- 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.
- 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 8th September 2020 at 5:30am on Radio 4 Extra
Website links
- The Officially Unofficial I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue web pages
A large fan site dedicated to the show. - BBC Website
An old and no-longer maintained website from the BBC. Features a fairly extensive archive of clips, as well as other features like a quiz. - ISIHAC Episode Guide
A guide to the I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue episodes, up to 1999. Features broadcast dates and panel details. - Mornington Crescent Guide
A tongue-in-cheek guide to the legendary ISIHAC game. Includes history and also an interactive game (don't expect to understand it!) - The I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue Info Site
Fan-run website giving detailed breakdown of each programme. - Official Website
The official website, fully revised and updated in 2012, features information on the show, a gallery, video archive, and more. - @ISIHAClue
- Wikipedia
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