Monday 11 November 2013

I'm Sorry I Only Connect.






Today, by coincidence, appearances I made on shows that were recorded about six months apart will be broadcast within a couple of hours of one another. At 6:30 on BBC Radio 4, I will be - and I can still hardly believe this - being given silly things to do on I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue. I've loved this show since I was a boy, and I'm astonished and delighted to be given the opportunity to be on it.  I only hope I didn't mess it up too badly.

And then at 8:30 on BBC4, I'm on the Children In Need special of Only Connect, a show I'm sure I would have loved as a boy if only it had been on then. As the scoring on this show is a little more rigorous than the other one (no offence to Samantha), I already know whether I messed up, and, if so, exactly how badly. 

Sorry I've neglected this blog for so long, incidentally - I plan to be around a little more now. For instance, I will have some news about Cabin Pressure on Wednesday. 

54 comments:

Trills said...

Congratulations on Clue! I understand it's a great honour to be invited on and I'm sure you'll be, in the words of Arthur Shappey, BRILLIANT!

Ghay said...

I'm excited already!!!!

Unknown said...

greetings from Kazakhstan! i love your shows, been listening for CP almost every day for a year now. BRILLIANT!!!!
Please tell us there'll be Season 5!

Anonymous said...

Congratulations!

And... is it Wednesday yet?

Unknown said...

YAY! This is brilliant!!!

Unknown said...

Is it Wednesday yet?

How about now?

And yay on ISIHAC.

Unknown said...

I'm sure you did wonderfully! I have been dying for new Cabin Pressure, too; in fact I was just talking with a friend about the potential for episode Z yesterday! I've started a postcard collection and I'm trying to get one from all of the Cabin Pressure cities, so if anyone lives in one of them, please tell me so we can exchange cards! (Or if you'd be willing to create on from Fitton, since it's fictional...) Keep up the brilliant work, John!

Anonymous said...

You know, in Poland after Z we have also Ż AND Ź so you can do at least 3 more episodes;P

The Professor said...

It's good to hear from you, John; you _know_ how we worry....

Seriously, can't wait for Wednesday's announcement! Wish we could hear all these other shows in the US....

Makani said...

Oh this is amazing! Dare I hope for a Christmas special? ^^

Anonymous said...

You're on ISIHAC, one of my favourite radio shows of all time? Brilliant! Congratulations!

As for "Only Connect": bloody terrifying. Not you, the show's challenges.

Unknown said...

Wohoo! It's like Birling-Day!

Ann-Sophie said...

Very excited to hear those Cabin Pressure related news and congrats to the two shows! :)

Anonymous said...

And in Germany there's ß, Ä, Ö and Ü, which are all ordered after Z. There you go, 7 new episodes! :D

Anonymous said...

Give us Zurich or Zwickau or Zagreb, please. :-))

Anonymous said...

Give us Zurich or Zwickau or Zagreb, please. :-))

Anonymous said...

" I will have some news about Cabin Pressure on Wednesday.”" Please! Please! Please!

Unknown said...

I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue is back AND you're on it, sir? My heart is soaring this Monday.

Jessica said...

Huzzah! And Brilliant! And I want tickets. Yes, I am available. Even if it means changing Christmas ticket back from the states!

Ange said...

Love your souvenir but my heart is lost to CP. BRILLIANT to have some news ;-)

Kay Rivera said...

Greetings from the Philippines. I have loved your work for a very long time now and having played Cabin Pressure, Safety Catch, and your Souvenir Programme plus various other bits and snippets daily--when going to sleep, while in the car, while on the commute--I think I've memorized everything D: and I would be so happy if there could be more New Things to listen to. I think you're wonderful. Everyone here thinks you're wonderful. Good luck with whatever you're working on at the moment Mr Finnemore :)

Laura G said...

ISIHAC? I salute you Mr F.You are now true comedy royalty, and Humph would be delighted.

(fanfare for kazoo and swanee whistle)

Claire said...

Can't wait to hear the news about Cabin Pressure! I am a recent convert to the Cult of the Travelling Lemon, but what I lack in punctuality I make up for in boundless, slightly frightening enthusiasm.

I shall have to root out 'I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue' on the iplay doodad later. :)

Anonymous said...

I couldn't be more excited that you're on I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue. No, that's not true. I was more excited the moment that Jon Naismith announced that you were the special guest at the Weston Playhouse. I am not ashamed to say I squealed (as did my brother who was also in the audience).
I have loved ISIHAC since I was way too young to understand many of the jokes and have loved Cabin Pressure with an unhealthy passion (?) for about 2 years. The sheer luck of being in that audience was something I shall treasure (as was the look on my son's face).
You did look a bit nervous at first but I am very pleased to say that you were - to choose an overworked but definitely appropriate word - brilliant. There were a couple of rounds that you did that I think will be classics. I can't say what as I don't want to give spoilers - but wow! You really did make an already special night even better!

Anonymous said...

... and I had to try really REALLY hard to not shout "what are you doing here, John? You should be writing Z!"

Sharon said...

Hah, good. I'm curious.

Anonymous said...

Double Finnemore. BRILLIANT! Hope Wednesday's news is 'more Cabin Pressure on the radio'.




Jackie

Laura said...

Oh I do hope it's good news (please don't let the airdot be split up!)

The Real Emily said...

I just listened to Sorry I Haven't A Clue and you were AMAZING! You have real comedic talent and I can't wait to see/hear more of it.

Beck said...

I have been giggling about tunnels since the recording, it was fabulous! I'm looking forward to the broadcast of the second episode. I'm not sure I'm going to be able to hear the word "Danube" with a straight face for the rest of my life.

I've been a fan of I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue since I realised that it wasn't a legal requirement for teenagers to listen to Radio 1 and, thankfully, I found Radio 4 instead. This is the first time I've managed to get tickets to a Clue recording and the whole thing was amazing.

As with my annonymous fellow audience member, my sister and I were stunned and delighted that you were a guest. Hope Weston didn't put you off the westcountry.

Horsa said...

Joy unbounded when I heard you on ISIHAC, and then read your blog! Can't wait for Wednesday meanwhile will tune in to ONly Connect. Shame you won't be up against the Pilots.

Anonymous said...

You were brilliant on "I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue" and I can't wait to see you on BBC4 in 15 minutes! News about Cabin Pressure? I am so (s)HAPP(e)Y! What a great day :)

Anonymous said...

Perhaps the Clue team can be persuaded to introduce Yellow Car as a new game.

Julian said...

Just a side note - can the next edition of The Archers As It Sounds To People Who Don't Normally Listen To The Archers include a reference to the staggeringly unconvincing small child actors? Thanks...

Unknown said...

I was at the Clue recording in Weston. I drove there from Cardiff with a friend and we listened to a couple of episodes of Cabin Pressure en route. Almost had a stroke when you were introduced as we had no idea you'd be the guest!

The whole experience that evening was fantastic. It has to be one of the funniest things I've seen. Don't worry; you certainly didn't mess it up!

Anonymous said...

I'm actually still smiling! Half an hour after having listened to the show. When, after hearing, bemusedly, to the well-beloved name of Tim Brooke-Taylor, I started going through all the names that ever tried to replace Willie Rushton, for the most part, without much success, to be struck, as with the gargantuan Nutella jar I have been asking the Lord for ever since... I could actually talk!, by Jack Dee announcing "And John Finnemore", my hand automatically flew to the Pause Button, smeared with the remains of my late, great Bounty bar, and I found myself with C. P. O. Pertwee's mixture of bafflement and delight murmuring "Ehhhhh?".
An Eighteen-year-old loquacious creature can hardly give a well-weighed opinion, yet, forsooth Mr. Finnemore, you are the only one who could make the show go in this long-missed charmingly witty strain, which only Mr. Rushton could provide.
That said, I have a question for you.
Firstly, your song that begins "Where've they gone, All the days of Summertime.." were you trying to simplify in it Heidegger's, and Nietzsche's, concerns about Technology? I'm studying the former right now, and could not help feeling that this could be an epitome of this loooooong series of lectures, so, am I right? Hmm?

Artistic Director of The House of Strange and founder of Oblong said...

I have my own head canon on what the news will be. It is head canon I have long held.....about 11 months actually. Let's see if I am right.

Jane Russ said...

You were brilliant on Clue and they should defo make you a regular, Willy Rushton is a very hard act to follow but you're up there. Your well timed lunacy fitted in perfectly with the usual mayhem.

We always watch Only Connect and as I'd not read the blog, we were amazed to see you on a team!! Not that you're not up to it of course, just surprised.

Rebecca said...

Crikey, that's the hardest quiz show EVER! I'll leave you to decide which...

I'm just going to sit quietly in a corner and contemplate my general lack of intellect *sniffle*

Anonymous said...

Why isn't it Wednesday yet???

So exciting! Keeping my fingers crossed it's news of another series or a Christmas special. I love Cabin Pressure, it's one of my fav radio series.

Anonymous said...

What a long holiday you were on! Kidding. Always good to see an update, sir, and I am excited about the CP news (I certainly hope it's good news)! Just last night I re-listened to Vaduz, Cremona, and Ottery St. Mary on a long flight. Wonderful stuff. Take care.

--KS from Illinois

JS said...

I made the mistake of listening to ISIHAC in the office. Hope you get to make more appearances!

Anonymous said...

One of things that I've always liked about Cabin Pressure is the Clue-esque word games and I hadn't read this entry yesterday, so it was a delightful surprise to turn on ISIHAC and hear two of my favourite daft comedy worlds colliding :)

Unknown said...

Well it's Wednesday now. Technically. :)

Anonymous said...

I'm waiting!

Britta said...

It's WEDNESDAY!!! Now?? ;-)

Julia* said...

Welcome back to your blog, John! And congratulations on your numerous appearances - you certainly did not mess up too badly ...

For what it's worth, while news on CP are, of course, wonderful, I'm actually a little more excited to read that you are intending to revive this blog. I've been an avid reader for years, albeit not much of a commenting one, and I kind of miss your drawings and observations on life, the world, badverts and such ... So, if that's not too much to ask, could we maybe have some of those again, too?

Anonymous said...

It's Wednesday! I'm excited, tell me now! Please?

Britta said...

Hello honey! Wake up, wake up!!!

Anonymous said...

BRILLIANT!!! Give us Season 5 :D

Philippa Sidle said...

It's Wednesday! So... what is it? Checking Twitter constantly...

Vince Chadwick said...

You were a bit naughty in 'Mornington Crescent'. I think you rubbed one or two of the others up the wrong way.

You do know the rules, don't you?

Sepatu Nike Running said...

Just listened to Souvenir Program - absolutely brilliant. Literally, wonderful if not iconic and at times vibrant. Thanks John

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