Tescos last night

I blame as always middle management, until the 1960's radio and for that matter TV was run by producers and department heads that had either experience as live entertainers or impresarios of the many theatres that existed.

They understood the dynamics of live performance and the need to take chances with acts, which is why so many talented comics from variety were able to transfer over to the new mediums, look at Frankie Howerd, Benny Hill, Morecombe and Wise, Sid james and Tony Hancock, although M&W bombed at there first attempt at TV in 1954 and it took them another 10 years to make a second attempt.

But in the 1960's middle managers started to become more interested in ratings than in the acts and started to play safe it safe when it came to the ratings, prefering acts like Max Bygraves, Bob Monk House and Brucie, that’s when the rot sets in. Between the mid 60 and late 80's and to some extent still comic script writing was dominated by the likes of Eric Sykes, Galton & Simpson, Johhny Speight, Took, Norton, who were all class A writers in the 60's but a safe bet by the mid 70's, which is why we end up with the advent of "Alternative Comedy", which developed outside of TV and Radio.

I think in many ways some of the comedy performers we have today hark back the music hall and the mid 20th century, and it is interesting that many have had their first airing on radio like Little Britain, but is it original? Does it matter? Believe it or not Ken Dodd is currently making a very feisty come back and has had some great reviews, but that’s because he's great playing live and not on TV, where his act comes across as shit.

Now how far have you got with, Roger Walker AKA Bunny Charleston from Eldorado, other notable credits?