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I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue. Image shows from L to R: Graeme Garden, Barry Cryer. Copyright: BBC.

I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue

BBC Radio 4 panel show that is the antidote to panel games. Broadcast, 1972 - 2021. Stars Humphrey Lyttelton, Stephen Fry, Jack Dee, Rob Brydon and others.

I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue. Image shows from L to R: Graeme Garden, Barry Cryer. Copyright: BBC.

I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue

Extremely popular radio comedy. ISIHAC is a self-styled antidote to panel games, in which players are given silly things to do

  1. 15th February: Comedy writer Iain Pattinson has died
  2. 8th February: Comedy.co.uk Awards 2020 winners
  3. 11th January: Comedy.co.uk Awards 2020 shortlist
Genre
Panel Show
Broadcast
1972 - 2021
Channel
BBC Radio 4
Series
73
Starring
Humphrey Lyttelton, Stephen Fry, Jack Dee, Rob Brydon, Barry Cryer, Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graeme Garden, William Rushton and others
Producers
Jon Naismith and Geoffrey Perkins

This show started out as a spin-off from the BBC radio series I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again. The idea being that I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue was an unscripted version of the original.

ISIHAC is a parody of the traditional panel show, with games designed to humiliate and confuse. Points come for show's lovely (and fictitious) scorer Samantha.

Games include the self-explanatory "One Song to the Tune of Another"; mad word game "Cheddar Gorge"; "Sound Charades" (a game based on the TV show Give Us a Clue which differs in just three ways); "Word for Word", the opposite of word association; and the game based on the London Underground that is almost impossible to play - "Mornington Crescent".

Legendary host Humphrey Lyttelton presided over the first 50 series. In the series that followed the host's death the role of chairman was handed over to Stephen Fry, Jack Dee and Rob Brydon. The trio took it in turns to present the show. Jack Dee's episodes were generally the best received by the audience, and thus Dee has been installed as the new host.

The most regular players of the game are Barry Cryer and Graeme Garden, as well as the late Tim Brooke-Taylor and Willie Rushton.

More description

Production Details

Tagline
The antidote to panel games
Production company
Also known as
  • ISIHAC (Acronym)
  • Clue
Soundtrack
Theme tune is "The Schickel Shamble" by Ron Goodwin, from the film Monte Carlo or Bust. Colin Sell on the piano provides additional music in the show.
Laugh track
Yes, but type varies

Broadcast details

First broadcast
Tuesday 11th April 1972 on BBC Radio 4 at 12:55pm
Last repeat
Tuesday 12th January 2021 at 5:30am on Radio 4 Extra

Website links

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