Tony Blackburn
JAM Appearances: Two as a panellist on Television in 1994-1995.
How he did: A penchant for old jokes and a good patter made him a passable guest though he semed more on for his celebrity status than his contribution. Seemed a bit nervous and never quite relaxed.
Who is he: One of the best known names and voices in radio, Tony was a pioneer of hit parade radio in Britain in the 60s. He's been a top breakfast jock ever since and is well known for his bad jokes. He's also worked in television. He left breakfast radio on Classic Gold in 2008 but still appears on BBC London radio.
Links to transcripts: 1 2
Isla Blair
JAM Appearances: Two as a panellist on Television in 1999.
How she did: She charmingly put up with Gyles Brandreth slobbering all over her, and proved to be a bit of a raconteur herself without ever seeming to quite get the tone right for this silly game. However she did win one of her appearances, with some help from the chairman.
Who is she: One of those actors that you recognise in an ad or a bit part on TV or in a movie, without being able to recall the name. Isla has a long career of acting work behind her, combining glamour and good looks with a sweet voice and real acting ability.
Links to transcripts: 1 2
Barbara Blake
JAM Appearances: One as a panellist on Radio in 1968.
How she did: Pretty good for a one-timer with her pleasant voice being a bonus.
Who is she: An American jazz singer who is still performing.
Links to transcripts: 1
Helen Boaden
JAM Appearances: One as a guest subject setter on Radio in 2003 at the 35th anniversary special.
How she did: The representative of the BBC bosses at the 35th anniversary show, as controller of Radio Four. Pleasantly ignored Nicholas Parsons' crawling.
Who is she: According to the Guardian one of the most powerful media people in Britain. Helen's background is in journalism, and she was the BBC's head of current affairs before taking on the Radio Four job in 2000. She led the station to its greatest successes and then took on the jopb as Head of BBC News in 2004.
Links to transcripts: 1
Jo Brand
JAM Appearances: Three as a panellist on Television in 1994-1999.
How she did: Very funny and acerbic, and hit the right tone of insult for the show, but perhaps not sufficiently pedantic to make a big impact on the show. Has a dry voice reminiscent of a female Clement. Can verbally wrestle with anyone by putting the least amount of effort into it. A relaxed feminist whose one liners have the comic effect of depth-charges.
Who is she: One of the best female comedians in Britain, Brand is well-known for her jokes about men, sex and eating. She has fronted television shows, but remains perhaps best loved for her stand-up appearances. Has recently branched out into plays and the hosting of stage chat shows. Was judged one of the 50 funniest people in Britain. She's possibly best known these days for her appearances on QI.
Links to transcripts: 1 2 3
Gyles Brandreth
JAM Appearances: 62, including 54 as a panellist on Radio in 1982-1983-1984-1986-2002-2004-2005-2006-2007-2008-2009-2010-2011-2012, six as a panellist on Television in 1999, one as a guest subject setter on Radio at the 35th anniversary show in 2003, and one on the 40th anniversary special in 2007.
How he did: Gyles's style has been compared to Derek Nimmo's and certainly Gyles is one of the more able guests ever to appear on JAM. He has a fruity English voice which he used to good effect. He is as quick as anyone on the buzzer, challenging others and is locquacious enough to keep going without pausing for longer than most. He has a good knowledge of history and poetry, and is able to tease Nicholas in the show's style. He needs someone able to puncture his confidence, to be with him on the panel. Was a regular guest in the mid 80s, and then was brought back as a regular on the TV series in 1999, and has been appeared again since 2002.
Who is he: Gyles has one of the most varied careers of anyone who has ever appeared on JAM, perhaps Clement Freud is his only rival. He was a Member of Parliament from 1992 to 1997, in the Conservative Government of John Major, slowly rising through the ranks to become a Government Whip, but he lost his seat in the 1997 election landslide. He was a book editor and publisher, working on Kenneth Williams's books. He was also a broadcaster, presenting breakfast television and became famous for his woollen jerseys. He was also a successful businessman before entering Parliament. Since then he has returned to broadcasting and writing, presenting talk shows on radio, and writing regular features for the Sunday Telegraph. He has published diaries of his time in Parliament and wrote a biography of the actor, Sir John Gielgud. Other books have been on the romances of the Queen and Prince Philip, and Prince Charles and Camilla. Both before and after his time in Parliament, he was a regular on the stage too, with appearances in pantomime, and after dinner speeches: a non-stop 12 and a half hour long speech won him the world record for non-stop speaking. He did a stage show in Edinburgh and London in Rocky Horror type fishnets and suspenders.
Links to transcripts: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60
Marcus Brigstocke
JAM Appearances: 13 as a panellist on radio in 2004-2006-2007-2008-2011.
How he did: One of the very best of those introduced in the past 10 years, very funny, competitive, and lots of fun.
Who is he: Marcus is a stand-up comedian who appears regularly on the circuit, especially in Edinburgh. He's appeared often on Radio Four shows including The Now Show, The News Quiz and The 99p Challenge. He also has a developing career on television and film, including regular appearances on the panel game Argumental.
Links to transcripts: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Tim Brooke-Taylor
JAM Appearances: Three as a panellist on Radio in 1979-1981.
How he did: One of the funnier guests ever to appear on JAM, Tim launched his too-brief JAM career with a show in which he denounced Clement Freud, and won by a healthy margin. He had all the necessary skills, vocal agility, a wagging tongue and the ability to pick up the mistakes of the others. Recalled in 1981 he was again very good, but hasn't appeared since.
Who is he: Tim is probably best known for his long-running series, the radio shows I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again, and I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue, and the TV show The Goodies. ISIHAC continues to broadcast as a sort of sister show to JAM which has achieved great success with its silly semi-improvised humour. Tim has been a regular panellist throughout its history. The Goodies was an anarchic satirical show, hugely popular in the 70s, a sort of live cartoon. Since then Tim's best known regular TV show has been a sitcom, Me And My Girl. He continues to appear on ISIHAC and writes and does stage work.
Links to transcripts: 1 2 3
Janet Brown
JAM Appearances: Six as a panellist on Radio in 1976-1977-1978.
How she did: Another of the women who tried and were quite nice but didn't really get into the swing of the game. The main interest from her seemed to be her undoubted skill as an impressionist and she performed some of her best-known impressions in most of her shows.
Who is she: Janet was perhaps Britain's best known woman impressionist in the 70s, doing impressions of Margaret Thatcher, Barbara Castle and Cilla Black. She also appeared regularly as an actor on TV sitcoms like Mr Digby Darling and How Do You View. Was married to Carry On star Peter Butterworth.
Links to transcripts: 1 2 3 4 5 6
Ken Bruce
JAM Appearances: Two as a panellist on Television in 1999.
How he did: Ken was jovial and had a few jokes ready but perhaps isn't the sort of quick-witted comedian who excels on JAM.
Who is he: Ken is a long-serving radio broadcaster on the BBC, presenting music programmes on Radio Two.
Links to transcripts: 1 2
Rob Brydon
JAM Appearances: Three as a panellist on radio in 2004-2005.
How he did: Rob started on the same show as another debutant, Marcus Brigstocke, and was better than Marcus, with a few good lines and a competetive instinct. He earned a recall a year later.
Who is he: Rob's career began as a radio DJ in Wales, but he is now a very welknown name in comedy throughout Britain. His TV show Marian and Geoff would have provided his biggest audiences, but he is a very regular face on the stand-up circuit these days. Panel games also play a large part in his life with appearances on I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue, QI, and Would I Lie To You.
Links to transcripts: 1 2 3
Ann Bryson
JAM Appearances: One as a panellist on Telvision in 1994.
How she did: Nice and jolly and quick on the buzzer and a bit dull.
Who is she: Ann is an actress on TV and stage who has done a lot of comedy work and also done some work as a stand-up comic. Best known for her appearances in TV ads.
Links to transcripts: 1
Rob Buckman
JAM Appearances: One as a panellist on radio in 1980.
How he did: One of the lesser appearances on JAM, Rob seemed pleasant and friendly but not very funny.
Who is he: One of the celebrity scientists who guested on JAM in the late 70s and early 80s, Buckman is principally a doctor, who currently works as a cancer specialist in a canadian hospital. He performed in the Cambridge Footlights comedy group and made regular TV appearances on both comedy and science type shows, sometimes performing, sometimes explaining medical matters in an understandable way.
Links to transcripts: 1
Jason Byrne
JAM Appearances: One as a panellist on radio in 2011.
How he did: Wasn't altogether fluent or quick on the buzzer, but was engaging and jolly.
Who is he: Jason is an Irish comedian with his own show on Irish TV, The Byrne Ultimatum. His speciality as a stand-up is audience interaction.
Links to transcripts: 1
Ian Carmichael
JAM Appearances: Two as a panellist on Radio in 1973.
How he did: Authoritative and voluble, Ian was okay without doing anything to warrant another call-up. Charming and just now and then funny.
Who is he: Ian was a big star in the 1950s as a light comedy actor in movies. In the 60s and 70s he continued with stage work, again mainly light comedy and musicals. He's now retired.
Links to transcripts: 1 2
Michael Cashman
JAM Appearances: Two as a panellist on Television in 1999.
How he did: Intriguingly, Michael combined an ability to spot rather minor infractions with a rather gaping lack of material once given the subject. He won one of his two shows but made few memorable remarks.
Who is he: Michael is an actor by profession, working on Britain's stage for many many years. He is best remembered for his time on the TV soapie East Enders where he played British TV's first regular gay character. Michael was a founder of the gay political group, Stonewall. He was elected a Member of the European Parliament in 1999 and currently sits on the National Executive of the British Labour Party.
Links to transcripts: 1 2
Barbara Castle
JAM Appearances: One as a panellist on radio in 1971.
How she did: Feisty, funny and fierce, Barbara did wonderfully well, telling off her rivals, denouncing them as "woman haters" and being, for a politician, remarkably funny.
Who is she: Barbara was Britain's best known woman politician until the rise of Margaret Thatcher. She was a prominent player in the British Labour Party for 20 years, and a member of the Cabinet for eight years, holding at various times the portfolioes of Overseas Development, Transport, Employment and Productivity, Health and Social Services and the post of First Secretary, the equivalent of Deputy Prime Minister. A powerful speaker and a remarkably effective Minister, she possibly would have won the party leadership, had it not been for her gender. In retirement she became a formidable advocate for the elderly, until her death in her 90s.
Links to transcripts: 1
Jo Caulfield
JAM Appearances: One as a panellist on radio in 2007.
How she did: She wasn't shy or quiet but being stuck with some of JAM's biggest mouths didn't give her the opportunities she needed for her brilliant humour.
Who is she: Jo started as a warm-up actor and joke-writer for Graham Norton, but has now developed her own very successful stand-up career, with humour based on her being a bitch.
Links to transcripts: 1
Craig Charles
JAM Appearances: One as a panellist on Television in 1995.
How he did: Jolly, giggly, with the manner of a drunk at the bar, Craig had a nice patter but his appearance will hardly go down as a great one. But he got funnier as he struggled more.
Who is he: A comedian and music performer, Craig is perhaps best known for his appearances on the cult TV classic Red Dwarf. Currently presents a funk music show on the BBC. He's also a cast member in the long running soapie Coroonation Street.
Links to transcripts: 1
Lorraine Chase
JAM Appearances: One as a panellist on radio in 1979.
How she did: One of a small number of people who have been totally incompetent but charming and funny at the same time. Some hillarious moments as she arranges a date with Peter Jones while supposedly speaking on a subject.
Who is she: Lorraine is one of Britain's best known Cockneys. She rose to fame as a model, famously appearing in a series of ads for Campari. She moved on to acting work, famously appearing with Kenneth Williams and did another long running TV show The Other Art. She was a regular in game shows like Blankety Blank, and in the cast of the TV soapie Emmerdale Farm.
Links to transcripts: 1
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