phrase "You'll have had your tea, then, Dougal", which elicits a rapturous applause from the audience. The characters were then developed into their own Radio 4 show, Hamish and Dougal. Likewise, in the Film club round any reference by Graeme Garden to Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia is sure to cause a similar response. The existence of these running gags can be said to soften the satirisation of the ubiquitous stock panel games the show was itself set up to parody. The game "Wobbling Bunnies" was introduced several times by Humph, often with eager anticipation by the panel and audience, but time pressures always meant the game was never actually played.

Games

Main article: List of games on I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue

Many games are played on I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue. Some are played frequently but there are dozens more that feature less often. A few have only been played once: either because the joke only works once or because the result was not particularly successful.

Examples of the more popular games include "One Song to the Tune of Another", "Mornington Crescent", "Sound Charades", "Late Arrivals", "Double Feature", "Cheddar Gorge" and "Uxbridge English Dictionary".

Awards

The programme has won the Gold Sony Radio Comedy Award three times:

• 1995: featuring Humphrey Lyttelton, Barry Cryer, Graeme Garden, Tim Brooke-Taylor and Willie Rushton
• 2002: featuring the usual cast and Jeremy Hardy. The citation was as follows:

  "Despite its many years on air, this still stands out as a very funny programme — risky, rude, brilliantly written and superbly performed. Humphrey Lyttelton’s comic timing is genius!"

• 2004: I'm Sorry I Haven't A Christmas Carol, featuring the usual cast with Stephen Fry, Andy Hamilton, Jeremy Hardy, Tony Hawks, Sandi Toksvig and Linda Smith. The citation was as follows:

  "A stunning cast performing a blistering script — only really possible on radio. This show took a long established, very successful format to a higher level — an excellent blend of the regular format and zany style of I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue with A Christmas Carol."

Other awards:

• 1995: Best Radio Comedy, British Comedy Award
• 1997: Radio Programme of the Year, British Press Guild
• 1997: Radio Programme of the Year, Voice of the Viewer & Listener
• 2003: Radio Programme of the Year, Voice of the Viewer & Listener
• 2003: Radio Programme of the Year, Television & Radio Industries Club
• 2003: Best Comedy, Spoken Word Award
• 2005: Radio Programme of the Year, Television & Radio Industries Club

Broadcast list

• 1st Series (1972) - 11 April-4 July [13 episodes]
• 2nd Series (1973) - 30 April-23 July [13 episodes]
• 3rd Series (1974) - 28 August-2 October [6 episodes]
• 4th Series (1975) - 29 July-16 September [8 episodes]
• 5th Series (1976) - 6 March-10 April [6 episodes]
• 6th Series (1978) - 22 August-24 October [10 episodes]
• 7th Series (1979) - 16 July-17 September [10 episodes]
• Christmas Special (1979) - 24 December
• Christmas Special (1980) - 24 December
• 8th Series (1981) - 22 August-24 October [10 episodes]
• Christmas Special (1981) - 24 December
• 9th Series (1982) - 20 March-27 March [2 episodes], 10 April-22 May [8 episodes]
• 10th Series (1983) - 26 February-30 April [10 episodes]
• 11th Series (1984) - 7 April-9 June [10 episodes]
• 12th Series (1985) - 4 May-6 July [10 episodes]
• 13th Series (1986) - 26 July-27 September [10 episodes]
• Christmas Special (1986) - 25 December
• 14th Series (1987) - 17 August-19 October [10 episodes]
• 15th Series (1989) - 7 January-11 March [10 episodes]
• 16th Series (Spring 1990) - 5 February-12 March [6 episodes]
• 17th Series (Autumn 1990) - 17 November-29 December [7 episodes]
• 18th Series (Summer 1991) - 22 June-27 July [6 episodes]
• 19th Series (Autumn 1991) - 19 October-7 December [8 episodes]
• 20th Series (Summer 1992) - 23 May-27 June [6 episodes]
• 21st Series (Autumn 1992) - 14 November-19 December [6 episodes], 26 December [Compilation]
• 22nd Series (1993) - 6 November-11 December [6 episodes]
• Christmas Special (1993) - 25 December
• 23rd Series (Summer 1994) - 28 May-2 July [6 episodes]
• 24th Series (Autumn 1994) - 5 November-10 December [6 episodes]
• 25th Series (Summer 1995) - 27 May-1 July [6 episodes]
• 26th Series (Autumn 1995) - 11 November-16 December [6 episodes]
• Christmas Special (1995) - 25 December
• 27th Series (Summer 1996) - 1 June-6 July [6 episodes]
• 28th Series (Autumn 1996) - 9 November-14 December [6 episodes]
• 29th Series (Summer 1997) - 7 June-12 July [6 episodes]
• 30th Series (Autumn 1997) - 8 November-13 December [6 episodes], 25 December [Compilation]
• Compilations (1998) - 6 April-20 April [3 episodes]
• 31st Series (Summer 1998) - 27 April-1 June [6 episodes]
• 32nd Series (Autumn 1998) - 30 November-4 January 1999 [6 episodes]
• Christmas Special (1998) - 25 December
• Special (1999) - 11 January [I'm Sorry I Haven't A Desert Island]
• 33rd Series (Summer 1999) - 24 May-28 June [6 episodes]
• 34th Series (Autumn 1999) - 8 November-13 December [6 episodes]
• Christmas Special (1999) - 25 December
• 35th Series (Summer 2000) - 22 May-26 June [6 episodes]
• 36th Series (Autumn 2000) - 13 November-18 December [6 episodes]
• 37th Series (Summer 2001) - 28 May-2 July [6 episodes]
• 38th Series (Autumn 2001) - 12 November-17 December [6 episodes]
• Christmas Special (2001) - 24 December
• Special (2002) - 13 April [30th Anniversary Special]
• 39th Series (Summer 2002) - 20 May-24 June [6 episodes]
• 40th Series (Autumn 2002) - 18 November-23 December [6 episodes]
• 41st Series (Summer 2003) - 26 May-30 June [6 episodes]
• 42nd Series (Autumn 2003) - 17 November-22 December [6 episodes], 22 December [Compilation], 25 December [I'm Sorry I Haven't A Christmas Carol]
• 43rd Series - (Summer 2004) - 31 May 2004 - 5 July 2004 [6 episodes]
• 44th Series - (Winter 2004) - 6 December 2004 - 17 January 2005 [6 episodes], 27 December [Compilation]
• 45th Series - (Summer 2005) - 30 May 2005 - 4 July 2005 [6 episodes]
• Special (2005) - 1 September [Edinburgh Festival Special]
• 46th Series - (Autumn 2005) - 14 November 2005 - 26 December 2005 [6 episodes], 12 December [Repeat of Edinburgh Festival Special]
• Special (2005) - 24 December [In Search of Mornington Crescent]
• 47th Series (2006) - 22 May-26 June [6 episodes]
• 48th Series (2006) - 13 November-18 December [6 episodes]
• 49th Series (2007) - 4 June-9 July [6 episodes]
• 50th Series (2007) - 12 November - 17 December [6 episodes], 24 December [compilation], 25 December [Humph In Wonderland]
• 51st Series (2009) - 15 June - 20 July [6 episodes]
• 52nd Series (2009) - 16 November - 21 December [6 episodes]
• 53rd Series (2010) - 21 June - 26 July [6 episodes]
• 54th Series (2010–2011) - 27 December - 31 January [6 episodes]
• 55th Series (2011) - 27 June - 1 August [6 episodes]

Excluding compilations and repeats, this totals 397 episodes.

Tours

2007

In 2007, I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue: The Official Stage Tour visited 9 locations across England. While the broadcast shows are recorded on location, this was the first ISIHAC touring stage show in the show's 35 year history. It was a best of show, featuring favourite rounds from the past 35 years, and the guest panellist was Jeremy Hardy. The shows were not recorded for broadcast on Radio 4, although it was suggested that they may be recorded for release as part of the BBC Radio Collection.

Dates

• Tuesday 28 August 2007 - Bristol Hippodrome
• Thursday 30 August 2007 - Leeds Grand Theatre
• Sunday 9 September 2007 - Theatre Royal, Nottingham
• Monday 10 September 2007 - Derngate, Northampton
• Monday 17 September 2007 - The Assembly Hall, Tunbridge Wells
• Tuesday 18 September 2007 - Birmingham Hippodrome
• Wednesday 19 September 2007 - Birmingham Hippodrome
• Tuesday 25 September 2007 - Ipswich Regent
• Wednesday 26 September 2007 - New Theatre Oxford
• Friday 5 October 2007 - The Hexagon, Reading (as part of the Reading Comedy Festival)
• Monday 8 October 2007 - Brighton Dome (as part of the Brighton Comedy Festival)

2008

In 2008, I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue: The Official Stage Tour embarked on another best of tour, with the intention of visiting many parts of the UK that were missed in the autumn 2007 dates.

Dates

• Monday 21 January 2008 - Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
• Wednesday 23 January 2008 - The Anvil, Basingstoke
• Sunday 24 February 2008 - Cambridge Corn Exchange
• Monday 10 March 2008 - Buxton Opera House
• Friday 14 March 2008 - Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff
• Sunday 16 March 2008 - Theatre Royal, Plymouth
• Thursday 27 March 2008 - Congress Theatre (Eastbourne)
• Sunday 30 March 2008 - Edinburgh Festival Theatre
• Thursday 3 April 2008 - Hammersmith Apollo, London
• Sunday 6 April 2008 - The Lowry, Salford
• Saturday 12 April 2008 - Harrogate International Centre
• Tuesday 22 April 2008 - Pavilion Theatre (Bournemouth) (Due to Humphrey Lyttelton's hospitalisation, the show was presented by Rob Brydon)

The show at the Lowry in Salford was filmed and broadcast on BBC Four on 13 September 2008. Although some unaired pilots had previously been made, this was the first time ISIHAC has been shown on television. An extended version was released on DVD on 10 November 2008.

2009

The regular panellists decided to continue the annual stage tour despite Lyttelton's death, with Jack Dee (one of the 51st series' hosts) as chairman for the tour shows. Jeremy Hardy remained as the guest participant.

Dates

• Wednesday 22 July 2009 - The Orchard Theatre, Dartford (Cancelled due to power cut)
• Thursday 23 July 2009 - New Victoria Theatre, Woking
• Saturday 25 July 2009 - The Sands Centre, Carlisle
• Friday 18 September 2009 - Manchester Opera House
• Sunday 20 September 2009 - Bristol Hippodrome
• Monday 21 September 2009 - Portsmouth Guildhall
• Tuesday 22 September 2009 - Cambridge Corn Exchange
• Wednesday 23 September 2009 - Nottingham Royal Concert Hall
• Friday 25 September 2009 - St George's Hall, Bradford
• Saturday 26 September 2009 - Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham
• Sunday 27 September 2009 - New Wimbledon Theatre
• Monday 28 September 2009 - Symphony Hall, Birmingham
• Tuesday 29 September 2009 - Southport Theatre
• Wednesday 30 September 2009 - Grand Opera House (York)
• Saturday 3 October 2009 - Derngate, Northampton
• Sunday 4 October 2009 - The Anvil, Basingstoke
• Monday 5 October 2009 - Princess Theatre, Torquay
• Tuesday 6 October 2009 - Congress Theatre (Eastbourne)
• Wednesday 7 October 2009 - De Montfort Hall, Leicester

2010

Another set of tour dates, with Jack Dee as chairman and Jeremy Hardy as guest panellist, took place in 2010.

Dates

• Sunday 14 November 2010 - New Theatre, Cardiff
• Monday 15 November 2010 - Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
• Tuesday 16 November 2010 - The Assembly Hall, Tunbridge Wells
• Thursday 18 November 2010 - The Hexagon, Reading
• Monday 6 December 2010 - Chichester Festival Theatre
• Wednesday 8 December 2010 - Newcastle City Hall
• Sunday 12 December 2010 - Ipswich Regent
• Monday 13 December 2010 - New Theatre Oxford

BBC Audiobook releases

• Volume 1 (ISBN 0-563-53679-9)
• Volume 2 (ISBN 0-563-52969-5)
• Volume 3 (ISBN 0-563-52970-9)
• Volume 4 (ISBN 0-563-49462-X)
• Volume 5 (ISBN 0-563-49463-8)
• Volume 6 (ISBN 0-563-49464-6)
• Volume 7 (ISBN 0-563-53684-5)
• Volume 8 (ISBN 0-563-49542-1)
• Volume 9 (ISBN 0-563-50435-8)
• Volume 10 (ISBN 1-405-67773-2)
• Volume 11 (ISBN 1-405-68837-8)
• Volume 12 (ISBN 1-408-42719-2)
• Collection 1 (ISBN 0-563-52850-8) [Vols 1-3]
• Collection 2 (ISBN 0-563-49484-0) [Vols 4-6]
• Collection 3 (ISBN 0-563-51042-0) [Vols 7-9]
• Anniversary Special (ISBN 0-563-52853-2) [Collection of Three programmes: "30th Anniversary Special", "Sorry I Haven't A Desert Island", and the first episode broadcast (11 April 1972)]
• I'm Sorry I Haven't A Christmas Clue (ISBN 0-563-52532-0)
• Live 1 (ISBN 1-846-07053-8)
• Live 2 (ISBN 1-405-68836-X)
• In Search of Mornington Crescent (ISBN 1-846-07195-X)
• I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue: Humph in Wonderland (ISBN 1-408-42600-5)

WTBS recordings

Episodes of I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue were included in the package of programmes held in 20 underground radio stations of the BBC's Wartime Broadcasting Service (WTBS), designed to provide public information and morale-boosting broadcasts for 100 days after a nuclear attack.

External links

• I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue at BBC Online
• I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue at BBC Online
• I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue at BBC Online (Previous website)
• I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue at British Comedy Guide
• The officially unofficial I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue website featuring background information and news.
• The I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue Info Site featuring lists of episodes and games (with quotes)