Just A Minute - Radio 4 Panel Show - British Comedy Guide David Hatch , Simon Brett , John Cassels , Bob Oliver Rogers , John Lloyd , John Browell , Pete Atkin , Edward Taylor , Sarah Smith , Anne Jobson , Chris Neil , Tilusha Ghelani , Katie Tyrrell , Victoria Lloyd and Matt Stronge Just A Minute started the same year that BBC Radio 4 launched, making it the world's longest-running panel show. Hosted by Nicholas Parsons (who has been in every episode since the beginning), it is a show in which the panel must attempt to talk about a subject for a minute without repetition, hesitation or deviation. Just a Minute Radio/TV Program | BBC Comedy | Audible.com next page Publisher's Summary Nicholas Parsons chairs four episodes of the long-running panel game. “Welcome to Just a Minute!” As the Minute Waltz fades away, once again a multitude of players pit their wits against each other as they attempt to talk for 60 seconds on a given subject without hesitation, repetition or deviation from the subject.

In these four episodes, long-time players including Paul Merton, Gyles Brandreth, Jenny Eclair, Sheila Hancock, Graham Norton and Julian Clary are joined by newcomers including Kevin Eldon, Vanessa Feltz, Miles Jupp, Shappi Khorsandi, Patrick Kielty, Joe Lycett, Paul Sinha and Holly Walsh. Among the subjects tackled are Personal Hygiene in the 10th Century, Mobile phone etiquette, Stonehenge, How to prepare sushi, Soap operas, Crystal Palace and Flying a kite. So join redoubtable chairman Nicholas Parsons as the panellists use their intellect, imagination, wit and verbal dexterity to beat the clock and win the points in these four sparklingly funny shows. ©2014 BBC Worldwide Ltd (P)2014 BBC Worldwide Ltd More from the same Just a Minute (Radio) - TV Tropes Just a Minute You need to login to do this. Get Known if you don't have an account Share The regular personnel from the early years. Clockwise from top left: Clement Freud, Derek Nimmo, Kenneth Williams , Nicholas Parsons, Ian Messiter.

Nicholas Parsons: Reg Shoe you have 60 seconds on the subject of Just a Minute, starting now. A British Broadcasting Corporation Radio 4 comedy Panel Game which has been broadcast since 22 December 1967 and is hosted by Nicholas Parsons, who has appeared in every single episode since its inception. It began in the year that Radio 4 launched, and... (BUZZ) Reg Shoe : Radio 8? Report Siht: I mean you repeated yourself. Nicholas Parsons: Ah, yes. There was too much "Radio 4" in your speech, not that you can have too much Radio 4, so that's a point to Report Siht, you take over the subject, and you have 50 seconds to explain Just a Minute, starting now. Just a Minute is one of the station's longest running programs, with over 800 episodes as of 2013, and it won a Gold Sony Radio Academy Award in 2003. It has been adapted for television thrice; for ITV in 1994, the Beeb in 1999, and that same corporation again in 2012 for the forty-fifth anniversary.

The object of the game is for panelists to talk "for just a minute" on a given (often rather strange) subject, "without hesitation, repetition or deviation" (except they can repeat the subject or any words therein). These rules stemmed from creator Ian Messiter's old teacher, who told him to repeat everything he had just said without hesitating or repeating himself after accusing him of not paying attention to the lesson (Messiter added the rule about deviating personally). (BUZZ) Nicholas Parsons: Trope-tan has challenged. Trope-tan : Repetition of "deviating". Report Siht: "Deviation" and "deviating"... two different words... Trope-tan: Ah, yes. Nicholas Parsons: Yes, yes, two different words. So we give Report a point for an incorrect challenge, he's still got the subject, 35 seconds on Just a Minute, starting now... The game comes from attempts to try to keep within these rules, which whilst they appear to be simple, are very hard not to break.

To speak for the full minute without being challenged is extremely difficult, and meritorious when achieved (though the most common cause is when the other players agree to ignore any mistakes in order to watch the poor sap struggle for a whole minute [or longer if Nicholas is feeling malicious as well]). (BUZZ) Nicholas Parsons: That Troper, you've challenged. That Troper: HESSITATION Report Siht: How was that hesitation? That Troper: U WERE SPEKING IN DOUBLE BARCKETS Report Siht: That was clarifying, and don't type in capital letters! Nicholas Parsons: Gentlemen, please, let's not argue. As long as he doesn't pause for any length of time, it doesn't count as hesitation. So Report gets another point for an incorrect challenge, he keeps the subject, 20 seconds on Just a Minute, starting now. You score a point for a correct challenge (as well as all the rest of time left on that subject), being incorrectly challenged and for talking whilst the bell goes. You may also be awarded a bonus point for an incorrect challenge, if the audience likes it enough. The most common cause of a correct challenge is...

(BUZZ) Nicholas Parsons: And Trope-tan has challenged. Trope-tan : I'm sorry, but you were repeating the word "challenge". Nicholas Parsons: Yes, too many "challenges". Well spotted, Trope-tan. So you... Report Siht: Oh, come on! I was talking about the rules, for crumbs' sake! Nicholas Parsons: Report, I'm sorry, but that is the peril of this game. Trope-tan gets a point, and she has 12 seconds to talk about Just a Minute, starting now. Repetition is the most common cause of disqualification, followed by Hesitation, with serious challenges for Deviation quite rare (although it's often used as a "miscellaneous" challenge for tongue-in-cheek comments). On more than one occasion individuals have challenged themselves . If you don't believe how hard this is then try it for yourself. Talk for one minute about " Bunny Ears Lawyers I have known", without repeating yourself, hesitating, or deviating from the subject in a significant way.

A large number of people have appeared on the show, but there have been five "regular" players over the course of its history: Kenneth Williams , Derek Nimmo, Peter Jones, Clement Freud and Paul Merton... (BUZZ) That Troper: Deviation, no one cares who played this game anyway!!!! (audience boos and hisses) Nicholas Parsons: Oh, That... That Troper, you haven't won any friends in this audience with that challenge! No, I think a history of the panelists is a very important part of Just a Minute, so Trope-tan gets a point for an incorrect challenge, she keeps the subject, there are 2 seconds left to talk about Just a Minute, starting now. Paul Merton is the only current regular panelist, though others like Tony Hawks and Gyles Brandreth appear often as well... (whistle blows) Nicholas Parsons: So Trope-tan was speaking as the whistle went, gained that extra point, and she's moved into the lead with that final display of incredibly fast speaking.

That Troper: i could have done better Nicholas Parsons: Report Siht , it is your turn to begin the next round, our next topic, something you may or may not have heard of, Tv Tropes Wiki . Will you talk on that subject for sixty seconds as usual, starting now... This show contains examples of: Ambiguous Syntax : A sometime tactic of Paul Merton, usually just to get a laugh: [The subject is "mutton dressed as lamb", and Sue Perkins has just resumed a description of such a person] Sue Perkins: Boobs like spacehoppers— [buzz] Paul: That's not true, boobs don't like spacehoppers! They see them as rivals! Ascended Fanboy : Paul Merton grew up as a huge fan of the show, and would record episodes from the radio and listen back to them as his means of entertainment when he was living in a bedsit with no television. Not only did he eventually appear on the show and become a regular participant, but frequently appeared with three of the four regulars whose shows he spent so many years repeatedly listening to.

Audience Participation : In the early years, if Nicholas were faced with a difficult decision regarding a challenge, he would often put it to the audience, asking them to cheer or boo depending on whether they agreed or disagreed with the challenge. (As something of audience favourite, Kenneth Williams often benefitted from such "decisions".) Bad News in a Good Way : Nicholas tends to tell people that they're in a "very strong" fourth place, or that they've given "great value". This often gets him accused of being patronizing, although he insists he's just trying to be kind. Blatant Lies : Panellists frequently resort to this if they get a historical or cultural subject about which they know nothing and yet about which they must now speak. Paul Merton is particularly fond of this device, using it to pursue surreal flights of fancy and/or play up his Book Dumb persona. Gyles Brandreth seems especially fond of claiming connections (especially of a romantic nature) to famous people of all ages and all professions, and although some of the stories are basically true (if exaggerated), many of them are obvious lies told for comic effect.

Brick Joke : The last subject of the last episode of the 1972-73 series was "Making a spectacular exit". When Just a Minute returned five months later for the 1973-74 series, the first subject of the first episode was "Making a spectacular entrance". The two episodes even featured the same panel (Clement Freud, Peter Jones, Derek Nimmo, and Kenneth Williams). Buffy Speak : An often-employed tactic to avoid challenges of repetition is to describe the same concept in increasingly absurd ways. This leads to constructions like "moving-the-boat-through-the-water people" note rowers (Lee Simpson). Butt Monkey : Nicholas is frequently the target of good-natured but relentless abuse from the contestants (and, one feels, often somewhat less good-natured in the case of Kenneth Williams). Not only do the panellists constantly mock him, both during their monologues and in response to his judgements as chairman, but the game itself will often deliberately provoke this, setting subjects such as "The chairman's darkest secret". Christmas Episode : Over the show's history there have been very occasional Christmas-themed episodes, using appropriately festive subjects.

Cloudcuckoolander : Usually Paul Merton, who was once allowed to speak for 1 minute and 15 seconds, with no-one buzzing in, while he recounted the story of a dolphin he met on a number 47 bus. Deadpan Snarker : Clement Freud and Paul Merton. Department of Redundancy Department note Repetition of "Department"!: A common cause of repetition is simple reduplication for emphasis — "way, way back", "very very big", etc. Invariably causes an audible-down-the-airwaves Facepalm from the poor sap who falls into this trap. Early Installment Weirdness : The first series in 1967-68 featured a number of rounds where the panellists had to avoid using certain common words such as "and", "the", or "I"; also, instead of using a whistle to mark the end of sixty seconds, Ian Messiter would use either a cuckoo machine or a bicycle horn.

The second series from 1968 only featured three panellists per episode, and for three of the six episodes, Nicholas rotated the position of chairman with each of the three regular panellists (Clement Freud, Kenneth Williams, and Geraldine Jones), while Ian had moved on to using a bell when the sixty seconds were over. It wasn't until the third series from 1968-69 that the programme settled into its current format. Even the Guys Want Him : The male guests will frequently make allusions to their desires for Nicholas Parsons and tell tales of the kinds of things they get up to with him after the recording finishes. Flawless Victory : The impressive feat of speaking for the full minute without being interrupted once nets you a rather measly two points. Foreign Remake : Sweden has had its own version, Pï¿½ Minuten , going for almost as long as the UK version (albeit with a six-year hiatus from 1988-94).

There are some slight rules differences, with deviation being treated more leniently, while repetition of multiple forms of the same word (such as using both the singular and plural of a noun) is not permitted but repetition either side of being challenged and/or losing the subject is allowed. The panellists have also played for prizes since 2004, usually some sort of Foreign Queasine (which has led to many panellists trying to avoid winning at all costs). India has had a few versions as well. At one point Radio 4 broadcast a couple of Crossover shows with some of the regulars from the Indian version. Getting Crap Past the Radar : Many panellists over the years have peppered their speeches and/or banter with double entendres or otherwise suggestive language (often involving Nicholas somehow); notable "offenders" include Stephen Fry, Julian Clary, and Graham Norton. In a 1974 episode, Clement Freud got the subject of "my destiny", and decided to throw in a Double Entendre : Clement: I have on occasion been to fortune tellers, clairvoyants and even a gypsy in a tent who had a crystal ball which was terribly painful.

The subject of "coming out balls" (as in big dances put on by a debutante's family in her honour) would prompt plenty of sniggering today, but even in 1975, Derek Nimmo couldn't resist a play on words: Derek: I have a very loose pair of swimming trunks and sometimes... (the next few words are obscured by loud audience laughter and the buzzer of a shocked Kenneth Williams) One of the most well remembered examples of this occurred in a 1992 episode in which Clement Freud won the subject of "records" with two seconds to go: Clement: The great thing about Virgin Records is that they have no holes in them. In a 2012 episode, Ross Noble started on the subject of " Elvis Presley " with the following: Ross: Elvis Presley, or, as he was often known, Elvis the Pelvis, not many people know that he was almost called Enos... Gratuitous French : The panellists will occasionally slip into foreign languages, and French, as the most widely studied foreign language in Britain, is the most common.

In a 1974 episode in which Derek Nimmo was buzzed for supposedly over-repeating the word "I", he decided instead to use the French equivalent, "je". In an episode of the 2012 television series, the opening subject was "Pardon my French", and the opening speaker was Gyles Brandreth - who, as a young boy, attended the Lycï¿½e Franï¿½ais de Londre, and took the opportunity to show off his fluency in the language. When Tony Hawks successfully challenged him, he also spoke his first few sentences in (slightly less fluent) French, and even Nicholas joined in (although, in contrast to Gyles and Tony, Nicholas' French was not subtitled as it was a mixture of French and gibberish). Gratuitous German : In at least one episode, Clement Freud decided to employ his native language (born in Berlin, he did not move to England until his family fled the rise of the Nazis) to speak on the subject of "liaisons" after some Gratuitous French from Tony Hawks and Nicholas earlier in the round.

Hoist by His Own Petard : A panellist will sometimes win the subject on a particularly picky or controversial challenge, only to be picked up on the same error once they begin speaking and lose the subject again. Nicholas will also often use the phrase on these occasions. Hypocritical Humour : Kenneth Williams frequently went on tirades complaining about pedantic challenges going against him or about one of the other panellists dominating the show, even though he could be responsible for some very pedantic challenges himself and was by far the most dominant panellist in most of the episodes he recorded. Nicholas would frequently call him out on his more obvious hypocritical challenges, such as complaining about other panellists speaking too slowly or affecting funny voices (both of which were integral parts of Kenneth's approach to Just a Minute). In most cases, he was likely invoking the Rule of Funny , although, as with his insults toward Nicholas, this may not always have been true. Incredibly Lame Pun : The words of the subject can be interpreted however the panellists choose; this can lead to some very creative wordplay, particularly from Clement Freud.

(on the subject of "dim sum") Clement Freud: If you buy a really expensive car that has lots of buttons and pushers which make the car go faster or more slowly, and there is one that illuminates the headlights and another "dim sum"... Large Ham : Many panellists have moments of this, since overacting is seen as an easy way to deliver a small number of words in a manner that eats up a lot of time, or a good way to get laughs from the audience; all of the original regulars except for Clement Freud had many ham moments of different flavours: Kenneth Williams practically made an art form out of stretching out every syllable of every word, sometimes to the point that he was successfully challenged for hesitation. Gyles Brandreth and Graham Norton are among those who have most proudly carried on this tradition. Derek Nimmo would often get very loud and animated if he got a subject, though unlike Kenneth Williams he would often talk extremely quickly and eventually get buzzed for repetition or "deviation from the English language" if he spoke too quickly to be understood. Paul Merton has carried on this tradition, especially if he gets a subject with five seconds or less left on the clock.

Peter Jones shared Derek's tendency to get loud and animated,note Though he mellowed out considerably with age. but almost exclusively when he was arguing with Nicholas or the other panellists over a point of procedure; when he had the subject, he tended to speak more slowly and deliberately. Long List : Clement Freud often employed this tactic to avoid repetition. Long-Runners : Just a Minute has been airing on Radio 4 since 1967. Nicholas has been present as either the chairman or a panellist in every episode. As of 2013, according to Paul Merton he holds the record for presenting a single show longer than anyone else in radio. Loophole Abuse : There's actually nothing stopping you from buzzing during your own time, challenging yourself for a mistake before anyone else can, and winning a point whether the challenge is accepted or not. This is only allowed because it's funny when it happens , and no-one takes the game seriously enough to really abuse it. If somebody gets the subject with only a few seconds remaining, a common tactic is to just repeat the subject on the card over and over again before the whistle goes. Paul Merton is especially fond of this approach.

Never Heard That One Before : Clement's typical reaction when Nicholas would refer to a mistake on his part as a Freudian Slip . Nice Guy : Nicholas is always hugely complimentary to all the panellists (and gets viciously lampooned for it by Jack Dee in the "Just A Minim" rounds of rival show I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue ). However, there is the occasional instance where he returns their affectionate ribbing, or when things start getting Off the Rails . "No. Just... No" Reaction : From the 2012 BBC TV series, on the topic of the host himself. The moment in question becomes funnier when one notes that Sue Perkins is a lesbian: Sue Perkins: There is nothing so erotic as the sight of Nicholas Parsons... [Paul Merton holds down the buzzer , shaking his head and mouthing "no"] Sue Perkins: Intervention! Intervention! ...I've done it again Paul, I've done it again. [Paul nods, as Sue facepalms.] Paul Merton: There are limits, aren't there. Off the Rails : There are many instances where the show will descend into chaos over arguments as to whether or not a challenge is valid.

One instance ended in Nicholas being given the subject for the rest of the round, while another ended with Nicholas changing the subject of the round with four seconds to go. In the 11 November 1974 episode, the final subject, "fun", passed back and forth between the various panellists until finally it was given to the audience for the last second of the round, resulting in a cacophony of hundreds of people shouting over each other until Ian Messiter blew the whistle. (As Sheila Hancock had been the last successful challenger, she got the point instead of the audience.) In an incident from the 2012 TV series, the subject of 'The Owl And The Pussycat' came up. Before starting the round, Nicholas, a huge fan of Edward Lear, decided to spontaneously recite the entire poem, causing the panellists to walk off in search of help... Of course, stopping people from doing this during their speeches is the intended point of the "deviation" challenge... but given it's not very entertaining to challenge people on that basis, people generally get away with it.

The 22 February 1999 edition took this trope and turned it Up to Eleven for the final round, when Nicholas spontaneously switched to French just after the first challenge... A few moments later, Paul was challenged for NOT speaking French, and it just went downhill from there: Clement Freud: Liaison is no more than a relationship between one, two or three, even four, possibly five, maybe six people... (BUZZ) Nicholas Parsons: Metalwork's not the subject, liaisons is. You did a metalwork version and the audience loved it, we all loved it. You got both points... Paul Merton: Repetition of maybe. Nicholas Parsons: No he didn't say maybe, no, no, he didn't. Paul Merton: Hesitation. Nicholas Parsons: Or the fact he wasn't speaking in French? Ah right, 13 seconds still with you Clement starting now. Clement Freud: (speaks in German) Orphaned Punchline : Paul Merton: The microphones weren't working particularly well when we did the sound-check for this particular programme, but now they're... (goes silent for several seconds) ...

and there was half a pound of mince left at the end of the evening! The Points Mean Nothing : Nicholas is quick to remind everyone that it is the contributions that really matter, and indeed some of the most fondly remembered panellists have been those who were consistently funny but seldom won (most notably Kenneth Williams and Peter Jones). Not that this has stopped many panellists over the years from taking the competitive aspect seriously and chasing every last point. Calling Clement Freud... Paul Merton also has been known to have quite the interest in scoring. Recently, there have been series where he's won or tied for the win in just about every episode. Even Kenneth Williams would be ecstatic when he won and more than usually short-tempered if he had gone for a long time without a win. The idea of panellists' contributions meaning more than points was brought in full force of the last episode of Series 62; after some persuasion from Cyrus Broacha, who pointed out that letting the foreign guy win isn't done in India, Nicholas decided that Cyrus and Anuvab Pal were in fact the joint winners, given how well they contributed. The two Indian men rejoiced... then pointed out how this was "yet another victory not legitimately earned!

" Running Gag : Regular or recurring panellists who have had to speak on hundreds or even thousands of subjects over the years inevitably end up re-using some of the same jokes for multiple subjects. Gyles Brandreth has trotted out several jokes with considerable regularity over the years (some of which have ultimately been retired), whether the subject directly pertains to them or not (meaning he sometimes gets challenged for deviation or repetition of the same jokes): Describing an incident when he went on stage to perform Shakespeare and was pelted with eggs by the audience, meaning he "went on as Hamlet , came off as Omelette." Explaining that he was once a Member of Parliament, "and then the people spoke."note He was voted in as MP for Chester at the 1992 General Election, and was one of the hundreds of Conservative members who lost their seats five years later. Describing an assignment he had as an MP to investigate pornography, and explaining that he still has the raincoat, but his wife has sewn up the pockets.

If a panellist gets the subject with two seconds or less left on the clock, the panellist who just lost the subject will frequently challenge for hesitation as soon as Nicholas says "starting now." Nicholas almost never upholds the challenges, which are clearly intended for purely comic effect. Serious Business : The show made a few headlines in the late noughties with complaints that there were too many challenges for repeating very small words or very brief hesitations, with proposals for rule changes such as deducting points for wrong challenges. Such changes were ultimately not implemented but it was noted that people stopped buzzing so much in episodes produced after the stories. Sound to Screen Adaptation : Several attempts have been made at this over the years. Two pilots were shot in 1969 and 1981, but apart from furnishing footage for documentaries on Kenneth Williams (who participated in both pilots)note The Just a Minute scene in the television movie Fantabulosa! with Michael Sheen as Williams and Nicholas and Clement Freud as themselves is a recreation of a round from the 1969 pilot, albeit presented as a radio episode, neither has ever aired.

A television adaptation did air for two 14-episode series on ITV in 1994-95 and one 20-episode series on the BBC in 1999, but mostly with guests who were visibly unfamiliar with the gamenote Clement Freud, Derek Nimmo, and Peter Jones made a handful of appearances each across all three series, while Paul Merton was completely absent and with various peculiar gimmicks (such as having the panellists talk about a mystery object or, in the second ITV series, dividing them into teams captained by Tony Slattery and Dale Winton). A more straightforward adaptation aired for ten episodes in spring of 2012 to celebrate the radio version's 45th anniversary. In contrast to the previous adaptation, the panellists were mostly veterans of the radio version (Paul Merton appeared in every episode). The majority of episodes, however, featured at least one guest who had never played before, such as Russell Tovey, Jason Manford, Hugh Bonneville, and Stephen Mangan. All of them were either respected comedians, respected actors, or somewhere in-between.

Verbal Tic : Well, Peter Jones frequently started his speeches with "Well..." when he had the subject. This led to many challenges of repetition if he lost a subject and then won it back, only to begin with "Well..." again, and eventually challenges of deviation when he didn't start a speech with "Well..." Kenneth Williams had an unfortunate tendency to overuse "Of course" when he had the subject, and would try to argue that it constituted "parts of speech" when he was inevitably buzzed for repetition after using it twice or even three times in under 20 seconds. Peter Jones was also prone to peppering his speeches with "Of course", though less liberally than Kenneth. The Voiceless : The scorer/whistle-blower, for the most part. During Ian Messiter's tenure as scorer/whistle-blower, he was occasionally heard speaking, and in the final episode of the 1976-77 series, Clement Freud even insisted that Messiter be given the final subject ("When we meet again") with two seconds left.

Also, Clement Freud was delayed for the recording of one episode in 1977, so Ian Messiter took over as chairman while Nicholas took Clement's place on the panel alongside Kenneth Williams, Derek Nimmo, and Peter Jones. (He finished first.) In another episode in 1982, it was Messiter who took Clement's place on the panel alongside Kenneth, Derek, and Peter. (He finished last.) Written-In Absence : Hilariously inverted in a 2004 episode where Charles Collingwood is stuck in traffic and the recording has to begin without him. At the beginning of the second round Nicholas (at Paul's suggestion) asks Charles to begin with the next subject in spite of the fact that he still isn't present; by the time Charles does show up, he's already in second place. :: Indexes :: David Tennant becomes most successful Just A Minute debutant ever | Daily Mail Online comments Scottish actor David Tennant talked for one minute on the subject of Shakespeare's stage direction, 'Exit, Pursued by a Bear' David Tennant has become the most successful debut contestant on Radio 4’s quiz show Just a Minute.

He made it through a full 60 seconds without repetition, hesitation or deviation. The actor talked for one minute on the subject of Shakespeare’s stage direction, ‘Exit, Pursued by a Bear’, without once being interrupted on his very first appearance on the show. It is believed to be the first time in nearly 50 years of the show that a contestant has made such a fluent debut. Host Nicholas Parsons congratulated the Doctor Who and Broadchurch star on his performance. After hearing the effort, which was received with uproarious applause by the Radio 4 audience, the host Mr Parsons said: ‘A newcomer, coming on in this very difficult game, we make it sound easy for the listeners. And it is very difficult. ‘And you have gone on, on your first attempt, speaking for 60 seconds without repetition, hesitation or deviation. Well done… I think you can relax now David.’ The actor replied: ‘Can I leave now before I ruin my record?’ The episode, broadcast on BBC Radio 4 last night, saw him join Stephen Fry, Julian Clary and Paul Merton for the Just a Minute challenge.

Mr Tennant delighted with his first topic, Shakespeare’s stage direction from The Winter’s Tale ‘Exit, Pursued by a Bear’. RELATED ARTICLES Share this article Share Calling it ‘the most famous direction in theatrical history’, Mr Tennant – who recently appeared on stage in Hamlet – spoke at length about the precise staging of the play. The long-running quiz show, which began in 1967, sees contestants challenged to speak for one minute ‘without repetition, hesitation or deviation’. It has played host to the cream of British acting and comic talent over the years. A spokesman for Radio 4 said the Just a Minute team could not recall any other example of a newcomer making it through a full minute on their first attempt saying it was ‘very possibly’ the only time it had happened. Just a Minute host Nicholas Parsons (pictured) congratulated the Doctor Who star on his astounding debut Just a Minute - The Full Wiki The Full Wiki More info on Just a Minute Wikis Note: Many of our articles have direct quotes from sources you can cite, within the Wikipedia article! This article doesn't yet, but we're working on it! See more info or our list of citable articles .

Related top topics Top rankings for Just a Minute 20th From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Just a Minute Nicholas Parsons during a show recording at the Pleasance Grand, Edinburgh. Genre Just a Minute is a BBC Radio 4 radio comedy panel game chaired by Nicholas Parsons . It was first transmitted on 22 December 1967, three months after the launch of Radio 4. [2] The programme won a Gold Sony Radio Academy Award in 2003 . [3] The object of the game is for panellists to talk for sixty seconds on a given subject, "without repetition, hesitation or deviation". The comedy comes from attempts to keep within these rules (which are easily broken, despite their apparent simplicity) and the banter among the participants. Contents 9 External links History The idea for the game came to Ian Messiter as he rode on the top of a number 13 bus. He recalled Percival Parry Jones, a History master from his days at Sherborne School who, upon seeing the young Messiter daydreaming in a class, instructed him to repeat everything he had said in the previous minute without hesitation or repetition.

[4] To this, Messiter added a rule disallowing players from deviating from the subject, as well as a scoring system based on panellists' challenges. [5] The idea for the show was first used in One Minute Please, chaired by Roy Plomley . Whilst the fundamental rules were the same, the game was played in two teams of three rather than with four individual contestants. The show was broadcast between 1951 and 1957. [6] A pilot for the show was recorded in 1967, featuring Clement Freud and Derek Nimmo as panellists. The chairman was originally planned to be Jimmy Edwards but he was unavailable on the proposed recording dates and was replaced by Nicholas Parsons. Whilst executives at the BBC disliked the pilot, its producer, David Hatch , threatened to resign if he could not oversee a full series. Not wishing to lose Hatch, the BBC acquiesced. [6] The show's theme music is Frédéric Chopin 's piano Waltz in D flat major, Op. 64, No.

1, nicknamed the " Minute Waltz " (which, despite its name, lasts longer than the 60 seconds taken to complete a round of Just a Minute). In 2009 Radio 4 collaborated with BBC Comedy and commissioned a number of animators to animate six clips from the radio show for a video web series called Just a Minute Reloaded on BBC Comedy Extra.. [7] Rules The four panellists are challenged to speak for one minute on a given subject without "repetition, hesitation, or deviation". Over the years, the application of these rules has been inconsistent and is thus the focus of much of the banter on the programme as Parsons' rulings are challenged. In the first three series, the rules were more complicated and sometimes applied on a one-off basis — a ban on the word "is" might apply in a round, for example. But the basic rules remain quite straightforward. "Repetition" means the repetition of any word or phrase, although challenges based upon very common words such as "and" are generally rejected except in extreme cases. Words contained in the given subject are exempt unless repeated many times in quick succession. Skilful players use (sometimes obscure) synonyms in order to avoid repeating themselves.

The term "BBC" can be successfully challenged for repetition of "B". "Hesitation" is watched very strictly: a momentary pause before resumption of the subject can give rise to a successful challenge, as can tripping over one's words. Even pausing during audience laughter or applause (known as "riding a laugh") is usually not permitted. "Deviation" means deviating from the subject, but has also been interpreted as "deviating from the English language as we know it", "deviation from grammar as we understand it", deviating from the truth, and sometimes even logic, although often leaps into the surreal are allowed. A panellist scores a point for making a correct challenge against whomever is speaking, while the speaker gets a point if the challenge is deemed incorrect. However, if a witty interjection amuses the audience, even though it is not a correct challenge, both the challenger and speaker may gain a point, at the chairman's discretion. A player who makes a correct challenge takes over the subject for the remainder of the minute, or, until he or she is correctly challenged. A panellist also scores a point if they are the person speaking when the 60 seconds expires.

An extra point is awarded when a panellist speaks for the entire minute without being challenged. It is unusual for a panellist to speak within the three cardinal rules for any substantial length of time, whilst remaining coherent, and also being amusing. Therefore, to speak for the full minute without being challenged is a special achievement. Below is an example of a speech given by Sheila Hancock which lasted for a full minute without being challenged. The subject was, "How to win an argument". "Well it varies according to the person that you are arguing with. Should it be a child that you are having a contretemps with, the ideal is deviation tactics. For instance Lola Lupin who I mentioned before won't eat her dinner. So what I do is say, "yes it is rotten food, let us sing a song", making sure that that particular chanson has a few vowels in it that require her to open her mouth! During which I pop the spoon in and I have won the argument.

However if it is an argument with a person that knows their subject what I do is nod sagely and smile superciliously, let them ramble on, and at the end I say "well I'm sorry, I think you're completely wrong", turn on my heels and leave. I..." [8] On rare occasions, panellists will challenge themselves, usually for laughs. [9] The game rewards those that make entertaining challenges, even if they do not speak for very long. An often rewarding time to challenge is a few seconds before the minute ends. Here, one could get a point for a challenge, not have to speak for very long, and get another point for speaking at the end of the minute. The game is scored and a winner declared, but the attraction of the show lies less in the contest than in the humour and banter between participants and the chairman. Participants Nicholas Parsons has chaired the show since its inception. On nine occasions he has appeared on the panel, and others have acted as chairman including Clement Freud, Geraldine Jones, Andrée Melly and Kenneth Williams . Ian Messiter also chaired on one occasion in 1977, when Freud arrived late and Nicholas Parsons took his place on the panel.

[10] Parsons has appeared on every show, either as chairman or panellist. Each programme features four panellists, with the exception of six shows in 1968 and another at the end of the 1970–1971 season when there were three. Until 1989 , Ian Messiter sat on the stage with a stopwatch and blew a whistle when the speaker's minute was up. He was replaced by a series of different whistle-blowers. Sarah Sharpe is the current incumbent. Messiter continued to be involved with the show, setting the subjects until his death in 1999 . There have been five regular competitors in the show's history: Clement Freud , Peter Jones , Derek Nimmo , Kenneth Williams and Paul Merton . Freud and Nimmo appeared from the first programme in 1967, while Williams joined in the show's second series in 1968. Jones made his debut in 1971. After Williams' death in 1988, Merton (a long-time fan of the show) contacted the producer at Nicholas Parsons' suggestion and was invited to participate during the following year.

[11] Nimmo died in 1999, Jones in 2000 and Freud in 2009, leaving Merton as the only regular panellist, albeit not in every show. Each of the regulars brought their individual style to playing the game. Clement Freud liked to list examples and to challenge with only a few seconds to go. He was among the show's more competitive players, regularly referring to the rules and deprecating any deviation from them. Derek Nimmo frequently improvised descriptions of his experiences abroad, often on theatrical tour. He also was highly competitive and berated the chairman frequently. Peter Jones once said that in all his years of playing the game, he never quite got the hang of it, though his self-deprecating, laconic style suited the essential silliness of the game. Kenneth Williams was often the "star of the show": his flamboyant tantrums, arch put-downs, and mock sycophancy made him the audience's favourite.

Williams often stretched out his speeches by extending every syllable to breaking point (some words lasting for up to three seconds), and his regular mock-anger often included the complaint, "I've come all the way from Great Portland Street ", which was not far away from where the show was recorded. [12] Merton frequently launches into flights of fancy, such as claiming to have had unusual occupations or to have experienced significant historical events. He often wins points by challenging just before the whistle or for humorous challenges.

[12] Others to have appeared as panellists on the programme are: Chris Addison , Ray Alan , Juno Alexander, Toni Arthur , Pam Ayres , John Baddeley, Bill Bailey , Joan Bakewell , Isobel Barnett , Lucy Bartlett, Simon Bates , Jeremy Beadle , Elisabeth Beresford , Teddie Beverley , Carol Binstead, Barbara Blake, Marcus Brigstocke , Tim Brooke-Taylor , Janet Brown , Rob Brydon , Rob Buckman , Ian Carmichael , Barbara Castle , Jo Caulfield , Lorraine Chase , Alun Cochrane , Denise Coffey , Charles Collingwood , Peter Cook , Bernard Cribbins , Jack Dee , Hugh Dennis , Blythe Duff , Kenny Everett , Wilma Ewart, Craig Ferguson , Lynn Ferguson , Fenella Fielding , William Franklyn , Liz Fraser , Emma Freud , Stephen Frost , Graeme Garden , Rhod Gilbert , Annabel Giles , Liza Goddard , Janey Godley , Dave Gorman , Jeremy Hardy , Diane Hart , [13] Richard Herring , Thora Hird , Ian Hislop , Renee Houston , Robin Ince , Charmian Innes, Eddie Izzard , David Jacobs , Martin Jarvis

 , Brian Johnston , Geraldine Jones, John Junkin , Phill Jupitus , Miriam Karlin , Gerry Kelly , Henry Kelly , Shappi Khorsandi , Miles Kington , Josie Lawrence , Bettine Le Beau , Helen Lederer , Maureen Lipman , Moira Lister , Sean Lock , Josie Long , Fred MacAulay , Lee Mack , Jacqueline MacKenzie , Miriam Margolyes , Alfred Marks , Betty Marsden , Jean Marsh , Pete McCarthy , Maria McErlane , Alistair McGowan , Pauline McLynn , Ian McMillan , Mike McShane , Ian Messiter , Millie , David Mitchell , Warren Mitchell , Bob Monkhouse , Patrick Moore , Justin Moorhouse, Richard Morton, Neil Mullarkey , Jimmy Mulville , Richard Murdoch , Dara Ó Briain , Owen O'Neill, Michael Palin , Nicholas Parsons, Lance Percival , Greg Proops , Marjorie Proops , Libby Purves , Magnus Pyke , Caroline Quentin , Jan Ravens , Beryl Reid , Nick Revell , Kate Robbins , Kenneth Robinson , Willie Rushton , Prunella Scales , John Sergeant , Lee Simpson, Paul Sinha , Tony Slattery , Arthur Smith ,

 Victor Spinetti , Richard Stilgoe , Elaine Stritch , Una Stubbs , Eleanor Summerfield , Jim Sweeney , Liza Tarbuck , Christopher Timothy , Sandi Toksvig , Barry Took , Tommy Trinder , Joan Turner , Stanley Unwin , Richard Vranch , Suki Webster, Katharine Whitehorn , June Whitfield , Simon Williams , Anona Winn , Michael Wood and Victoria Wood .

Recording locations The first show in 1967 was recorded in the Playhouse Theatre in central London, and the 35th anniversary show was recorded there, and broadcast on New Year's Day 2003. [14] [15] Most shows in the first 30 years were recorded in the Paris Theatre in central London. In 1992, the then-new producer, Sarah Smith, took the show outside central London and recorded some shows in nearby Highgate . [16] A year later, the show left Greater London for the first time; the first such shows broadcast were recorded in Bury St. Edmunds and Llandudno . [17] [18] The show started going to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1993 and has been there every year since. [19] Currently most shows, though not all, are recorded at the BBC Radio Theatre in Broadcasting House in central London. TV versions Several television versions have been attempted. Two pilot episodes were recorded for television in 1969 and 1981 but never broadcast, except in documentaries about Kenneth Williams.

In 1994, 14 shows were broadcast on a regional London channel. Two additional variations were added: a round in which the team were presented with a mystery object to talk about, rather than a subject, and another round where the audience suggested a topic. Nicholas Parsons chaired the show, and Tony Slattery featured in all programmes. Other panellists were Tony Banks , Tony Blackburn , Jo Brand , Ann Bryson, John Fortune , Clement Freud, Mariella Frostrup , Jeremy Hardy, Tony Hawks, Hattie Hayridge , Kit Hesketh-Harvey, Helen Lederer, Pete McCarthy, Neil Mullarkey, Derek Nimmo, Graham Norton, Nick Revell, Ted Robbins , Lee Simpson, Arthur Smith, Jim Sweeney and Richard Vranch. In 1995, fourteen more episodes were broadcast. Just a Minute became a team game, with the Midlands and London playing against each other, under team captains Tony Slattery and Dale Winton . Each player earned individual points, which were totalled for each team at the end of the show. Nicholas Parsons again chaired the shows. The gimmick of the audience choosing a subject was abandoned in this series.

Other panellists were Tony Banks, Tony Blackburn, Craig Charles , Clement Freud, Mariella Frostrup, Liza Goddard, Jeremy Hardy, Kit Hesketh-Harvey, Helen Lederer, Carolyn Marshall, Graham Norton, Su Pollard , Wendy Richard, Arthur Smith, Jim Sweeney and Richard Vranch. Both this series and the series before were produced by Mike Mansfield . In 1999, the BBC televised the show, with 20 episodes recorded during a single week in Birmingham. Nicholas Parsons was again the chairman. There were no regular panellists but those appearing were Pam Ayres, Clare Balding , Isla Blair , Jo Brand, Gyles Brandreth, Ken Bruce , Michael Cashman , Barry Cryer, Stephen Frost, Liza Goddard, Tony Hawks, Peter Jones, Maria McErlane, Richard Morton, Tom O'Connor , Su Pollard, Steve Punt , Wendy Richard, John Sergeant, Brian Sewell , Linda Smith, Richard Vranch and Gary Wilmot . The series was produced by Helena Taylor.

Other formats A Swedish version of the show, called På minuten , has been broadcast on Sveriges Radio P1 since 1969. It has also been mentioned in other BBC panel games: the similarly long-running I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue includes a musical parody entitled "Just a Minim ", in which the contestants must sing a song, but sticking to the rules of Just a Minute. Clue also mocks (albeit affectionately) Just a Minute and especially Nicholas Parsons frequently. Nicholas Parsons was the guest host on an April 2005 edition of BBC One's satirical panel game, Have I Got News for You . He surprised Paul Merton's opposing team captain, Ian Hislop , by asking him to talk about "Taking advice from your lawyer" within the Just a Minute rules. At one point, one of the guests, Chris Langham , challenged for deviation, claiming it was the wrong programme — a challenge ruled by Parsons as successful. [20] Often while appearing on other radio panel shows players of the game will invoke the rules of Just a Minute for humorous purposes.

For instance, the challenge of 'deviation' has been called upon in The Unbelievable Truth (in which contestants read a pre-prepared speech on a subject, trying to hide truths within a bed of lies) when a participant ventures too far from the established subject. Challenges for 'hesitation' or 'deviation' are also often heard on I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue. See also Review: Just a Minute | Culture | The Cambridge Student Review: Just a Minute February 17, 2016 Image credit: Tom Davidson You would think that a Cambridge education would train people in the art of talking rubbish. And, it would seem, worryingly, that you would be right. RAG’s Just A Minute takes the format of the popular radio gameshow (where contestants must talk for a whole minute on a given topic without repetition, deviation, or hesitation) and crams it into an hour-long live extravaganza. Come for the charity, stay for the laughter is the advertisement for this event. We all know Cambridge audiences can be odd at times, but this one is something else.

There is an abundance of tipsiness, your reviewers included, and plenty more whooping cries for the panelists’ ups and downs. One audience member even finishes the night on minus points, after suggesting the topic ‘dead babies’ to a bemused and frowning room. It is truly a bizarre bunch. Overall though, this excitement fires up the panelists and creates a fantastic atmosphere throughout the night. The panelists are a delightful bunch. The two of the comedians on the panel, Yaseen Kader and Ken Cheng, are obviously comfortable with the format and happy to interject with comments at any time; yet thankfully there is also very little sense of ego or competition between them – this is just laughs for charity for them. Topics range from Sunday Life, Sainsbury’s Basics, and audience seduction. One of the greatest orations of the night goes to Alice Mottram who managed to fill her minute talking about the shambles of the Clare May Ball organisation and her sneaky plot to make Clare Hall the next big thing. Similarly, Rhodri Hughes' frequent descriptions for CamFM listeners provide brilliant comic interjections, whilst Emily Page's Australian accent stands testament to her enthusiasm.

Host Bret Cameron did his duties ably (mostly), and though calculating totals of points is difficult – that isn't what we were there for. He also gets away with minimal references to his Irish accent and dextrous limbs. Overall, a spectacular evening of hilarity for charity. 10/10

Question: In the Radio quiz Just a Minute, contestants must talk for a minute without repetition, hesitation and .. what else ?
Answer: DEVIATION