He is married to writer and publisher Michèle Brown, with whom he co-curated the exhibition of twentieth century children’s authors at the National Portrait Gallery and founded the award-winning Teddy Bear Museum now based at the Polka Theatre in Wimbledon. He is a trustee of the British Forces Foundation, and a former chairman and now vice-president of the National Playing Fields Association.

Just a Minute". Radio Times. Vol.186, no.2415 (London & South Easted.). BBC Publications. 19 February 1970. p.29 . Retrieved 30 January 2020. A panel game controlled (!) this week by Kenneth Williams. Each programme features four panellists, with the exception of six shows in 1968 and another at the end of the 1970–1971 season when there were only three.The pilot for Just a Minute was recorded in 1967, featuring Clement Freud, Derek Nimmo, Beryl Reid and Willma Ewert as panellists. The chairman was originally intended to be Jimmy Edwards but he was unavailable on Sundays, the proposed recording dates, and was replaced by Nicholas Parsons, who was originally supposed to be a panel member. Parsons did not want the job and only reluctantly took it, just for the pilot episode. After the show settled in, again he found himself in the role of a straight man for the panellists. Although executives at the BBC disliked the pilot, its producer, David Hatch, insisted on having Parsons as the chairman. [11] The first series was not very successful, but Hatch threatened to resign if the programme was not given another chance. [11] Not wishing to lose Hatch, the BBC acquiesced.

Clement Freud on Just a Minute: A Celebration". Clement Freud on Just a Minute: A Celebration. 26 May 2009. BBC Radio 4.Winners". Sony Radio Academy. Archived from the original on 5 December 2004 . Retrieved 14 October 2010. Participants [ edit ] Clement Freud was a panellist on the show from 1967 to 2009, making him the longest-serving contestant. It is rare for a panellist to speak within the three cardinal rules for any substantial length of time, whilst both remaining coherent and being amusing. Therefore, to speak for the full minute without being challenged is a special achievement. However, if a panellist is speaking fluently on a subject, staying reasonably within the three rules, and seems likely to speak for the whole minute, the other panellists often refrain from challenging. On occasion a similar courtesy has been extended by the whistle-blower, who will refrain from indicating the end of the minute so as to not interrupt a panellist in full and entertaining flow (this once led to Paul Merton speaking for one minute and thirty seconds on the topic " Ram-raiding"). [17] There have also been occasions when players have chosen not to buzz because the speaker has been amusing the audience by performing badly. [ citation needed] Episode 424". Just a Minute. Series 26. Episode 1. 2 January 1993. BBC Radio 4. Transcript from just-a-minute.info. This particular edition of Just A Minute comes from the beautiful and ancient Theatre Royal in the delightful and old city of Bury St Edmonds. Repeats were then broadcast until Parsons' death on 28 January 2020, at the age of 96, and for a couple of weeks thereafter as a homage. [16]

The first show in 1967 was recorded in the Playhouse Theatre in central London, [39] [ failed verification] and the 35th anniversary show was also recorded there, and broadcast on New Year's Day 2003. [40] This section needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. ( March 2021) In 1999, the BBC televised the show, with 20 episodes recorded during a single week in Birmingham. Nicholas Parsons was again the chairman. There were no regular panellists but those appearing were Pam Ayres, Clare Balding, Isla Blair, Jo Brand, Gyles Brandreth, Ken Bruce, Michael Cashman, Barry Cryer, Stephen Frost, Liza Goddard, Tony Hawks, Peter Jones, Maria McErlane, Richard Morton, Tom O'Connor, Su Pollard, Steve Punt, Wendy Richard, John Sergeant, Brian Sewell, Linda Smith, Richard Vranch and Gary Wilmot. The series was produced by Helena Taylor. Hesitation" is watched very strictly: a momentary pause in speaking can give rise to a successful challenge, as can tripping over one's words. Even pausing during audience laughter or applause (known as "riding a laugh") can be challenged. On rare occasions, panellists will challenge themselves, usually by mistake or for laughs. [19] If successful, last-second challenges can be especially rewarding, as they allow one to speak for a short time but earn two points—one for the challenge and one for being the last speaker.

BBC radio host Nicholas Parsons dies". BBC News. BBC. 28 January 2020 . Retrieved 30 January 2020. Broadcaster Nicholas Parsons has died at the age of 96 after a short illness, his agent has confirmed.

Just a Minute". Radio Times. Vol.181, no.2345 (London & South Easted.). BBC Publications. 17 October 1968. p.23 . Retrieved 30 January 2020. A panel game controlled this week by Kenneth Williams.

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Sue Perkins announced as new host of Just a Minute". BBC News. 20 July 2021 . Retrieved 20 July 2021.