L-R: Spike Milligan, Peter Sellers & Harry Secombe
“Why is that gas stove wearing a hat?”
“Because it keeps going out.”
Just heard this on The Goon Show [BBC Radio 4 Extra, midday broadcast]
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Wonderful. Radio 4 Extra, albeit slimmed down at the moment, is as good a sanity-preserver as anything in this parallel universe. Long live Eccles, Bluebottle and Neddy Seagoon. Also Jules and Sandy of ‘Round the Horne’ fame!
Incidentally, Colin, although readers of your column are far too erudite not to know it, let’s not forget that Harry Secombe’s tenor voice was a thing apart, powerful if not especially subtle. Seek out his recording of operatic love duets with Myrna Rose, last seen on a Contour LP. Does anyone know of another best-loved comedian who could perform ‘serious’ music to a high standard?
BBC Radio 4 Extra is a lifeline for those staying at home. Tuesday it’s The Goon Show, Wednesday Hancock’s Half-Hour and Thursday Beyond Our Ken (when it’s not Round the Horne). There are also old editions of Desert Island Discs and obituary programmes from the past. The BBC has a great store of archival material – none better in fact. I hope it continues for ever.