The Museum Of Curiosity closes its doors on Radio 4
- The Museum Of Curiosity will not be returning, creator John Lloyd has revealed
- "The BBC in its wisdom decided that it needs to be retired. I think it's sad, it's a mistake, because it's a good show" Lloyd said of the QI spin-off
- The producer also shared his exasperation researching QI's forthcoming "X" series: "We've got to make 14 shows, 12 questions each, all about xylophones and x-rays!"
The Museum Of Curiosity has been cancelled, creator John Lloyd has revealed.
The QI spin-off ran for 17 series and 106 episodes on Radio 4. But the BBC has now called time on the long-running panel show, in which comedian "curators" try to fill up an imaginary museum with curious objects.
Bill Bailey was the curator when the series began in 2007, while erstwhile QI elf and No Such Thing As A Fish podcaster Anna Ptaszynski was in post for the final run in 2023.
Other high-profile comics to have had the role include Bridget Christie, Romesh Ranganathan, Jimmy Carr, Lee Mack, Jo Brand, Sarah Millican, Noel Fielding, Sean Lock, Dave Gorman and Jon Richardson.
"I think it's a real shame" Lloyd told the Divine Comedians podcast. "We did it for the love, The Museum Of Curiosity. It took a lot of time at QI, using our research and producers.
"But the BBC in its wisdom decided that it needs to be retired. I think it's sad, it's a mistake, because it's a good show."
Lloyd, who produced such classic comedies as Blackadder, Spitting Image and Not The Nine O'Clock News, also told podcast host Paula Wiseman that his latest hit, QI, is "the nicest show I've ever worked on, it's so friendly and kind and enjoyable to do and it is, by its nature, quite interesting.
Currently in its 23rd year, with the elves researching the letter "X" ahead of the broadcast of the "W" series on BBC Two, the producer lamented that "we've got to make 14 shows, 12 questions each, all about xylophones and x-rays! That's what we do.
"But when you see it ... you'll learn so much, it's really, really exciting. Because it's the difficult letters, Q and things, that are often the best series, because you're forced to really, really look. Not just trot out the things you already know."