Chris Neill's blog

While doing some searches on the JAM newcomer, Alun Cochrane, I stumbled across Chris's blog. As you might expect it is very funny, I highly recommend it. Have a good read of it here.

I hope he doesn't mind too much if I copy what he has to say about his four JAMs that he has recorded so far this year - it gives you a taste of his views on the show.

<>December 3rd.... Full of cold and chest infection, on Friday I drove down to Winchester to take part in a recording of Just A Minute at the Theatre Royal. I always find appearing with Paul Merton and Clement Freud a rather worrying prospect what with them being the absolutely most senior and yet ruthless players of the game; and my angst wasn’t soothed by the fact that Greg Proops was also on the panel who I expected to be a little difficult. Why, I’m not really sure as whenever we’ve worked together before it’s been a happy thing, particularly I recall when he was narrator for some Woody Allen short stories I was dramatising for Radio 3 about ten years ago. As it turned out - almost inevitably - my default position of utter paranoia was misplaced; Paul was most chipper, Clement as easy-going as he gets and Greg was utterly delightful. He and I sat next to each other on stage and had quite a laugh. Paul and Clement play the game rather seriously so we took the role of unruly children. Needless to say we lost stupendously. I have never reached higher than third place and feel it is my right and proper place in the Just A Minute universe.

January 3rd... A much cheerier evening the following day where I appeared on a recording of Just A Minute for Radio 4 at the Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham. Paul Merton, Tim Rice and Alun Cochrane were also the panel and they seemed most jolly shows all in all.


Incidentally - I have a feeling Chris did actually come second at least once! He's too hard on himself!!!!