Dan and Nick: The Wildebeest Years
Encyclopedia
Dan and Nick: The Wildebeest Years was a BBC Radio 4
comedy series originally broadcast in seven episodes in 1998. The Dan and Nick of the title are Dan Freedman and Nick Romero, who often appeared on Loose Ends
.
A follow-up series of a further six episodes was made, this time called Forty Nights in the Wildebeest. Both series have been re-broadcast on BBC 7
during 2006 and 2007.
The characteristic feature of Dan and Nick's style is the heavy use of pun
s. Indeed, the frequency of puns incorporated into these programmes has rarely been matched since I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again.
. The "Britishness" of the show was reflected in the interest in subjects such as the royal family, and Radio 4
, the station on which it was broadcast, with a fascination for characters such as Brian Perkins
. And the program itself owes much to forerunners of the radio comedy genre, such as Round the Horne
, I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue
, and The Navy Lark
. Other shows since, such as Dead Ringers
could also be said to have been influenced by it. Some recurring jokes were:
in the year 2000. It followed a similar format to The Wildebeest Years: a quick-fire mixture of pun-laden short sketches and musical numbers.
The second show in the series was recorded at the Edinburgh Festival
. Sketches included Hong Feng Shui and a musical number by Right Said Freud
A running gag in the series was a Radio 4 -style announcer saying:
It is likely they were also paying homage to the granddaddy of pun-based radio comedy, I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again
.
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
comedy series originally broadcast in seven episodes in 1998. The Dan and Nick of the title are Dan Freedman and Nick Romero, who often appeared on Loose Ends
Loose Ends (radio)
Loose Ends is a British radio programme originally broadcast on Saturday mornings, and then transmitted early Saturday evenings from 1998 by BBC Radio 4. It was hosted by Ned Sherrin until he became ill in late 2006 with a reported throat infection, and later throat cancer...
.
A follow-up series of a further six episodes was made, this time called Forty Nights in the Wildebeest. Both series have been re-broadcast on BBC 7
BBC 7
BBC Radio 4 Extra, formerly known as BBC 7 and BBC Radio 7, is a British digital radio station broadcasting comedy, drama, and children's programming nationally 24 hours a day. It is the principal broadcasting outlet for the BBC's archive of spoken-word entertainment...
during 2006 and 2007.
The characteristic feature of Dan and Nick's style is the heavy use of pun
Pun
The pun, also called paronomasia, is a form of word play which suggests two or more meanings, by exploiting multiple meanings of words, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. These ambiguities can arise from the intentional use and abuse of homophonic,...
s. Indeed, the frequency of puns incorporated into these programmes has rarely been matched since I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again.
Themes
The shows premise centred around short sketches and songs performed in a cabaret style. Dan and Nick had a supporting band, 'The Gents' who would accompany them on musical sections. Typical sketches included lampooning films, music, and other popular culturePopular culture
Popular culture is the totality of ideas, perspectives, attitudes, memes, images and other phenomena that are deemed preferred per an informal consensus within the mainstream of a given culture, especially Western culture of the early to mid 20th century and the emerging global mainstream of the...
. The "Britishness" of the show was reflected in the interest in subjects such as the royal family, and Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
, the station on which it was broadcast, with a fascination for characters such as Brian Perkins
Brian Perkins
Brian Perkins is a senior newsreader on BBC Radio 4.All of Perkins' relatives are New Zealanders, although they refer to England as home...
. And the program itself owes much to forerunners of the radio comedy genre, such as Round the Horne
Round the Horne
Round the Horne was a BBC Radio comedy programme, transmitted in four series of weekly episodes from 1965 until 1968. The series was created by Barry Took and Marty Feldman - with others contributing to later series after Feldman returned to performing — and starred Kenneth Horne, with Kenneth...
, I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue
I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue
I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue, sometimes abbreviated to ISIHAC or Clue, is a BBC radio comedy panel game broadcast since 11 April 1972 at the rate of one or two series each year , transmitted on BBC Radio 4, with occasional repeats on BBC Radio 4 Extra and the BBC's World Service...
, and The Navy Lark
The Navy Lark
The Navy Lark was a radio sit-com about life aboard a British Royal Navy frigate named HMS Troutbridge, based in HMNB Portsmouth, though in series 1 and 2 the ship and crew were stationed offshore at an unnamed location known simply as "The Island." In series 2 this island was revealed to be...
. Other shows since, such as Dead Ringers
Dead Ringers (comedy)
Dead Ringers is a UK radio and television comedy impressions broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and later BBC Two. The programme was devised by producer Bill Dare and developed with Jon Holmes, Andy Hurst and Simon Blackwell. It starred Jon Culshaw, Jan Ravens, Phil Cornwell, Kevin Connelly and Mark Perry...
could also be said to have been influenced by it. Some recurring jokes were:
- Incy Wincy Quincy, a spider pathologistPathologyPathology is the precise study and diagnosis of disease. The word pathology is from Ancient Greek , pathos, "feeling, suffering"; and , -logia, "the study of". Pathologization, to pathologize, refers to the process of defining a condition or behavior as pathological, e.g. pathological gambling....
, obviously lifted from TV-show Quincy, M.E.Quincy, M.E.Quincy, M.E., also called Quincy, is a United States television series from Universal Studios that aired from October 3, 1976, to September 5, 1983, on NBC...
, - Tossed in Space, a satire of Lost in SpaceLost in SpaceLost in Space is a science fiction TV series created and produced by Irwin Allen, filmed by 20th Century Fox Television, and broadcast on CBS. The show ran for three seasons, with 83 episodes airing between September 15, 1965, and March 6, 1968...
about trapped salad items in space, - CensorshipCensorshipthumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
gags, for example, reading football scores while bleeping out any innocuous sounding words, including from the middle of words, and - The Annals of History and The Century's Passage, a humorous and satirical look back through historic events.
- Robin Would, a gay and camp version of Robin Hood with guest Richard ColesRichard ColesRichard Coles is a musician, journalist and Church of England priest. He is known for having been the multi-instrumentalist who partnered Jimmy Somerville in the 1980s band The Communards, who achieved three Top Ten hits, including the Number 1 record and best-selling single of 1986, a Hi-NRG...
playing the lead, whose catchphrase was "what would you have me do, live a lie". - The Big Fact Hunt, (needs to be spoken very precisely to get past the censors), another excuse to introduce as many one liners as possible on a particular theme
Forty Nights in the Wildebeest
Forty Nights in the Wildebeest was the name of a follow-up series of six programmes, first broadcast on BBC Radio 4BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
in the year 2000. It followed a similar format to The Wildebeest Years: a quick-fire mixture of pun-laden short sketches and musical numbers.
The second show in the series was recorded at the Edinburgh Festival
Edinburgh Festival
The Edinburgh Festival is a collective term for many arts and cultural festivals that take place in Edinburgh, Scotland each summer, mostly in August...
. Sketches included Hong Feng Shui and a musical number by Right Said Freud
A running gag in the series was a Radio 4 -style announcer saying:
- "And now, the radioRadioRadio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
foreplayForeplayIn human sexual behavior, foreplay is a set of intimate psychological and physically intimate acts between two or more people meant to create desire for sexual activity and sexual arousal. Either or any of the sexual partners may initiate the foreplay, and they may not be the active partner during...
.I'm sorry, I'll read that again. And now, the Radio 4 BBC Radio 4BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
play."
It is likely they were also paying homage to the granddaddy of pun-based radio comedy, I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again
I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again
I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again was a BBC radio comedy programme which originated from the Cambridge University Footlights revue Cambridge Circus...
.