Just A Minute

 
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Re: New Chairman?

Messages in this topic: 18 View All
humiliated_grapes2Mar 13, 2007
 

 
--- In just-a-minute@..., Dean Bedford <dbedford@...>
wrote:

>
>
> On Tuesday, February 6, 2007, at 07:13 PM, j_a_m_fan wrote:
>
> > In the light of certain comments about Nicholas Parsons in this

group

> > I thought I'd post up some thoughts I've been mulling over for a
> > couple of years now.
> >
> > I think Nicholas is great and would be terribly hard to replace,

not

> > least because that type of Britishness really doesn't exist
> > anymore, and I believe that is one of the great charms of JAM.
> >
> > Now obviously I hope he goes on for many, many years yet, but if

for

> > some reason he didn't continue, who would be your choice for his
> > replacement?
> >
> > Do you try and replace like for like? In which case the only two
> > names I can think of are Stephen Fry and Giles Brandreth - but
> > both of these are very good players and would be, I suspect, far
> > too competent anyway. Its only their Britishness which is

similar.

> >
> > Or do you go for some whole new feel? If so, who would you pick?
> >
> > Or, god forbid, would this herald the end of the great

institution

> > which is Just A minute?
>
> My thoughts....
>
> I wouldn't entirely rule out the thought that the BBC

might "retire" the

> show if Nicholas left - he is so much the personification of it.
> Remember that Barry Cryer, Graeme Garden and Tim Brooke-Taylor

have said

> that I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue will end when Humphrey Lyttelton

leaves.

> I think actually it will be up to Paul Merton. If Paul wants to

continue

> under someone else, the BBc would be crazy to turn down someone of

his

> talent.
>
> So assuming it does continue. I would say the following.
>
> 1. Look at the recent appointment of Sandi Toksvig who was

promoted from

> panellist to chair the News Quiz. It's likely to be someone

already

> associated with the show.
>
> 2. It will be someone who is already involved in comedy. The one

must

> for the show will be to have someone with comic timing. That's the

gift

> Nicholas brings - the judgement of when to start an argument going

and

> when to cut one off. That's the most important part of his job.
>
> 3. Whoever it is needs to have sufficient authority to exert some
> control over big mouths like Paul and Graham.
>
> 4. It would help if they could be, like Nicholas, something of a

figure

> of fun, although sufficiently well-known that people didn't think

they

> were just trying to copy Nicholas.
>
> My list then would be
>
> 1. Gyles Brandreth - an experienced presenter - he did breakfast
> television and radio for years. He knows how to keep things

bubbling

> along - and he's something of a figure of fun. And he'd probably

do it.

>
> 2. Kit Hesketh-Harvey - he said in an interview last year that

he'd love

> to be Nicholas's successor. He has a great sense of comic timing

and his

> sense of enjoyment of the show would be infectious - can't you

just hear

> him dissolving into giggles?
>
> 3. Liza Tarbuck - again an experienced presenter on TV, and

someone who

> would be strong enough to stand up and be counted.
>
> 4. Sheila Hancock - I really like the idea of Sheila doing it - I

could

> see something fresh being added to the game and she has the

authority

> and sense of timing to do it. Only thing is she is so much in

demand I

> doubt she would commit to it.
>
> 5. Tony Hawks - I think he would love to do it and he would be

something

> different to Nicholas. He knows about comedy and I could see him

holding

> his own in the banter stakes.
>
> 6. Tim Rice - someone of a natural authority who adores doing

panel

> games. Arguably the right age and has the verbal dexterity to do

it.

>
> Another thought was Tim Brooke-Taylor - but would be he prepared

to add

> another game show to his tasks?
>

I like the idea of Kit-Hesketh Harvey, Tony Hawks, or Liza Tarbuck
as new chairman.... but what about Sue Perkins, Julian Clary or
Marcus Brigstocke?

I suppose something the BBC would have to consider in choosing a new
chairman who was already involved with the show, would be who they
are willing to lose off the panel, because there are some good
candidates for the job of a chairman who are great assets to the
panel and it would be a shame for them to not play anymore

I think Nicholas probably has a quite a few years left in him yet,
he seems in good shape. I also don't think he'd ever leave Just a
Minute of his own free will.

 
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