getting it wrong

So often I report things I find out from the BBC and thyey prove to be wrong.

For example the BBC website was originally reporting that there would be six shows in the current season. Now they are reporting there will be eight. But I haven't yet heard of when and where the fourth recording will take place so I'm not sure what to make of that.

And at the end of last week's show, they said the panel this week would be Paul, Sheila Hancock, Ian McMillan and Jenny Eclair. Someone posted in the comments that Jenny's participatiuon seemed doubtful as she is currently doing the reality TV show I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here. And the poster was proved correct - the panel today was Paul, Sheila, Ian and Gyles Brandreth.

Still, eight shows - if true - are better than six. And although I only caught the end of the programme, it sounded like Paul, Sheila and Gyles were having a lot of fun. So all good! I wonder if Jenny will be in the extra recording - if I can rely on that to be true!

Well Deserved!

This from Yahoo News

Veteran actress Sheila Hancock will be handed a lifetime achievement honour at the upcoming Women in Film and Television (WFTV) Awards. Skip related content
The 77 year old made her West End debut in 1958 and has since carved out a successful career in TV and film, most notably starring alongside Bette Davis in 1968 movie The Anniversary.
She's recently ended a highly-acclaimed stint playing Mother Superior in the Sister Act musical in London, and now she's being honoured for her longstanding work in showbiz.
The WFTV Awards ceremony, hosted by Julie Walters, will take place in London on 3 December. Previous recipients of the lifetime achievement honour include Diana Rigg, Dame Judi Dench and Dame Maggie Smith.

They don't mention Just A Minute though!

last panel

The panel for the last shows this year looks interesting - Paul Merton, Sheila Hancock, Jenny Eclair and Ian McMillan.

I must say this week's last show have been very very strong. Hilarious!

Here's the performer stats for shows this year - 26 shows, a lot of Just A Minute. The producers seem to be trying to have a large pool of semi-regulars rather than have anyone as a fresh regular in place of Sir Clement Freud.

Paul Merton 24
Tony Hawks, Sue Perkins 8
Gyles Brandreth, Jenny Eclair 7
Graham Norton 6
Sheila Hancock, Julian Clary, Liza Tarbuck, Josie Lawrence 4
Kit Hesketh-Harvey, Ross Noble, Chris Neill, Charles Collingwood, Pam Ayres, Dave Gorman, John Sergeant, Alun Cochrane, Ian McMillan, David Mitchell, Justin Moorhouse, Kevin Eldon 2
Fred MacAulay, Shappi Khorsandi, Stephen K. Amos, John Bishop 1

stats

Some numbers that may be of interest.

* this year, 2010, the BBC will have aired 26 fresh radio episodes of JAM. This is the highest number since 1973 when 32 shows were put to air. There were also 26 shows in 1975.

I suspect this will be a temporary blip caused by the transition from 2 longish seasons to 3 shorter ones. But still... 26 weeks of the year we had fresh jam. A very good number.

* Later this season, Claire Jones will pass Sir David Hatch to become the show’s most prolific producer. Claire has produced the show, on and off, for 10 years. If not quite as influential as Sir David, it’s been her job to adjust to the deaths of Derek, Peter and Clement.

* In three weeks there will have been 750 radio editions, and a couple of weeks later there will have been 800 JAMs in total – including the TV versions. As Nicholas has never missed a show, that will also be his 800th appearance.

* Paul Merton also passes 250 shows this season.

We’re still a week and a bit away from the November 22nd recording. I’m tipping a panel of Paul, Gyles, Graham and a woman, perhaps someone new. I know they have been trying to convince Jo Brand to do the show. If not her, maybe Josie Lawrence or Suki Webster or Josie Long?