Here in England, the BBC is responsible for various radio stations and most people have their favourites. Mine is BBC Radio 4. Essentially, it is a non-music station and like all other BBC radio stations, it contains no annoying commercial advertising.
Radio 4 provides an excellent independent and in-depth news service as well as entertainment programmes. Just about every weekday morning, I wake to the "Today" show which covers the main news items of the day - both national and international. There are also interviews with key politicians, experts in particular fields and public bystanders.
Entertainment consists of original dramas, informative documentaries, a continuing soap opera called "The Archers" and comedy shows - some of which are genuinely funny.
One of these is "Just A Minute" in which guests are asked to speak on given subjects without hesitation, deviation or repetition. It has been on air since 1967 bringing light relief to thousands of homes for more than fifty years. Some guests, like Paul Merton, are seasoned and capable contestants while others are quick to stumble.
It is all just a bit of fun - like a middle class parlour game and quintessentially English too. I cannot imagine that "Just A Minute" is popular in many poorer, deprived homes or where there are people with a non-British heritage. The game requires listeners to have an intimate appreciation of our language and a solid educational background.
The following YouTube video is almost half an hour long but to grasp the concept of "Just A Minute", you only need to listen to a sample of it. I imagine that in some foreign lands the show will be met with incredulity - proving that British people really are nutty. I am fine with that.
from Yorkshire Pudding https://ift.tt/ceKOS6v