Life, the Universe and Everything

I am not going to even attempt to write an obituary for Humphrey Lyttleton. All I will say is that we have lost a national treasure with his passing: possibly one that shall never be replaced.

My musical tastes are best described as eclectic, but jazz was something that I only dabbled in. However, I am sufficiently versed to recognise genius when I see it. Whether it was with trumpet pursed to his lips or dead-panning some of the dirtiest jokes ever broadcast before the watershed, Humph was a genius, and will be sorely missed.

Earlier today I heard repeats of I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue - Radio 4’s antidote to panel games - as a very fitting tribute to a man that could have been Sir Humph: he turned down a knighthood in 1995

It is for his chairmanship of I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue that I shall hold Humph dear to my heart. The deadpan delivery of some of the filthiest jokes ever delivered was impeccable in its timing. Humph once pointed out that his script was clean - you only had to read what was written for him to see that, if you found his words rude, then that said more about you than him. Blue comedians speak filth, Humph was always clean; you just heard filth. How can you get away with this at half past six on a Monday night (never mind the repeat at Saturday lunchtime!): “Samantha tells me she has to pop out now as she does a few chores for an elderly gentleman who lives nearby. She shows him how to use the washing machine and then goes out to prune his fruit trees. Later he’ll be hanging out his pyjamas as he watches her beaver away up the ladder.”

Before the broadcast of the 30th anniversary edition of I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue, the programme’s original producer, the late David Hatch pointed out that just as this was an unscripted show, and Jazz is unscripted music, then a practitioner of jazz was at the forefront of their mind. Nobody claims to have actually said, “Humphrey Lyttleton,” but that was the most important decision made for the shows success. As Hatch went on to say: “It is obvious when you think about it, that the show needed an old Etonian ex-Guardsman trumpeter.”

Barry Cryer, speaking in today’s Observer, said that it was far too early to discuss whether or not I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue would be able to continue without Humph. They performed in Bournemouth this week with Rob Brydon deputising for the great  man just to prove that they can actually continue. Brydon would not be my first choice for the job for two reasons. Firstly, hearing him sing One Song to the Tune of Another as a contestant is just fantastic in itself. Secondly, we actually need a deadpan comic that is self depreciating that can be very rude to all involved without actually being insulting: and that is Jack Dee then.

I realise that we must not make a decision too soon whether or not to continue with I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue, but surely we must not allow this programme to pass away along with Humph; its continuation would be tribute in itself. It survived the passing of the great Willie Rushton and really this should be no more than a moments silence out of respect; after all, we do not wish to deprive Mrs Trellis of north Wales with her chance of correspondence.