I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again 96 x 30 min episodes 32 kbps 22 kHz I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again (often abbreviated as ISIRTA) was a BBC radio comedy programme that originated from the Cambridge University Footlights revue Cambridge Circus. It had a devoted youth following, with live recordings being more akin to a rock concert than a comedy show, a tradition that continued to I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue. The pilot programme and Series 1 were broadcast on the BBC Home Service (renamed BBC Radio 4 in September 1967).[3] Series 2–9 were broadcast on the BBC Light Programme (renamed BBC Radio 2 in September 1967). It was first broadcast on 3 April 1964, the pilot programme having been broadcast on 30 December 1963 under the title "Cambridge Circus". The ninth series was transmitted in November and December 1973. An hour-long 25th anniversary show was broadcast in 1989. It is comically introduced as "full frontal radio". I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue, a spinoff panel game show, was first produced in 1972. The title of the show comes from a sentence commonly used by BBC newsreaders following an on-air flub: "I'm sorry, I'll read that again." Having the phrase used to recover from a mistake as the title of the show set the tone for the series as an irreverent and loosely-produced comedy show.[1] Episode and sketch titles[edit] The episode titles are unofficial and mostly come from the last sketch in each programme, which was usually the longest sketch.[4] Ali Baba and the 38 Thieves Alice in Wonderland All Hands on Venus Angus Prune Story Angus Sotherby's Detective Agency Audible Road Signs Beau Legs Billy Bunter of Greyfriars School Boadicea – The British Army Britain for the British (Ireland) Bunny and Claude Butler Dunnit Camelot (aka "Knights of the Round Table") Champion, the Wonder Mouse A Christmas Carrot Circus Life Cleopatra and Caesar The Colditz Story The Curse of the Flying Wombat (a serial) The Curse of the Workington Shillelagh Dentisti Dick Whittington and His Wonderful Hat Doctor Clubfoot of the Antarctic Doctor Why and the Thing Dr Zhivago and His Wonderful Lamp (Aladdin) England in Medieval Times England Our England A Fairy Story First Pilot The Ghost of McMuckle Manse The Ghost of Objectionable Manor Goldilocks (and Prince Valiant) Greek Tragedy Henry VIII History of Radio History of the British Army History of the Cinema Incompetence The Inimitable Grimbling Interlude Inventors Jack and the Beanstalk Jack the Ripper Jorrocks Memoirs of a Fox Hunting Man Julius Caesar Lady Godiva Laurence of Arabia - On Ice The Libel Suit Liverpool the City The Lone Stranger Long Range Weather Forecast Macbeth Marriage Bureau Moll Flounders My Man, Grimbling Nibble on the Bone Operation Chocolate Othello People Are Out Professor Prune And The Electric Time Trousers (a serial) RAF Briefing Radio Prune Awards The Ramond Nostril Story Report on Schools Review of the Pops The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire The Roaring Twenties Robin Hood Robinson Prunestone Search for the Nile Son of the Bride of Frankenstein Song of the South Star Trek The Supernatural Take Your Pixie Tales of the Old West The Taming of the Shrew Teddy and Rupert Bear The Telephone Ten Thousand BC (The Dawn of Civilization) 3:17 to Cleethorpes Tim Brown's Schooldays 20,000 Leaks Under the Sea The Unexplained Universal Challenge The Vikings Voyages of Ulysses Watergate William Tell William the Conqueror World of Sport Cast[edit] Tim Brooke-Taylor (later one of the three members of The Goodies). He has written humorous books on various subjects, including cricket and golf. He was a member of the cast of the television comedy series At Last the 1948 Show with John Cleese (and Graham Chapman and Marty Feldman), and later appeared in Feldman's television comedy series Marty. He has acted in many other television sitcoms, and appeared in the 1970s BBC radio sketch show Hello, Cheeky! with John Junkin and Barry Cryer, later translated to ITV. John Cleese (later part of Monty Python and star of Fawlty Towers; formed his own production company Video Arts to make business training films, which contained much Python-esque/Basil Fawlty-style humour, as well as making films including A Fish Called Wanda and Fierce Creatures). On the 25th anniversary show he did his famous silly walk — it made terrible radio — and sang "The Ferret Song". He appeared in At Last the 1948 Show with Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graham Chapman and Marty Feldman, and was co-writer with Graham Chapman of several episodes of the Doctor in the House television comedy series. In later series Cleese was often absent, due to his appearances in Monty Python; in the sleeve notes to the BBC's re-issues of the shows on cassette, his absences were explained as "[having] ranting commitments elsewhere". Graeme Garden (also one of the three members of The Goodies). He is a qualified medical doctor, and was co-writer with Bill Oddie of several episodes of the medical comedy Doctor in the House on ITV (appearing in the episode "Doctor on the Box" as a television presenter). He also appeared as Commander Forrest in the Yes Minister television episode "The Death List". He was a member of I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again from the start. At the same time, he was studying medicine in London. Because he did a midwifery medical course in Plymouth, he was not able to be a member of the cast of ISIRTA during the third season, due to the enormous distance between London and Plymouth which prevented Graeme from being able to travel to London to record ISIRTA during that period. However, Graeme kept on sending scripts for the radio show by mail - and rejoined the cast of ISIRTA upon his return to his medical studies in London. David Hatch (who went on to executive positions within the BBC, including the top position of Controller of BBC Radio 4). As was common in BBC radio at that time, Hatch served both as the show's announcer and as a cast member (similar to Douglas Smith's role in Round the Horne; Hatch however did give his roles some characterisation, in contrast to Smith's totally deadpan style). Hatch's announcements were frequently lampooned or interrupted by other cast members. Jo Kendall (a radio actress in many straight dramas subsequently; also appeared in the equally popular radio comedy series The Burkiss Way). She also guest starred (as the voice of The Queen) in The Goodies 1980 episode "Goodies and Politics". Bill Oddie (also one of the three members of The Goodies). He has written many books, and has been an important spokesman on wildlife and ecological issues since the 1980s. Bill Oddie wrote and performed a daft but well-crafted song in the middle of most ISIRTA programmes. He was co-writer (with Graeme Garden) of several episodes of the Doctor in the House television comedy series. Humphrey Barclay was the producer of ISIRTA until 1968; from April that year the task was shared by David Hatch and Peter Titherage. In 1973, production was shared by David Hatch with John Cassels (for six episodes) and with Bob Oliver Rodgers (for two episodes). Music for the links and songs was provided by Dave Lee and his band.