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Fun At One: The Story of Comedy at BBC Radio 1
Fun At One is the first complete history of comedy on BBC Radio 1.
Launched in 1967, the BBC’s pop music service provided an outlet for comics who struggled to get exposure elsewhere, from the humorous disc jockeys of the late sixties, through to edgy standup comedians in the late eighties, and more than one whose act defies description even today. Noel Emonds, Kenny Everett and John Peel all came to attention on Radio 1, while the station would also provide early exposure for Chris Morris, Armando Iannucci, Stephen Fry and Stewart Lee amongst many others.
Fun At One traces the story of comedy on Radio 1 from its launch – when a team of former Pirate Radio DJs tried their hardest to live up to the claim that ‘Radio One Is One-derful’ – to more recent experiments with podcasting and streaming video, and covers everything from guest spots and interviews to full-on speech comedy shows. Along the way it covers Kenny Everett, Rawlinson End, Adrian Juste, Lenny Henry, Victor Lewis-Smith, The Mary Whitehouse Experience, Lee & Herring’s Fist Of Fun, The Chris Morris Music Show, Mark & Lard, Blue Jam and much more besides, not to mention such unexpected figures as Eric Idle, Ivor Cutler, Keith Moon, Roger McGough, Jonathan Ross, Vic Reeves, Danny Baker, Jools Holland, John Shuttleworth and – of course – Smashie & Nicey.
With a foreword by TV Cream founder Phil Norman, Fun At One includes transmission details for all of the shows covered, and new interviews with many of the major figures, from late sixties veterans to the station’s newest signings, as well as the first ever first-hand account of one of the most notorious incidents in Radio 1′s history. Fun At One is an essential addition to any library, but particularly one that’s had a large shotgun hole blasted in it by Sir Henry Rawlinson.
Launched in 1967, the BBC’s pop music service provided an outlet for comics who struggled to get exposure elsewhere, from the humorous disc jockeys of the late sixties, through to edgy standup comedians in the late eighties, and more than one whose act defies description even today. Noel Emonds, Kenny Everett and John Peel all came to attention on Radio 1, while the station would also provide early exposure for Chris Morris, Armando Iannucci, Stephen Fry and Stewart Lee amongst many others.
Fun At One traces the story of comedy on Radio 1 from its launch – when a team of former Pirate Radio DJs tried their hardest to live up to the claim that ‘Radio One Is One-derful’ – to more recent experiments with podcasting and streaming video, and covers everything from guest spots and interviews to full-on speech comedy shows. Along the way it covers Kenny Everett, Rawlinson End, Adrian Juste, Lenny Henry, Victor Lewis-Smith, The Mary Whitehouse Experience, Lee & Herring’s Fist Of Fun, The Chris Morris Music Show, Mark & Lard, Blue Jam and much more besides, not to mention such unexpected figures as Eric Idle, Ivor Cutler, Keith Moon, Roger McGough, Jonathan Ross, Vic Reeves, Danny Baker, Jools Holland, John Shuttleworth and – of course – Smashie & Nicey.
With a foreword by TV Cream founder Phil Norman, Fun At One includes transmission details for all of the shows covered, and new interviews with many of the major figures, from late sixties veterans to the station’s newest signings, as well as the first ever first-hand account of one of the most notorious incidents in Radio 1′s history. Fun At One is an essential addition to any library, but particularly one that’s had a large shotgun hole blasted in it by Sir Henry Rawlinson.
330 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2012
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About the author
Tim Worthington
21 books12 followersWriter and occasional broadcaster. Somewhere between Jennifer Eccles and King Midas In Reverse.
"The Dominic Sandbrook of things that don't matter" according to one reader.
Lots more to read at http://timworthington.blogspot.co.uk/
"The Dominic Sandbrook of things that don't matter" according to one reader.
Lots more to read at http://timworthington.blogspot.co.uk/
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 2, 2015
Whether you're a seasoned British comedy fan or just starting out, this is an ideal companion. It covers the pivotal role Radio 1 has played in the development of so much British comedy, even if the station itself has had something of an ambiguous relationship with the genre at times. If you remember the comedy itself, it brings back a lot of happy memories (I was overjoyed to be reminded of Mr. Buckstead), and provides a useful resource if you've yet to listen. It's also beautifully researched, meaning that even a comedy geek like me learnt a lot. What more do you need?
March 24, 2015
An indispensable guide to one of the most mysteriously overlooked comedy playgrounds in British broadcasting. If you care about British comedy, it's worth never letting out of your sight.
November 30, 2018
Ok book but I was hoping for more stuff about early comedy shows whereas there's more detail about more recent shows
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews