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Nicholas Parsons in radio play this week

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howsteanDec 13, 2010
 

 
Back in the 80s the BBC had a TV game show called "Blankety Blank" hosted by Terry Wogan, a popular radio presenter. When he left to work on TV, the BBC looked round for a similar urbane, sophisticated presenter to take over the job, but someone had the inspiration to give the job to Les Dawson, a morbid, lugubrious northern comedian of the old school, complete with a million mother-in-law jokes.

On Thursday this week as 2.15pm UK time Radio 4 are broadcasting Andrew Lynch & Johnny Vegas' play "Chequebook & Pen" (the prizes awarded to every contestant). Vegas plays Dawson, and Nicholas Parsons portrays (fictional) posh entertainer Christopher Farsons who "turns in a splendid performance as the establishment figure who feels cheated of his rightful job as presenter". The play shows the battle between the old-school-tie traditionalists and the new management determined to change the show's format.

Dawson was very successful on the show "with his world-weary tone and low tolerance of naff prizes, adding a little subversion to the quiz-show mix". The first thing he did was break Wogan's hand-held mike, on-camera, to show it was now Dawson's show, and he was no Wogan. He died in 1993.

It will be available on the iPlayer for a week after or can be downloaded by Radio Downloader.

Cheers
Phil

 
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