“Not The Nine O’Clock News gave the world alternative comedy and made the media scene we have today.” – Mark Lewisohn, Radio Times Guide to TV Comedy

Celebrating 40 years since the ground-breaking comedy series arrived on BBC TV, this CD box set presents all three original albums on CD (‘Not The Nine O’Clock News’ appearing on CD for the first time, plus ‘Hedgehog Sandwich’ and the double CD ‘The Memory Kinda Lingers’ – lovingly remastered from the original tapes. The first two albums made the UK Top Ten chart on their original release.

Let the famous signature tune take you back to the heady days of 1979, when Labour gave way to the Conservatives, striking workers created the Winter of Discontent, and Not The Nine O’Clock News inherited the BBC2 time slot vacated by Fawlty Towers. It quickly became a trailblazing smash hit, running for four series and making stars of Rowan Atkinson, Mel Smith, Pamela Stephenson and Griff Rhys-Jones.

Among the many famous, and much-loved, sketches included on the LPs are David Bloody Attenborough (aka Gerald the Gorilla), Points of View, General Synod’s “Life of Python”, Constable Savage, University Challenge, Hi-Fi Shop, That’s Lies, Not The Parrot Sketch, Open Marriage, Question Time, Game For A Laugh, Two Ninnies, McEnroe’s Breakfast, What A Load of Willies, The Pope’s Visit, Simon and Garfunkel and – yes – The Return of Constable Savage.

Produced and devised by John Lloyd and Sean Hardie, Not The Nine O’Clock News won a Silver Rose at the Montreux Festival and a BAFTA for Best Light Entertainment Programme. Its large writing team included such future luminaries of TV comedy as Richard Curtis, David Renwick, Andrew Marshall, Guy Jenkin, Laurie Rowley, John Lloyd and Andy Hamilton.

These faithfully reproduced facsimile CD of the original vinyl albums are presented in a rigid slipcase. The box set also includes a booklet with brand new notes written by John Lloyd, and Tim Worthington, along with cast photos.

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