1996
Information on every episode from Series 27 and 28
Series 27
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Date
01-Jun-96
08-Jun-96
15-Jun-96
22-Jun-96
29-Jun-96
06-Jul-96
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Chairman
Humphrey Lyttelton
Humphrey Lyttelton
Humphrey Lyttelton
Humphrey Lyttelton
Humphrey Lyttelton
Humphrey Lyttelton
Panellist 1
Graeme Garden
Graeme Garden
Graeme Garden
Graeme Garden
Graeme Garden
Graeme Garden
Panellist 2
Barry Cryer
Barry Cryer
Barry Cryer
Barry Cryer
Barry Cryer
Barry Cryer
Panellist 3
Tim Brooke-Taylor
Tim Brooke-Taylor
Tim Brooke-Taylor
Tim Brooke-Taylor
Tim Brooke-Taylor
Tim Brooke-Taylor
Panellist 4
Willie Rushton
Willie Rushton
Willie Rushton
Willie Rushton
Willie Rushton
Willie Rushton
Pianist
Colin Sell
Colin Sell
Colin Sell
Colin Sell
Colin Sell
Colin Sell
“The scores are even, which means not only have we had an excitingly close contest, but also that the last half hour has been a complete waste of time.”
Humphrey Lyttelton (Series 27 Episode 6)
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Episode 1: Theatre Royal, Brighton. 'Complete Quotes' is referred to as 'Superstitions' where the teams have to complete superstition related sayings.
Episode 2: Theatre Royal, Brighton. Graeme's 200th appearance. Humph shouts that points mean something other than prizes for the first time (points mean Gatwick Airport)
Episode 3: Richmond. Barry's 200th appearance as a paneliist. 'One Song to the Tune of Another' is played for the 50th time.
Episode 4: Richmond. 'Questions and Answers' is referred to as 'Any Questions'.
Episode 5: Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham. 225th episode. 'Misleading Advice' is referred to as 'Unhelpful Advice' and is advice not to give to a sex education class. 'Sounds Peculiar' is played as 'Sporting Out-Takes'.
Episode 6: Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham. Tim's 200th appearance. 'Pick Up Song' is played for the 50th time.
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Jon Naismith's 9th series as Producer.
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'Film Club', 'One Song to the Tune of Another', 'Pick Up Song' and 'Sound Charades' are all played 3 times each.
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Series 28
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Date
09-Nov-96
16-Nov-96
23-Nov-96
30-Nov-96
07-Dec-96
14-Dec-96
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Chairman
Humphrey Lyttelton
Humphrey Lyttelton
Humphrey Lyttelton
Humphrey Lyttelton
Humphrey Lyttelton
Humphrey Lyttelton
Panellist 1
Graeme Garden
Graeme Garden
Graeme Garden
Graeme Garden
Graeme Garden
Graeme Garden
Panellist 2
Barry Cryer
Barry Cryer
Barry Cryer
Barry Cryer
Barry Cryer
Barry Cryer
Panellist 3
Tim Brooke-Taylor
Tim Brooke-Taylor
Tim Brooke-Taylor
Tim Brooke-Taylor
Tim Brooke-Taylor
Tim Brooke-Taylor
Panellist 4
Willie Rushton
Willie Rushton
Willie Rushton
Willie Rushton
Willie Rushton
Willie Rushton
Pianist
Colin Sell
Colin Sell
Colin Sell
Colin Sell
Colin Sell
Colin Sell
“Exciting news! Samantha tells me she’s expecting a visit from a film producer in her dressing room after the show
with news of a part he’s been holding for her. He seems sure she’s going to make it big”
Humphrey Lyttelton (Series 28 Episode 2)
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Episode 1: Liverpool Playhouse. Iain Pattinson is named as the program consultant for the first time.
Episode 2: Liverpool Playhouse. 'Pick Up Song' is played for the 50th time.
Episode 3: Theatre Royal, Northampton. 'Mood Music' is the 250th different game of the show.
Episode 4: Theatre Royal, Northampton. The first of the regular jokes about Lionel Blair is told. 'Mornington Crescent' is played for the 100th time. 'Song Book' is played for the 10th time.
Episode 5: Cambridge Arts Theatre. Humph's 225th appearance. Willie's 200th appearance. Samantha's 100th appearance. 'Wuthering Hillocks' is played for the first time since s23e03. 'Misleading Advice' is played as 'Unhelpful Advice'.
Episode 6: Cambridge Arts Theatre. Willie's last episode. 'Word for Word' is played for the 50th time.
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Willie's last series.
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Jon Naismith's 10th series as Producer.
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Humph has made 226 appearances, Barry is on 214 (6 as Chairman), Graeme has appeared in 211 episodes and Tim is on 206.
Willie made 201 appearances. He made 167 consecutive appearances from 17 September 1979 (s07e10), and only missed 4 episodes since joining the team.
The classic line-up of Humph, Graeme, Barry, Tim and Willie appeared in 145 shows together, 135 of those with Colin.
Colin has played the piano in 188 shows, with Samantha keeping score in 101.
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'Limericks', 'Mornington Crescent', 'One Song to the Tune of Another' and 'Pick Up Song' were all played 3 times.
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11 December 1996 - Willie Rushton died.
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25 December 1996 - The 1996 Christmas Special was broadcast, and was a compilation of the 1993 and 1995 Christmas shows.
13 February 1997 - Episode 5, from Series 26, was repeated.
31 May 1997 - Willie Rushton's Wake, hosted by Ned Sherrin and featuring Barry Cryer, Richard Ingrams, Lance Percival and Tim Rice, was broadcast.
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Thanks to Ben Newsam for working out the running orders of shows 3 and 4. Thanks to Olaf for providing a recording of show 3.
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THE HISTORY, THE FACTS AND THE NUMBERS
I'M SORRY I HAVEN'T A CLUE