Nicholas Parsons and Gyles Brandreth

Two great and funny storytellers and friends Nicholas Parsons and Gyles Brandreth come together for an entertaining chat about their lives in television and radio.

Parsons and Brandreth have been entertaining the public for years both separately and together on BBC Radio 4’s Just a Minute. Here they reminisce about their times on television and radio, which have encompassed some of the most popular shows of the last several decades. They also talk about their tit-for-tat attempts on the world record after dinner speech – Brandreth claimed his earlier record back from Parsons (11 hours) with a 12-and-a-half-hour marathon.

Parsons has worked in every branch of showbusiness as a comedian and actor. His Edinburgh festival comedy chat show celebrates 18 years this year. His appearances as the straight man to Arthur Haynes in the 1960s turned him into a household name and he went on to present television’s Sale of the Century for 14 years. He has presented the BBC radio 4 comedy show Just a Minute for its entire 51-year history. His West End roles include Boeing-Boeing, Charlie Girl, Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods and The Rocky Horror Show. His charity work includes for the Lord’s Taverners, and he was rector of St Andrew’s University for three years.

Brandreth is a former Conservative MP and junior minister in the Major government. He is perhaps better known for a wide range of activities outside Westminster including regular guest appearances on Just a Minute and Countdown, reporting for The One Show on BBC 1, appearances on the West End stage, and many bestselling books. He is one of the most sought after speakers on the after-dinner circuit. Brandreth’s latest books include an introduction to Michèle Brown’s Break a Leg: A Dictionary of Theatrical Quotations and Word Play.

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