"And as the minute waltz fades into the background welcome to another game of just a minute". These words have been spoken for over 30 years by Nicholas Parsons at the beginning of that ever popular BBC Radio 4 gameshow "Just a Minute"

The rules

The rules are simple, their interpetation is not. The four contestents are given 60 seconds to speak on the subject on the card without hesitation, repetition or deviation from the theme. Only the word or phrase on the card may be repeated. For each correct challenge the challenger is given 1 point, an incorrect challenge and the challengee recieves the point. There is also a point for speaking when the whistle blows, and a bonus of one for the incredibly difficult task of speaking for the whole minute.

The classic quartet

Clement Freud, the failed liberal politician, with a gastronomic specialty, a panache for multi-syllabic words and a trick of listing examples.¹ Also the Grandson of
Sigmund
and the father of Emma.

The late Derek Nimmo who every week seemed to have a totally different family set up to what he had before and his close friends would often challenge him on deviation from the truth.

Peter Jones, probably better known to most of the researchers as the voice of the book in the radio and television dramatisation of DNA opus "The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy". Peter was often the dithery charector on Just a Minute but dispite being the butt of many jokes at his expence was none the less a great exponent of the art. Peter recorded his last episodes in the tail end of 1999 only months before his death following a short illness.

Last but not least the late Kenneth Williams. Kenneth had a knack of turning one syllable into a three act play, and when things were going against him would go into a strop about how he had come all the way from Great Portman Street to be here and it wasn't fair that everyone was picking on him.

Of course Nicholas himself contributes greatly to the fun and entertainment. By having to intrepret the rules, trying to remember every word that the contestants have spoken and being the butt of many jokes whilst they are talking and being unable to buzz in to his own defence.

The new batch

With the death of Kenneth Williams there was a fear that the show would die with him, that is if it hadn't of been for one of the alternative comedians. Paul Merton wrote to the BBC to ask to be on the show. He was a hit and Wendy Richards, Stephen Fry, Julian Clary and others have followed suit, none of them find it easy all the time and we love the show all the more for it. Just the Minute is truely great radio entertainment and long may it continue in a telvisual age, to keep the art of conversation without hesitation, repetition or deviation alive.