Product Description

Humphrey Lyttelton passed away on 25 April 2008. The week before, he sent a message to be read out at the ISIHAC live show in Bournemouth. It read: I m sorry I cannot be with you this evening. I m in hospital...' followed by a typically wonderful Humph pause, he continued, what a good idea, I wish I had thought of this earlier. As a tribute to this wonderful man we present Humphrey Lyttelton s Britain, a tour of this Septic (or is that Sceptred) Isle in the hands of a national treasure

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #95486 in Books
• Published on: 2008-10-09
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 224 pages

From the Back Cover
The I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue team of Barry Cryer, Graeme Garden and Tim Brooke-Taylor, in the company of their esteemed chairman Humphrey Lyttelton, have been recording their BBC radio show around the UK for longer than any of them can remember ... that's about week - or twenty minutes in the case of Barry Cryer. At each venue Humph would present a short history of the location, written by Iain Pattinson, to the mutual delight of the audience, the team and their delightful scorer Samantha (who somehow always found time for a rewarding poke in the area's backstreets). We are privileged to present, in gazetteer form, the very best of Humph's local histories from Radio 4's multi award-winning `antidote to panel games'. As accurate as Wikipedia and as comprehensive as Reader's Digest, this unique guide tells you everything you never knew you wouldn't ever need to know about the background and inhabitants of Britain's most prominent towns and cities.

The intelligent reader will waste no time in adding it to their collection.

Bristol
It was from Bristol in 1497 that John Cabot set off to find a new route to the Spice Islands by sailing north-west. He instead discovered a strange, hostile world which he named `Newfoundland', until the natives explained that they actually called it `Swansea'.

Nottingham
It's well documented in official records that the city's original name was `Snottingham' or `home of Snotts', but when the Normans came, they couldn't pronounce the initial letter `S', so decreed the town be called `Nottingham' or the `home of Notts'. It's easy to understand why this change was resisted so fiercely by the people of Scunthorpe.

Brighton
A settlement is first recorded in Brighton as long as ago as 3000BC, when Celtic Druids practised their ancient worship of oaks, mistletoe and virgins, and indeed, oaks and mistletoe are still plentiful in Brighton.

About the Author
Iain Pattinson wrote Humphrey Lyttelton's scripts for I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue for the thick end of 15 years. He didn't bother with the clever end. Before writing for Humph, Iain supplied the chairman's script for The News Quiz and many opening monologues for Loose Ends, also on BBC Radio 4. He was plucked from obscurity to write his first series of Clue in 1992 and subsequently went on to be plucked from obscurity twice a year thereafter to repeat the process. Since then he has also contributed to countless television and radio comedy shows. A list of performers of his scripts now reads like a 'Y to Z' of British comedy. Projects to which he has contributed have amassed four Sony Gold awards, A Bronze Rose of Montreux, a Viewers and Listeners' award, a TRIC award and a Cycling Proficiency Badge.

Customer Reviews

Long live Chairman Humph!
Please read this book in your own home.

I started reading it on the bus going home from work. My frequent snorts of laughter led to my fellow passengers removing themselves from my immediate vicinity.

This book is a treasure about a treasure. I was lucky enough to see Humph on his last appearance at the Lowry in Manchester before his hospitalisation. The man was a star. Brilliantly funny and gifted; if you didn't know Humph before he died this is the perfect chance to get to know him. This book resounds with his voice on every page, you can pratically hear him raising his eyebrows. He was like a naughty Granddad who made you laugh at things you weren't supposed to laugh at. Then when you were helpless with giggles he'd look over the top of his specs at you in the most amused and disapproving manner.

Loved Humph and now love this book. I don't know what Samantha is going to do without him.

funnier than Notes from a small Island.
One of the funniest books I've read is Bil Bryson's Notes from a small island. This, for me, even tops that brilliant book.
This book has 3 things going for it. One is that the pieces are all very funny, but also short, a perfect book if you have a few minutes. Secondly it stands alone even if you have not come across 'Clue' (and could be a great introduction. Thirdly those of us who remember Humph with affection we can 'hear' his voice ringing through each passage.

A must for any Clue fan
I wondered if this would be a let down, reading the lines instead of them having the benefit of Hump's superb delivery, but I was not disapointed. They are so well written they work as well on the written page. I could even hear Humph's voice delivering them in my head. Read in a room on your own as you are guaranteed to annoy anyone near you by laughing aloud too much.