Just a Minute: Series 61 – 65

Summary

Five collected series of the award-winning panel show, hosted by the late Nicholas Parsons

Just a Minute is the grandaddy of panel games, entertaining Radio 4 listeners since 1967 with wit, whimsy and wonderful wordplay. To mark the show's 55th anniversary in December 2022, here are five fantastic series from 2011, 2012 and 2013, all chaired by the legendary Nicholas Parsons. Among them is Series 62, which commemorated JAM's 45th birthday with an episode tackling the same subjects given out in the very first series, and featured two special editions from Mumbai.

Among the panellists keen to show their mettle are first-timers Russell Kane, Miles Jupp, Hannibal Buress and Tim Vine, relative newcomers Richard Herring, Paul Sinha, Jason Manford and Stephen Mangan, and veterans Paul Merton, Sheila Hancock, Graham Norton, Gyles Brandreth and Sue Perkins (proving that she's as skilled at playing the game as she is at hosting it).

Under the watchful eye of the chairman, they attempt to talk for 60 uninterrupted seconds on topics including My Tartan Underwear, The Search for Intelligent Life, The Importance of Eyebrows, How to Annoy the Audience and My Mate Dan - but can they make it to a minute without hesitation, repetition or deviation? As the Minute Waltz fades away, let the hilarity commence...

Cast and credits
Devised by Ian Messiter
Produced by Tilusha Ghelani and Claire Jones
Chairman: Nicholas Parsons

Series 61 featuring: Paul Merton, Tony Hawks, Shelia Hancock, Graham Norton, Josie Lawrence, Julian Clary, Phill Jupitus, Rick Wakeman, Gyles Brandreth, Jason Byrne, Shappi Khorsandi, Russell Kane, Miles Jupp, Pam Ayres

Series 62 featuring: Paul Merton, Gyles Brandreth, Ross Noble, Jenny Eclair, Julian Clary, Sue Perkins, Charles Collingwood, Liza Tarbuck, Josie Lawrence, Kit Hesketh-Harvey, Marcus Brigstocke, Anuvab Pal, Cyrus Broacha

Series 63 featuring: Paul Merton, Julian Clary, Sue Perkins, Greg Proops, Graham Norton, Gyles Brandreth, Alun Cochrane, Jenny Eclair, Tony Hawks, Richard Herring, Paul Sinha

Series 64 featuring: Paul Merton, Sue Perkins, Liza Tarbuck, Graham Norton, Miles Jupp, Pam Ayres, Charles Collingwood, Gyles Brandreth, Janey Godley, Hannibal Buress, Tim Vine, Jason Byrne, Jenny Eclair, Tony Hawks, Alun Cochrane, Kevin Eldon

Series 65 featuring: Paul Merton, Graham Norton, Sue Perkins, Jason Manford, Gyles Brandreth, Alun Cochrane, Stephen Mangan, Julian Clary, Jenny Eclair, Richard Herring

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 8 August-19 September 2011 (Series 61), 6 February-19 March 2012 (Series 62), 14 May-18 June 2012 (Series 63), 6 August-24 September 2012 (Series 64), 11 February-1 April 2013 (Series 65)

© BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd.