Just a Minute: Through the Years: 12 classic episodes of the much-loved BBC Radio comedy game

Ten archive editions of the the much-loved BBC Radio 4 panel game plus two very special programmes, chaired by Nicholas Parsons.

Seasons come and go, and years fly by, but Just a Minute has been a constant ray of sunshine on Radio 4 for over 50 years.

Now, in this new collection of programmes, ten previously unpublished editions ― from the 1970s to the 2010s ― are presented alongside two very special half hours: Just a Minute: 50 Years in 28 Minutes and 50 Years of Just a Minute: Paul Merton in Conversation with Nicholas Parsons.

Among the many guest performers attempting to speak for 60 seconds without hesitation, repetition or deviation from the subject are Kenneth Williams, Clement Freud, Derek Nimmo, Peter Jones, Paul Merton, Andrée Melly, Patrick Moore, Kenny Everett, Tim Rice, Wendy Richard, Richard Murdoch, Jenny Eclair, Kit Hesketh-Harvey, Stephen Frost, Gyles Brandreth, Sue Perkins and Frank Skinner.

Who will win enough points to take a commanding lead, who will find themselves trailing a little, and who will finish in a strong fourth place? Find out as we play Just a Minute!

1. 12 October 1971: Featuring Clement Freud, Peter Jones, Andrée Melly, Kenneth Williams
2. 18 April 1978: Featuring Clement Freud, Patrick Moore, Derek Nimmo, Kenneth Williams
3. 5 February 1980: Featuring Kenny Everett, Clement Freud, Peter Jones, Kenneth Williams
4. 16 June 1984: Featuring Clement Freud, Peter Jones, Tim Rice, Kenneth Williams
5. 16 June 1988: Featuring Clement Freud, Derek Nimmo, Wendy Richard, Kenneth Williams
6. 28 April 1990: Featuring Peter Jones, Paul Merton, Richard Murdoch, Wendy Richard
7. 2 August 1999: Featuring Jenny Eclair, Stephen Frost, Kit Hesketh-Harvey, Peter Jones
8. 19 January 2004: Featuring Clement Freud, Paul Merton, Graham Norton, Linda Smith
9. 9 January 2006: Featuring Clement Freud, Stephen Fry, Paul Merton, Tim Rice
10. 18 August 2014: Featuring Gyles Brandreth, Paul Merton, Sue Perkins, Frank Skinner
11. 25 December 2017: Just a Minute: 50 Years in 28 Minutes. Featuring panellists from across the years
12. 1 January 2018: 50 Years of Just a Minute - Paul Merton in conversation with Nicholas Parsons

Devised by Ian Messiter
Chaired by Nicholas Parsons
Episode selection by Michael Stevens
Music: The Minute Waltz (Waltz in D Flat Major, Op. 64) by Chopin

Duration: 5 hours 50 mins approx.

Please note: The humour in these programmes sometimes reflects the era in which they were first broadcast. Contains strong language and mild innuendo. Due to the archive nature of some of the episodes, sound quality may vary.

Paul Merton was born in 1957, long before such things were fashionable. He spent his first eight years living within cheering distance of Fulham Football ground at Craven Cottage although he can’t remember any cheering. Upon leaving school with two ropey A Levels and a CSE Grade 5 Maths, Paul enlisted in the Civil Service where he survived for two and a half years. He made his stand-up debut at London’s Comedy Store in 1982 where his policeman on acid routine regularly stopped the show. In 1985 he joined the Comedy Store Players, an improvised comedy group which led, in 1988, to him appearing on Whose Line is it Anyway? for the first few series before he couldn’t stick it anymore.

He has appeared on Have I Got News For You as a team captain since 1990 and is also proud of his other long running gig, Radio 4’s Just a Minute. Other TV highlights include his eponymous surreal sketch series from 1991-3; interviewing Spike Milligan in what was to be his last major television appearance as host of Room 101; and making several programmes about early cinema, including The Birth Of Hollywood which he co-wrote with his wife, Suki Webster.

He still performs with the Comedy Stores Players every Sunday.