RADIO SEASON 53 2008
Season length: 10 shows.
Chairman: Nicholas Parsons.
Regular Panellists: Paul Merton (eight shows), Clement Freud (six shows).
Semi-regular Panellists: None.
Guest Panellists: Tony Hawks (two shows), Gyles Brandreth (two shows), Ross Noble (two shows), Julian Clary (two shows), Sue Perkins (two shows), Marcus Brigstocke (two shows), Chris Addison (two shows), Shappi Khorsandi (two shows), Ian McMillan (two shows), Fred MacAulay (one show), Dave Gorman (one show), Phill Jupitus (one show), Owen O'Neill (one show), Rhod Gilbert (one show), Lynn Ferguson (one show), Robin Ince (one show), Mike McShane (one show).
Making A Debut: Lynn Ferguson, Robin Ince, Shappi Khorsandi, Ian McMillan, Mike McShane.
Commentary: Some good moments, but overall a rather disappointing season. A little too much reliance on newcomers who for the most part didn't excel. But Paul as ever was great and the shows with Julian Clary, Sue Perkins and Chris Addison are as good as it gets.
695/53/1
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Broadcast date: 28 July 2008.
Chairman: Nicholas Parsons.
Panel: Paul Merton, Clement Freud, Ross Noble, Phill Jupitus.
Whistle Blower: Trudi Stevens.
Producer: Tilusha Ghelani.
Subjects: Longitude, facing the music, end of the pier, Suffolk punch, down under, listeners' letters, a camping trip.
Winners: Clement Freud and Ross Noble.
Notes: Nicholas Parsons's 743rd appearance, Clement Freud's 536th appearance, Paul Merton's 203rd appearance, Ross Noble's 30th appearance, Phill Jupitus's 3rd appearance.
696/53/2
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Broadcast date: 4 August 2008.
Chairman: Nicholas Parsons.
Panel: Clement Freud, Gyles Brandreth, Marcus Brigstocke, Dave Gorman.
Whistle Blower: Trudi Stevens.
Producer: Tilusha Ghelani.
Venue: Hay-on-Wye.
Subjects: Hay fever, losing the plot, a whale of a time, the village idiot, a hornet's nest, the far side of the Moon, Sherlock Holmes.
Winner: Gyles Brandreth.
Notes: Nicholas Parsons's 744th appearance, Clement Freud's 537th appearance, Gyles Brandreth's 37th appearance, Marcus Brigstocke's 10th appearance, Dave Gorman's 3rd appearance.
697/53/3
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Broadcast date: 11 August 2008.
Chairman: Nicholas Parsons.
Panel: Paul Merton, Tony Hawks, Shappi Khorsandi, Ian McMillan.
Whistle Blower: Trudi Stevens.
Producer: Tilusha Ghelani.
Venue: Manchester.
Subjects: Old Trafford, our kid, the last time I won something, the big question, the rule book, poetic justice.
Winner: Paul Merton.
Notes: Nicholas Parsons's 745th appearance, Paul Merton's 204th appearance, Tony Hawks's 95th appearance, Shappi Khorsandi's first appearance, Ian McMillan's first appearance.
698/53/4
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Broadcast date: 18 August 2008.
Chairman: Nicholas Parsons.
Panel: Paul Merton, Clement Freud, Rhod Gilbert, Mike McShane.
Whistle Blower: Sarah Sharpe.
Producer: Tilusha Ghelani.
Venue: Edinburgh.
Subjects: How to get an audience, Scottish cuisine, the highlight of my day, my patron saint, an Indian summer, ghost stories, customer service, forever and ever.
Winner: Paul Merton.
Notes: Nicholas Parsons's 746th appearance, Clement Freud's 538th appearance, Paul Merton's 205th appearance, Rhod Gilbert's 2nd and last appearance, Mike McShane's first appearance, Sarah Sharpe's first appearance blowing the whistle.
699/53/5
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Broadcast date: 25 August 2008.
Chairman: Nicholas Parsons.
Panel: Paul Merton, Clement Freud, Fred MacAulay, Lynn Ferguson.
Whistle Blower: Sarah Sharpe.
Producer: Tilusha Ghelani.
Venue: Edinburgh.
Subjects: At the Edinburgh Festival, my family tartan, Scottish heather, the credit crunch, the universe, a man after my own heart, toilet humour, temptation.
Winner: Paul Merton.
Notes: Nicholas Parsons's 747th appearance, Clement Freud's 539th appearance, Paul Merton's 206th appearance, Fred MacAulay's 13th appearance, Lynn Ferguson's only appearance.
700/53/6
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Broadcast date: 1 September 2008.
Chairman: Nicholas Parsons.
Panel: Paul Merton, Sue Perkins, Julian Clary, Chris Addison.
Whistle Blower: Trudi Stevens.
Producer: Tilusha Ghelani.
Venue: London.
Subjects: The river Thames, science fiction, leftovers in the fridge, when I am King, under the sea, a village fete.
Winner: Julian Clary.
Notes: Nicholas Parsons's 748th appearance, Paul Merton's 207th appearance, Julian Clary's 27th appearance, Sue Perkins's 21st appearance, Chris Addison's 3rd appearance.
701/53/7
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Broadcast date: 8 September 2008.
Chairman: Nicholas Parsons.
Panel: Paul Merton, Clement Freud, Ross Noble, Robin Ince.
Whistle Blower: Trudi Stevens.
Producer: Tilusha Ghelani.
Venue: Southwold.
Subjects: Second-hand shops, to be perfectly honest, a laughing matter, song and dance, Victoria, two in the bush.
Winner: Paul Merton.
Notes: Nicholas Parsons's 749th appearance, Clement Freud's 540th appearance, Paul Merton's 208th appearance, Ross Noble's 31st appearance, Robin Ince's only appearance.
702/53/8
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Broadcast date: 15 September 2008.
Chairman: Nicholas Parsons.
Panel: Clement Freud, Gyles Brandreth, Marcus Brigstocke, Owen O'Neill.
Whistle Blower: Trudi Stevens.
Producer: Tilusha Ghelani.
Venue: Hay-on-Wye.
Subjects: A month of Sundays, Offisdyke, a bad apple, a carbon footprint, a trick of the light, Dorothy Parker, a mug's game.
Winner: Gyles Brandreth.
Notes: Nicholas Parsons's 750th appearance, Clement Freud's 541st appearance, Gyles Brandreth's 38th appearance, Marcus Brigstocke's 11th appearance, Owen O'Neill's 3rd and last appearance.
703/53/9
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Broadcast date: 22 September 2008.
Chairman: Nicholas Parsons.
Panel: Paul Merton, Tony Hawks, Shappi Khorsandi, Ian McMillan.
Whistle Blower: Trudi Stevens.
Producer: Tilusha Ghelani.
Venue: Manchester.
Subjects: The War of the Roses, pantomime dames, charm offensive, my birthday party, packing for the holidays, who knows where this may lead.
Winner: Paul Merton.
Notes: Nicholas Parsons's 751st appearance, Paul Merton's 209th appearance, Tony Hawks's 96th appearance, Shappi Khorsandi's 2nd appearance, Ian McMillan's 2nd appearance.
704/53/10
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Broadcast date: 29 September 2008.
Chairman: Nicholas Parsons.
Panel: Paul Merton, Sue Perkins, Julian Clary, Chris Addison.
Whistle Blower: Trudi Stevens.
Producer: Tilusha Ghelani.
Venue: London.
Subjects: Glitz and glamour, the end of time, the mother of invention, the instructions, getting away from it all, prehistoric woman, little green men, closing time.
Winner: Paul Merton.
Notes: Nicholas Parsons's 752nd appearance, Paul Merton's 210th appearance, Julian Clary's 28th appearance, Sue Perkins's 22nd appearance, Chris Addison's 4th and last appearance. This show on The Best Of Just A Minute 2008.
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