Paying homage to the comic genius behind The Goon Show

As a new play based on the life of Spike Milligan opens 20 years after his death, Nick Newman tells Nick Smurthwaite the BBC did not initially understand The Goon Show and failed to recognise that Milligan was the brains behind it, and how he and co-writer Ian Hislop used Milligan's protracted battle with the Corporation to form the backbone of the piece.

Why Spike Milligan is still the godfather of British comedy

He was forever at war with the BBC -- and his own demons -- but for Sunday Times cartoonist Nick Newman and Ian Hislop, he is a hero, and the subject of their new play Spike.

Today's comics on Spike Milligan: the godfather of alternative comedy

He was the shellshocked genius who channelled his anarchic brilliance into The Goon Show. Ian Hislop and Nick Newman explain why they've written a play about Spike Milligan - while comedians remember a legend.

First Look: Spike at The Watermill Theatre in rehearsal

First look rehearsal images have been released for the world premiere of Spike, a new comedy by Ian Hislop and Nick Newman and Spike Milligan.

Ian Hislop: Spike Milligan was father of modern satire

Private Eye editor tells of new play about the anarchic comic - and reveals his run-ins over Goons scripts with the BBC.

Remember When.... Spike Milligan makes his Fringe debut

Spike Milligan took a very long time to make his debut at the Edinburgh Fringe. It was not until August 1990 that his name could be found in the Fringe programme.

Remember when: Bed Sitting Room left our critic cold

The original play did not impress the Glasgow Herald's drama critic, Christopher Small. Noting the presence of some "antique, good-humoured, humane ... veteran gags", he said they stood out with a noble solidity in the shambles around them, and that Milligan had a tender feeling for them.

Goons at 70: anarchic rowdy never-bettered radio comedy

After 70 years, the zany antics of the Goons still hold up to modern ears. What makes their bizarre comedy so enticing, even today?

Spike Milligan has been purged but Muppets aren't woke

Forty-five years after it first aired on television, all five series of The Muppet Show are now available on Disney+. The series - which is known for its madcap comedy skits and celebrity guest stars - has lost none of its magic, like a healthy wallop of felt-based nostalgia. All the gang are together: Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Swedish Chef, Gonzo. (And it's the gang at their very best, when they were controlled by the genius of Jim Henson - before Disney got its mousey, corporate claws into them.)

But noticeable by their absence are some of the Muppets' celebrity guests, including Chris Langham - an understandable omission from the family-focused streaming platform - and Spike Milligan, both of whose episodes are missing from the Disney+ collection.