JAM:PMerton,PJones,WRichard,RMurdoch
WELCOME TO JUST A MINUTE!

starring PAUL MERTON, PETER JONES, WENDY RICHARD and RICHARD MURDOCH, chaired by NICHOLAS PARSONS (Radio, 28 April 1990)

NOTE: Richard Murdoch's last appearance, although he is heard on the 1992 compilation show, Silver Minutes.


NICHOLAS PARSONS: Welcome to Just A Minute!

THEME MUSIC

NP: Hello my name is Nicholas Parsons. And as the Minute Waltz fades away once more, it is my pleasure to introduce to you the four exciting personalities who this week are going to play Just A Minute. And we welcome back four who have played it with great skill in the past, it is Wendy Richard, Peter Jones, Paul Merton and Richard Murdoch. Will you please welcome all four of them! The creator of this delightful game is Ian Messiter and he usually sits beside me to keep the score and also blow his whistle when the 60 seconds are up. Unfortunately he can't be with us this week so I'm fortunate in having with me our producer's charming secretary, Anne Ling. And as usual I will ask our four panelists if they can speak on the subject I will give them without hesitation, repetition or deviating from that subject. And we begin the show this week with Paul Merton. Paul, the subject, defrosting the fridge. Will you tell us your experiences if you can in Just A Minute starting now.

PAUL MERTON: Defrosting the fridge is a very tricky operation indeed which should really only be carried out by a fully-trained expert. Because the dangers are these. You could defrost the fridge overnight, for example, and wake up to find your entire house flooded and little ice cubes floating around and the odd fish finger poking its head out of the bathroom door. So when you do defrost the fridge, what you must do is get a washing up bowl, place it underneath the ice tray so the water from the afore...

BUZZ

NP: Peter Jones has challenged.

PETER JONES: I can't allow him to go on giving out this misinformation!


NP: So what is...

PJ: You can take the ice cubes out of the fridge, obviously before you start defrosting! Don't you! Otherwise, I mean, I don't know what kind of house he's got, but the idea of the er fish-heads or whatever they are floating out of the kitchen upstairs into the bathroom! The mind boggles!

NP: Well I think you might...

PM: I live, I live in a flat and it's all on on level.

NP: Well that could be so but I think he's made out such...

PM: It is so! I remember the mortgage! I'm there virtually every night.

PJ: Yes and you don't need an expert to defost your fridge, you know.

NP: Well I...

PJ: Any more than you perhaps employ an expert to change your lightbulb!

NP: All I'm going to say Paul is that Peter's made out such a good case for his challenge I'm going to award it to him and say he has a correct challenge. So he gets a point for that and takes over the subject of defrosting the fridge and there are 30 seconds left starting now.

PJ: The best user friendly fridges have their own er mechanism for defrosting themselves. And I can put you in touch with a dealer with whom I have a very happy relationship. I can get about 10 percent discount...

BUZZ

NP: Paul Merton has challenged you.

PM: It's not a challenge, I'd just like to know the name of this dealer! Because I have enormous problems with fish fingers poking their head out of the bathroom!

NP: I think the audience applause indicates that Paul Merton should get a bonus point for the challenge but we leave the subject with Peter Jones who gets a point of course for being interrupted. And he continues with defrosting the fridge, 17 seconds left starting now.

PJ: A bowl of warm water, if you don't have a great deal of time to defrost your fridge will aid it and speed up the process. Otherwise if you can go away for the weekend and leave it and put a bowl underneath or at the bottom...

BUZZ

NP: Wendy Richard challenged.

WENDY RICHARD: Bowl twice.

RICHARD MURDOCH: You said bowl, a couple of bowls.

NP: You... are you two working together by any chance?

RM: No, no, he said bowl...

NP: Yes but Wendy said bowl and you said bowl. You didn't challenge Richard but it was very nice to hear from you in this game.

RM: You must have just beaten me to the buzzer!

NP: Yes. So Wendy Richard you got in first, as your light came on first so that was the, er, split second ahead of Richard's. You take the subject of defrosting the fridge with four seconds left starting now.

WR: I used to loathe having to defrost the fridge. I found it one of the most...

WHISTLE

NP: Whoever is speaking when the whistle goes gains that extra point and it was on this occasion Wendy Richard. She's equal in the lead with Peter Jones at the end of the first round. And Richard Murdoch, we'd like you to take the second round. The subject is getting confused. Will you tell us something about that Richard...

RM: Well it's ridiculous...

NP: I don't know why the audience are laughing. Because I'm sure it's something with which you could never be accused Richard, except just recently in Just A Minute. Anyway tell us something about in in this game starting now.

RM: Well as I said it's ridiculous to ask me a thing like that. Because well perhaps I did a little bit last week. I went into Dickens and Jones, or was it Harvey Nicholas, I forget which. And I said "I want a dozen oysters please". And the girl said "I'm sorry, we don't serve those". So I said "well, what do you serve?" She said "women's things, mostly". I said "all right, I'll have a dozen of those". Now you may think that I was just getting confused, but I wasn't. I was just doing my normal day's routine shopping. I was really, those bivalves or whatever you call them, those shellfish things, have a very good effect. And I was going to buy a see-through nighty...

BUZZ

NP: Wendy Richard challenged.

WR: I was fascinated! I mean, there were several... there was something else you said twice as well, I'm sorry Richard...

RM: You've forgotten the word.

WR: I've forgotten what it was, I was so fascinated by the story.

NP: Well unless you can tell me what it was Wendy, I can't give it to you.

WR: Oh all right then! Go on Richard!

NP: So what actually happens in this situation like that is that because you've interrupted him Richard does get a point for that interruption...

WR: Oh I don't...

NP: Um...

PJ: I don't know how you could buzz him on that when he said he'd bought a see-through nighty! We must hear what happened!

NP: We're going to...

RM: Well it was not for me...

NP: Wait, keep it, keep it Richard, because there's 20 seconds left on the subject of getting confused starting now.

RM: Well I'm getting so confused I'm not quite sure what I'm talking about! But you said, that he objected to me saying that I'd bought a see-through nighty...

PJ: No I...

RM: It wasn't for myself, it was for my wife of course. And she looked absolutely splendid in it! And why not! And that's all I've got to say on the subject of getting confused because I am actually definitely...

WHISTLE

NP: Also Richard, you managed to confuse them, because you did repeat the see-through nighty more than once!

RM: Yes I know I did!

NP: But they didn't challenge you for it because you got them confused. And Peter Jones, your turn to begin, the subject, pears. Will you tell us something about that in Just A Minute starting now.

PJ: We had seven pears in our garden once. And unfortunately they perished on Firework Night about 12 years ago when somebody lit a bonfire. And we were terribly disappointed because it was the first time any fruit had appeared on this growth at the back of our house. And we were all very disappointed because we looked forward...

BUZZ

NP: Wendy Richard has challenged.

WR: (laughing) It was everything! Hesitation and repetition!

NP: It was everything, yeah! But it's the image he creates, he's got seven pears on his tree and he waits till November! When the frosts are coming in this country...

WR: I can't understand...

NP: Why didn't he bother to go out and pick them and eat them? So some idiot lights a bonfire under them, no wonder you lost your seven pears Peter!

PJ: You're not very sympathetic! The tree was ruined!

NP: I thought you were worried about the seven pears and not the tree!

PJ: Well the whole thing! No, some pears you pick in almost, you keep them until Christmas practically.

NP: You pick them and keep them, but you don't, you don't let them stay on the trees as late as that normally.

RM: He lit the bonfire because he likes stewed pears!

NP: Wendy had a correct challenge and she takes over the subject of pears with 39 seconds to go starting now.

WR: Pears are one of my favourite things to eat. I also like that fruit which is a cross between a pear and an apple. I have called it them prapples because I find they're very tasty and exciting to the palate. I also have some good recipes for pears. One is pears in red wine, and you just peel your pears, cut them in half, stick them in a dish, pour the liquid over them with some brown sugar, stick them in the oven and forget about them for a while. Quite delicious! They're a bit...

BUZZ

NP: Paul Merton challenged.

PM: I was writing this recipe down. Do we actually turn the oven on at any time? Because if you just put them in the oven and forget about them for a while, somehow it won't quite do it, will it?

NP: I agree with you Paul, if you don't turn the oven on they'll not be delicious so that is deviation, ah, they would be uncooked. So Paul you have a correct challenge and 10 seconds on pears starting now.

WR: You might just leave them to soak!

PM: Pears are... pears are a wonderful fruit indeed. I once...

BUZZ

NP: Peter Jones challenged.

PJ: Hesitation.

NP: Why? I mean where?

PJ: Really sort of... mumbled!

NP: I don't think he did.

PJ: Well you're not as close to him as I am!

PM: We have been living together for several years!

PJ: Chance is a fine thing!

NP: I don't know what that means, or why the audience are laughing! Um, I disagree with the challenge, I'm afraid Peter.

PJ: Oh dear!

NP: So Paul Merton keeps the subject and there are five...

PJ: Definitely not living together in that case!

NP: Paul Merton you have five seconds on pears starting now.

PM: I remember one year we had several pears in our garden and we lit a bonfire unfortunately and...

WHISTLE

NP: I'm now waiting for the occasion when Paul Merton takes over a subject and completely repeats what everybody said for the whole minute and see if he can get everything right again! Paul you've moved forward, you're in second place behind Wendy Richard and then comes Richard Murdoch and then Peter Jones. And Paul, your turn to begin, the subject is cockroach races. I don't know whether you know anything about it but can you talk on the subject in this game starting now.

PM: Cockroach races were very popular around the turn of the century when race horses were very rare. So you would see the jockey saddling up a cockroach at the beginning of Tattenham Corner, preparing to go roud to er Wind...

BUZZ

NP: Wendy Richard has challenged.

WR: He hesitated.

NP: Yes there was an er there.

WR: Apart from that it was absolutely ludicrous! If you put a cockroach down on the grass you wouldn't see it! You're supposed to do it on a table...

NP: You haven't seen some of the cockroaches I've seen, you'd see them all right! Wendy you... you ought to see some of the theatrical digs, some of the cockroaches there. Forty-seven seconds are left Wendy on cockroach races starting now.

WR: A friend of ours had just left our local Indian restaurant with a takeaway and someone else made the comment "oh I see you've got your dinner then". And there was a cockroach racing right up his shirtfront. Well that was enough to put everybody off, we didn't go there again. But I certainly do not believe that there actually were such things as cockroach races. I have heard of...

BUZZ

NP: Paul Merton challenged.

PM: Deviation, there are such things as cockroach races.

NP: Well we don't know, do we? But...

PM: No, I've seen photographs of them. And what it is, you have, like a track and you have a sort of start and finish, and the cockroaches are let out of the boxes. And there's sugar at the end here and it's whichever cockroach gets the sugar first is the winner.

NP: Yeah I believe that is, certainly it's possible.

PJ: It's a very crooked business. Racing them, because it's...

NP: Especially if you saddle them up as Paul described.

PJ: Well, no, you see, you can't give a cockroach a saliva test! You have a lot of difficulty! And many of them are drugged! To slow them up or..

NP: Paul I agree with your challenge, 27 seconds for you on cockroach races starting now.

PM: And the principal reason that people enjoy cockroach races is that they can hold these particular races in their living room or kitchen. For example, your starting line might be in the place you cook your food and the finishing line might be somewhere in the bedroom. So there's the...

BUZZ

NP: Wendy Richard...

WR: He said line twice.

NP: Yes, starting line and finishing line.

PM: Yes.

NP: Very difficult to describe such a thing without doing that. And 10 seconds are left for Wendy to take over the subject, cockroach races, starting now.

WR: I remember when I was in Beirut in 1974 going round the Gold Silk. And as I was going up the stairs to a particular merchant of this precious...

WHISTLE

NP: So Wendy not only got the point for speaking as the whistle went but after points in that round, so she has increased her lead. And Richard Murdoch will you take the next round, the subject, briefs. Will you tell us something about those in Just A Minute... we've heard about the see-through underwear, but now on the male side I think, briefs starting now.

RM: Well briefs are either something that can be worn, or something that barristers rather like to receive. They're usually a sheaf of papers tied up with pink ribbon. And they're delighted to get them because they know that it will bring some money either to defend or to prosecute. Take for instance that wonderful chap, Rumpole of the Bailey. He is very fond of getting these briefs, because he knows that he has a very good chance of getting the murderer off for some terrible crime that he's committed. And I'm very fond of looking at these courtroom dramas because it is most exciting and wonderfully dramatic and great theatre, or even films, or even television...

BUZZ

NP: Paul Merton challenged.

PM: Two or evens.

NP: Yes, or evens yes, Paul Merton's got in, 11 seconds and briefs is the subject starting now.

PM: Briefs are a recent invention. There used to be such things as long johns or cammie knickers...

BUZZ

NP: Richard Murdoch challenged.

RM: He said there used to be such things as long johns and there still are.

NP: Yes but he's not technically deviating by saying there used to be because there used to be. There might still be as well but he was still correct in saying there used to be.

RM: Ah well, all right.

PJ: He was speaking of them as though they were in the past.

NP: He may have been speaking as if they were...

PJ: They still exist, and I think Richard could prove it right now!

PM: But I was going to go on to say that now there are...

NP: It doesn't matter what you were going to say, you were not technically deviating so, because the statement you made was perfectly correct Paul. So you keep the subject with another point of course, five seconds are left on briefs starting now.

PM: And now there are such things as briefs that adds to the catalogue of underwear that you can purchase for yourself...

WHISTLE

NP: So let me give you the score at the end of that round. And Paul Merton getting one for speaking as the whistle went and others in the round has moved forward. He's still one point behind our leader Wendy Richard. And Wendy the subject is back with you for starters and it is modern art. Will you tell us something about that in the game starting now.

WR: I'm not too keen on modern art. Every year we are treated to pictures in the paper of ridiculous things that are termed as modern art. I believe one year it was a pile of bricks. Then this year I think it was a toilet roll holder. How on earth these people think that they can fool the general public into believing that this is modern art, I have no idea. I myself would rather see hanging on my wall a picture say by Constable or... Mind you, I'm not keen on Picasso. But um, something of that...

BUZZ

NP: Peter Jones has challenged.

PJ: There was an um there.

NP: There was a definite um.

WR: Yes but it was beautifully said!

PJ: It was rather!

NP: And it's Peter Jones now who's wound down. But we'll wind him up again and he's got 26 seconds on modern art starting now.

PJ: Well the purpose of these piles of bricks and strange things with toilet roll holders and everything is to make people think and try and find a reason why they don't like them. That's the purpose of it. And I think it's er quite er...

BUZZ

NP: Richard Murdoch challenged.

RM: A little bit of hesitation.

NP: More than a little bit I would have said Richard. So you have a point and the subject of modern art and there are 11 seconds left starting now.

RM: I think that the Tate Gallery is the chief culprit, because they have some very very stupid things, such as the aforesaid pile of whatever it was and there was a thing with a little bit...

WHISTLE

NP: So Richard Murdoch was keeping going till the whistle went, got the extra point and other points. He's moved into third place ahead of Peter Jones, but out in front of him is Paul Merton and he's one point behind our leader Wendy Richard. And Peter Jones your turn to begin, the subject, cobblers. So it's cobblers for you Peter and would you talk about cobblers in Just A Minute starting now.

PJ: Well in America it's a very favourite dish for dessert. There's apple cobbler and plum cobbler, strawberry cobbler. I could go through all the fruits I suppose but it would be rather boring which it probably will be anyway! Cobblers in England means people who repair shoes or even make them I believe. There was a cobbler in a famous ballet of the Red Shoes which played a prominent role...

BUZZ

NP: Richard Murdoch challenged.

RM: Shoes.

NP: Yes did he say shoe or shoes the first time? Yes he did say shoes, it was in the plural. Sorry Peter, yes, mend shoes, that's right. I have to do a sort of quick mental recall to make sure that the challenge is correct, you see. Richard you have a point, the subject cobblers and there are 37 seconds left starting now.

RM: The cobblers are the men who do mend shoes which they put leather on the bottom. They bung it in with little tacks. And it's awfully interesting to watch them do it because some of these cobblers are so clever at it that it is fascinating. And I've never really seen a man hit his thumb when he was trying to put a tack in a...

BUZZ

NP: Wendy Richard got in there.

WR: Had some tacks.

NP: Yeah.

RM: Oh yes.

NP: Yes. But no, actually he said tacks before and it was tack then.

RM: Yes.

WR: I beg your pardon Richard.

NP: So...

WR: I will be more attentive in future.

RM: Well I'm not...

NP: You couldn't be more attentive, you're, you're well out in the lead, you're very...

PJ: He did hesitate earlier on.

NP: But she didn't have him for hesitation Peter.

PJ: I know but if you run it back in your mind as I know you do, you'll probably come across one of these hesitations!

NP: I did but that wasn't the challenge. I came across all of them Peter.

PJ: Oh I see.

NP: So Richard Murdoch has another point because it was an incorrect challenge and he still has cobblers and he still has 12 seconds starting now.

RM: I'm rather sorry that I've got to continue with this subject because I was really completely drying up on the whole thing. There was very little that I could have added...

BUZZ

NP: So Peter Jones challenged you.

PJ: Well I interpret that as a cry for help!

RM: And you're dead right!

NP: Extraordinarily shrewd of you Peter!

PJ: Yes. I challenge on um deviation.

NP: Why?

PJ: Because he's talking about the difficulty of talking about it. And he isn't talking about it.

NP: Right, well challenged Peter, another point to you and two seconds on cobblesr starting now.

PJ: Cobblers alls are the things everybody's wanted us to talk about....

WHISTLE

NP: So Peter Jones got a point for speaking as the whistle went and he is still in fourth place but the scores are very equal now, Wendy still in the lead, then Paul Merton, then Richard Murdoch, then Peter Jones. And Paul Merton your turn to begin, the subject stick. Can you tell us something about that in Just A Minute starting now.

PM: This is a word which can mean several things. For example a stick can come from a tree. Or stick can be something you do when you adhere one surface to another. For example a piece of leather to another... piece of leather...

BUZZ

NP: Wendy Richard started. Your challenge first Wendy.

WR: I think he was getting a bit desperate there. I mean we had some bits of leather, didn't we?

NP: Yes. So that's your challenge is it?

WR: Yes and there was a hesitation.

NP: Which are you going for?

WR: Both!

NP: You're being canny. No, no, he did have a, your first one was repetition which is correct. So 46 seconds are left for you to tell us about stick starting now.

WR: I have a piece of stick in my pet cockateel's cage. His name is little Henry, by the way. And he sits on this stick...

BUZZ

NP: Peter Jones has challenged.

PJ: By her own admission it was deviation because she said it was by the way.

WR: Yes but I was going to... I've got to tell you where the stick is in my house, haven't I, and who's sitting on it.


PJ: Well...

NP: I don't think it matters, she just threw it in as a sort of aside and little Henry...

WR: I'm trying to paint a nice little visual picture...

NP: Mmmm.

WR: ...because this is radio, you see.

PJ: Yeah I know it's radio, yes.

WR: And they can get a picture of little Henry sitting on his stick.

PJ: I didn't hear what little Henry was, you did say it, I think, but I...

WR: Cockateel.

PJ: Cockateel.

NP: Cockateel, yes. Right Peter, I disagree with the challenge because it was just an aside which really wasn't deviation. And so Wendy keeps the subject of stick starting now.

WR: And he eats all the bark off this stick. In fact he's been through several sticks since we bought him which is just over a year ago now. Well, 18 months actually. But you have to be very careful what sort of sticks you put in...

BUZZ

NP: Peter Jones has challenged.

PJ: You don't think that's deviation?

NP: What?

PJ: Well, worrying about whether it's 12 months or 18 months that she's bought a stick! I mean um it's not really talking about sticks as such!

NP: I think the fact that she went off so long about the amount of time that she spent on it was slightly deviating from the subject of stick. So I will give you the benefit of the doubt Peter and give you the subject with a point of course, 29 seconds on stick, starting now.

PJ: Well I don't have very much to say about stick myself! I don't know why they've chosen that particular word in the singular either, you know. Sticks would be a different thing. Over the sticks is a sort of race...

BUZZ

NP: Ah Paul Merton challenged.

PM: Repetition of sticks.

NP: Yes you see you took sticks, and when it, over the sticks...

PJ: Ah yes.

NP: ..which is not on the card, it's stick. You could talk about a stick insect, you could have had something that sticks together, you have something you know...

PJ: We've had that!

NP: So Paul Merton you got in with a correct challenge and another point to you and 20 seconds on stick starting now.

PM: A stick is a useful thing if you want to train a lion. If you want this particular animal to sit in a chair then it's good to wave a stick in its face or indeed a whip as well. You can wave a chair...

BUZZ

NP: Wendy Richard has challenged.

WR: Wave.

NP: Yes, you waved too much I'm afraid Paul. And Wendy got in...

PJ: I think that's very dangerous advice to give on the radio! Children, children may be listening. They may attempt to get their lion to sit on a chair with the most dreadful results! It's very irresponsible of you Paul! I'm surprised! Let alone cruelty to animals! I mean they'll be after us next.

PM: I'm not very good at giving advice, whether it's defrosting fridges or training lions!

PJ: I know, I know.

NP: We're going to have a whole lot of letters from the RSPCA saying about whips to lions and so forth. But still it was all to try and keep going in Just A Minute. And Wendy got in with a correct challenge, she's increased her lead and six seconds for her to tell us something about stick starting now.

WR: The way to stop a... train...

BUZZ

NP: And Paul Merton got back in...

WR: I was going to say something brilliant then!

PM: A total breakdown in human communication!

WR: I had something really brilliant to say!

NP: Mmmm I know, it is frustrating but that's what the game is all about.

PM: Hesitation.

NP: The pressure they put on each other in order to make them dry up or make mistakes. Paul you achieved it with four seconds to go on stick starting now.

PM: A stick is very much like a...

BUZZ

NP: Wendy Richard.

WR: Far too slow!

NP: There's nothing in the rules...

WR: He's drawing it out on purpose!

NP: Definitely he was drawing it out on purpose. But it's only when he goes so slowly that it can be interpreted as hesitation that I would have to allow it. If you think there's a benefit of the doubt then it goes to Paul on this occasion with one second on stick starting now.

PM: Stick is another...

WHISTLE

NP: Well the situation hasn't changed much but they're all fairly close and er what has happened now is after all the points that Paul Merton got in that round, he's equal in the lead with Wendy Richard and trailing is Richard Murdoch and Peter Jones only a few points behind. We are now into the last round and Richard Murdoch it's your turn to begin and the subject is secret thoughts. Will you tell us something about that in Just A Minute starting now.

RM: Well I don't really want to tell you about my secret thoughts, because they're dead secret. And I mean it would be quite ridiculous to tell anybody what my secret thoughts are. They just stay in my head, and that's where they will remain. And so I am not going to tell you any...

BUZZ

NP: Paul Merton challenged.

PM: Three tell yous.

NP: You did say tell you.

RM: Yes I did.

NP: You don't actually have to say give us your secret thoughts, you can talk on the subject of secret thoughts.

RM: Yes.

NP: So that's the reason for the subject being on the card.

RM: Yes.

NP: And so Paul Merton got a correct challenge and he has a point for that, he's taken one ahead of Wendy in the lead, 41 seconds left, secret thoughts Paul starting now.

PM: Secret thoughts by definition are of course secret...

BUZZ

NP: And Richard Murdoch challenged.

RM: Er I'm not quite sure why actually! I er rather wish I hadn't! I think I was getting a little bit trigger happy.

NP: Like the subject you had before about being confused.

RM: Yes, forget it, forget it!

NP: Well we can't unfortunately Richard because if you challenge and interrupt someone's flow then they get a point for being interrupted because of an incorrect challenge and um 38 seconds with Paul Merton on secret thought starting now.

PM: For example I may have some secret thoughts about Nicholas Parsons, but I certainly wouldn't share them with the rest of you. I for example might suggest...

BUZZ

NP: Wendy Richard.

WR: Two examples.

NP: For example, yes. An example of your thoughts about me and for example. Wendy heard it, got in with 29 seconds to take over secret thoughts starting now.

WR: I have secret thoughts about getting a stick and stopping a charging oc... octopus...

BUZZ

NP: So Peter Jones got in there. Peter your challenge please?

PJ: Um hesitation.

NP: Yes. Peter do wake up please!

PJ: I thought you realised that!

NP: I did realise it but you...

PJ: I mean you keep running it all backwards in your mind and I thought you'd pick that up in a moment!

NP: Well I picked it up all right, but you see, you might have picked up something else which I would have disagreed with. I have to hear what your challenge is and see if I agree with it. It's only fair on the other three. There are another three playing the game besides you, you see Peter. So Peter you have secret thoughts and there are 23 seconds left starting now.

PJ: Secret thoughts should remain secret. And I think this idea of talking about them as people often do in Sunday newspapers and others is an er abhorrent...

BUZZ

NP: And Paul Merton got in.

PM: Very slight hesitation.

NP: Well more than slight but um but it certainly was hesitation Paul. So you have another point and the subject and 12 seconds on secret thoughts starting now.

PM: I know several secret things which I couldn't possibly relate to any member of this...

BUZZ

NP: Peter Jones has challenged.

PJ: He did stumble again there.

NP: Yes he stumbled definitely.

PM: Yes.

NP: Six seconds for you Peter on secret thoughts starting now.

PJ: I'm going to tell you one of the most secret thoughts and one of the most daring that you have ever heard in...

WHISTLE

NP: And on that cliffhanger we call Just A Minute to a close and we'll never know what this devastating thing was that Peter Jones was going to tell us. All that I can now give you is the final score. Everybody contributed their usual good value but some got more points than others. And in fourth place was Richard Murdoch, just behind Peter Jones and then came Wendy Richard. But just two points ahead was the man we call the winner this week, Paul Merton. We do hope you have enjoyed this edition of Just A Minute and will want to be with us again when we play this delightful game. Until then may I say on behalf of Ian Messiter who created the game, our producer Edward Taylor and all the four panelists and myself, thank you for listening and we hope that you'll be with us again when we take to the air to play Just A Minute. Until then goodbye.

THEME MUSIC