Very Nearly an Armful - A Tony Hancock Podcast
The Tony Hancock Appreciation Society presents the only official podcast dedicated to the legendary British comedian. Hosts Martin, Tim, Jon, and James analyze each episode of Tony Hancock's shows in a watch-along format, sharing behind-the-scenes facts and anecdotes. They also provide updates on society news, upcoming events, and newly discovered material. Listeners can join the society through the website and contact the podcast via email.
Episodes
The Publicity Photograph
In this podcast, we look at The Publicity Photograph from the fifth radio series.The sepia-tinted triumvirate consider how this is another episode starting round the breakfast table and discuss Kenneth Williams’s brilliant portrayal of Hillary St. Clair. The team discuss the rest of the cast and, in particular, Bill’s excellent portrayal of his more witless character. The guys revel how much th
The Lawyer: The Crown Vs James
In this podcast, we look at The Lawyer, from the third television series.'Rumpole', 'Kavanagh' and 'Perry Mason’ don their wigs and discuss the brilliant supporting cast with a special call out for Bill Fraser in his role as the police sergeant. enjoy the fluffs from the cast that come with this programme being broadcast live and consider how many different ‘jobs’ Hancock had d
The Idol
In this podcast, we look at The Idol, the third episode of the very first radio series.The three Bobby-soxer’s consider the quality of this early script, which is more like a three-act play, discuss the brilliant support provided by both Moira and Bill and reflect on how Hancock’s previous series Star Bill provided the genesis for this episode. The team review a number of sequences in the origin
Sid's Mystery Tours
In this first podcast of our Spring series, we look at Sid’s Mystery Tours from the 6th and final radio series.The three amigos discuss the level of realism in this final radio series, look at the brilliant supporting cast, and the added depth that these additional cast members provide. and consider the number of episodes which commence with a scene around the breakfast table. Finally, the team r
Restoring Lost Episodes with Ted Kendall
In this podcast, we are delighted to chat with our special guest Ted Kendall. Ted is a sound restorer and a mastering engineer who worked for BBC Transcription services before going freelance and setting up his own mastering studio. Ted was instrumental in the production of the original box sets of the radio Hancock’s Half Hour and in the four volumes of Hancock’s Half Hour Collectibles. Ted al
Hancock's 43 Minutes
In this podcast, we look at Hancock’s first television Christmas special from the third series, Hancock’s 43 Minutes. The three musketeers discuss this unusual variety style episode and consider the similarity between the show and much of Hancock’s stage act, look at how Hancock has the audience in stitches whilst doing nothing other than reacting to everything going on around him and consider whe
The Scandal Magazine
In this third podcast of our series, we look at The Scandal Magazine from the 5th radio series. The three amigos consider this to be one of the finest of the radio half hours, discuss the unusual appearance of guest star John Vere in this fifth series episode and consider the brilliant voices provided by Hattie Jacques who is in top form in this episode as both Miss Pugh and ‘Mabel under the table
The Blackboard Jungle
In this episode, we look at the brilliant parody episode The Blackboard Jungle from the third radio series. Lost for decades and only recovered as recently as 2005, the triumvirate of Hancock fans consider how fortunate we are to be able to review an original recording of this episode. The team review how closely the episode follows the plotline of the film on which it is based, look at the brill
The Radio Ham
In this first podcast of the new series, we look at The Radio Ham from Hancock’s final series for the BBC. The three amigos discuss how this is almost a Hancock solo episode, look at the brilliant supporting cast and compare the various versions of the programme, including the TV show, the LP version, the Fleksnes and Paul Merton re-makes. Finally, the gang of three consider, in detail, how best t
Robert Ross on Hancock & Sellers
In this Summer Special, the three amigos are delighted to welcome comedy historian Robert Ross, following the publication of his book 'Best Sellers – Peter Sellers A Life in Comedy', to chat about all things Peter Sellers and his close connection with Tony Hancock. In particular, we look at the films Orders are Orders and The Wrong Box and the Hancock’s Half Hour radio episode The Marriag
The Poison Pen Letters
In the last podcast for this series, we look at the final television episode of Hancock’s Half Hour: The Poison Pen Letters. The gang of three look at the poignancy of this episode, being the final one with Tony and Sid, consider the brilliant supporting cast and, debate in detail, how froate should really be spelt. The team discuss how good the lighting is in this episode and what inspired Ray a
The Chef That Died of Shame
In this podcast we look at the radio episode The Chef That Died of Shame from the second radio series. The team consider how much of a departure from the usual format this episode represents, look at how, with hindsight, the episode can be seen as a reflection of Tony’s own life story and discuss the recurring character of Higgins in Hancock’s Half Hour. The gang of three go on to consider how bri
Around The World in Eighty Days
In this podcast, we look at the episode Around the World in Eighty Days from the fifth radio series The episode, which was lost for many years, is a brilliant parody of Jules Verne’s 1872 novel. The gang of three consider how the show encapsulates the atmosphere of 1950s Britain in the middle of the Cold War, discuss Kenneth Williams’s incredible nine different roles and Hattie Jacques’s six role
The Wild Man of The Woods
In the first of our new series of podcasts, we look at the radio episode The Wild Man of the Woods from the fourth radio series. The episode, which was released on Hancock’s first LP This is Hancock, is considered by the Team as one of best of the radio episodes. The gang look at the number of roles played by Kenneth Williams, discuss the great performances from all of the cast, consider the beau
S8 -E5 -Very Nearly an Armful - Bill and Father Christmas
In our Christmas podcast this year we look at the radio
episode Bill and Father Christmas which was broadcast between the fifth and sixth radio series.
The gang consider the roles of Hattie, Sid and Hancock in
this episode and how they all appear in a role reversal of their usual characterisations. They discuss the fantastic performance from Hattie Jacques in this, her final Hancock’s Half
S8 - E4 - Very Nearly an Armful - The Two Murderers
In this episode, Tim, Jon and Martin look at the fifth
television series episode The Two Murderers.
The team consider how this episode takes on the feel of a
film noir, especially with regards to the lighting, look at the quality of Sid and Tony’s acting throughout this episode and discuss the palpable sense of fear that both Hancock and James manage to portray. In a moment of light
relief, th
S8 - E3 - Very Nearly an Armful - The Expresso Bar
In this episode, Tim, Jon, James and Martin review the fourth series radio episode The Expresso Bar.
The team consider how coffee shops provided a theme for many of the radio episodes and how this theme reflected contemporary developments in the High Street.
The Gang of Four explore all of the many topical references in this episode, debate how the episode title should be spelt and consider th
S8 -E2 - Very Nearly an Armful- The New Car
In this episode, Tim, James, Jon and Martin celebrate the 70th anniversary of Hancock’s Half Hour with a look at the first series episode The New Car.
The team consider how lucky we are that many of the first series survive
because they were made available to overseas radio stations and how good a foil for Hancock Moira Lister was. The Gang of Four discuss how the episode provides a fascinating
S8 - E1 Very Nearly an Armful - The Lost TV episodes - with John Hewer
In this special Summer edition of our podcast, we are delighted to welcome John Hewer, star of the upcoming theatre tour of lost television episodes to discuss his upcoming tour and what the audience can expect to see.
Most excitingly, the shows selected have not been seen or heard since first broadcast and it will be amazing to see these shows recreated with a full supporting cast and lovingl
S7 - E4 - Very Nearly an Armful - A trip to Swansea
In the final episode of this series Tim, Jon, James and Martin look at the recently found and rebroadcast series two episode A Visit to Swansea, from 1955. The episode features a cameo from Harry Secombe. The podcast team also hear from young member David Twydell at a recent THAS event and producer Dennis Main Wilson, recorded in the 1990s by Dave Miles. They also look at some of the differences
S7 - E3 -Very Nearly an Armful - The Blood Donor - Live at the Riverside studios
Tim, Jon, James and Martin have been on the road and this episode was recorded live at the Riverside Studios, Hammersmith. In it, the team look at the colourised version of The Blood Donor in the company of their special guests Adam McLean and Clayton Hickman, producer, and colourisation lead for the episode.
The gang of four look at the excellent supporting cast in this episode and consider
S7 - E2 - Very nearly an Armful - The New Nose
In this episode Tim, Jon, James and Martin look at the fourth television series episode The New Nose. The four look at the fantastic supporting cast, many of them regulars on the television series and hear from Anabelle Lee, recorded at a Society event around 1996.The team also discuss how the episode was one of the earliest to be recorded in segments and take a look at the scenes deleted from t
S7 - E1 - Very Nearly an Armful - The Unexploded Bomb
In this episode we look at the brilliant fifth radio series episode The Unexploded Bomb. Tim, James, Jon and Martin consider how brilliant Kenneth Williams is in this episode with his two contrasting voices of the vicar and the bomb disposal expert and also look at the excellent contribution from Hattie Jacques.The Gang of Four discuss the great characters played by Alan Simpson, the edits made
Very Nearly a Trailer...
Tim, Jon, James and Martin have come out of hibernation and, fortified with lots of black wine gums, have been getting ready to bring you the new series of Very Nearly an Armful.In this trailer the team give details of a special podcast being recorded at London’s Riverside Studios on the 6th April alongside a colourised version of The Blood Donor.
S6 - E5 Very Nearly an Armful - Cinderella Hancock
In the final episode of this series of Very Nearly an Armful, James, Jon, Tim and Martin review Cinderella Hancock from the first radio series of Hancock’s Half Hour. They review the contribution of the enlarged cast, which included Dora Bryan and Paul Carpenter (as well as a role for the announcer Adrian Waller), and look at the huge number of stars of screen and TV that were name-checked durin
S6 - E4 - Very Nearly an armful - The Student Prince
In this episode of Very Nearly an Armful, James, Jon, Tim and Martin review The Student Prince from the third radio series of Hancock’s Half Hour. They consider how this episode is a riotous ride from start to finish and how unusual it is to see Sid get his comeuppance!The team look at the inspiration for the script, consider the three brilliant roles played by Alan Simpson, decipher the refer
S6 - E3 - Very Nearly an Armful - Fred's Pie Stall
In this episode of Very Nearly an Armful, James, Jon, Tim and Martin review Fred’s Pie Stall from the final radio series of Hancock’s Half Hour. They consider how this episode, probably more than any other, provides a cultural commentary on societal changes in the late 1950s.The team review the contribution of the brilliant guest cast, each of which has to play more than one role, discuss, in d
S6 - E2 - Very Nearly an Armful - The Alpine Holiday
In this edition of Very Nearly an Armful, James. Jon, Tim and Martin look at the earliest surviving television episode of Hancock’s Half Hour, The Alpine Holiday, from Series 2. The team look at the amazing supporting cast, including Richard Wattis in his only Hancock’s Half Hour role, John Vere, June Whitfield and, or course, Kenneth Williams in his only surviving televised appearance as Snide.
S6 - E1 -Very Nearly an Armful - Apollo Theatre Tour Review
In this episode of Very Nearly an Armful, Tim, James, Jon and Martin discuss the Apollo Theatre Company nationwide tour of their Hancock’s Half Hour show and are delighted to welcome John Hewer and Colin Elmer (who play Tony Hancock and Kenneth Williams respectively) to the podcast.The tour features performances of three lost Hancock’s Half Hour episodes from a selection of The Matador, The New N
S5 - E4 - Very Nearly an Armful - Hancock's Car
In this final episode of the current series, Tim, Jon, James and Martin take a look at the brilliant radio episode Hancock’s Car from the golden fifth radio series.The gang consider how all the cast deliver a masterclass in acting and comic timing and how the opening scene of Hancock, Bill and Sid just cleaning the car is a fantastic example of Galton & Simpson’s uncanny ability to create comedy
S5 - E3 - Very Nearly an Armful - The East Cheam Drama Festival
This episode in the trilogy of three so far this Spring is the third one in the series. In this podcast James, Tim, Jon and Martin look at the brilliant fifth series episode The East Cheam Drama Festival and consider how the episode, being a play within a play, was quite revolutionary at the time.The gang consider how the second playlet is quite Pythonesque in its lack of a punchline, review how
S5 - E2 - Very Nearly an Armful - The Punch & Judy Man
In this episode, the team celebrate the 60th anniversary of The Punch and Judy Man with a detailed look at Hancock’s final film in a starring role.The four consider how the film is deeply biographical not only in its depiction of a failing marriage but also in its link to Tony's childhood days in Bournemouth. They discuss how many of the regular players in Hancock’s Half Hour have roles in the fi
S5 - E1 - Very Nearly an Armful - The Economy Drive
Welcome back to all our listeners as we start our new series of the podcast with a look at the brilliant fifth television series episode The Economy Drive, which is often quoted as a fan favourite.The team look at the brilliant support played by the East Cheam Repertory Company and consider how the episode provides a brilliant social representation of the period through the self service cafeteria
S4 - E5 - Very Nearly an Armful - Hancocks Happy Christmas - P2 2
In this episode, we continue our festive theme when James, Tom Tim and Martin conclude their review of the radio episode Hancock’s Happy Christmas in the company of a glass of Baileys and a mince pie!
This time, the team look at the career of Dorothy Marks, the many cultural references sprinkled throughout the show and, once again, consider the sparkling performances all the cast put in to make th
S4 - E4 - Very Nearly an Armful - Hancocks Happy Christmas - Pt 1
In this episode, James, Tom Tim and Martin don Christmas jumpers, put on reindeer antlers and start their review of the great festive radio episode Hancock’s Happy Christmas.
The team consider how the performance from Hancock is in the very best traditions of Scrooge and are delighted to share memories of making the show received from Michael Anderson Junior, who played the role of orphan Michael
S4 - E3 - Very Nearly an Armful - The 13th of the series
In this our longest episode yet, James, Jon, Tim and Martin review the brilliantly surreal radio episode The 13th of the Series and its transcription services remake The 13th of the Month. The team consider how joyous the performances of all the cast are in this episode and how the script sparkles throughout. They also consider Ken’s fantastic performance as Snide (arguably his best appearance in
S4 - E2 - Very Nearly an Armful - Lord Byron Lived Here
In this episode, James, Jon, Tim and Martin review the brilliant television episode Lord Byron Lived Here. They consider the role the excellent supporting cast play in making this a firm favourite for many Hancock fans, including John Le Mesurier, Hugh Lloyd and Robert Dorning in particular. We catch up again with Julian Dutton and feature a brief extract from an interview with Hugh Lloyd hi
S4 - E1 - Very Nearly an Armful - The Marriage Bureau
In this first episode of series 4, Tim, Jon, James and Martin are privileged to be able to review the recently recovered radio episode The Marriage Bureau. Not heard since first broadcast in 1955, the episode was discovered on a reel to reel tape by Richard Harrison of The Radio Circle and was rebroadcast by Radio 4 on the 18th October 2022.
The episode is the only one to feature Peter
S4 - Teaser - Very Nearly an Armful - The THAS reunion dinner!
Ahead of the start of the fourth series of Very Nearly An Armful, our intrepid four head to Solihull for the annual Tony Hancock Appreciation Society knees up.
There we were delighted to meet Mr. Kevin McNally, hear his wonderful Hancock reminisces and, more importantly, we are able to reveal his exact drink count for the evening. We were also pleased to hear extracts from Julian Dutton’s b
S3 - E6 Very Nearly an Armful- Sunday Afternoon at Home - Part 2
In this episode, Tim, Jon, Martin and James continue their review of the brilliant radio episode A Sunday Afternoon at Home. After discussion on Sykes, outtakes, fluffs and the various Doctors Who. The gang resume the main subject and look at how the cast really brought the words on the page to life with the different vocal styles and tones used throughout the episode and consider the episode to
S3 - E6 Very Nearly an Armful - Sunday Afternoon at Home - Part 1
In this episode, Tim, Jon, Martin and James start their review of the classic radio episode a Sunday Afternoon at home. At approximately 16 minutes into the podcast, the team kick off with the main subject and consider how revolutionary the episode was in its use of pauses and silence and also in the fact that it is a virtually plotless half hour.
The team look at sections of the original script
S3 - E5 Very Nearly an Armful - The New Neighbour with Kevin McNally (part 2)
In this episode, Tim, Jon, Martin and Nick (in James’s absence) resume their chat with the brilliant Kevin McNally to review The New Neighbour and The Missing Hancocks more generally.
In Part 2 Kevin talks about the wonderful outtakes and adlibs from the radio recordings, some of which made it into the final edits and regales us with the story of taking The Missing Hancocks to the Edinburgh Fring
S3 - E5 - Very Nearly an Armful - The New Neighbour with Kevin McNally ( part 1 )
In this episode, Tim, Jon, Martin and Nick (in James’s absence) are delighted to introduce the brilliant Kevin McNally as our guest to review The New Neighbour and The Missing Hancocks more generally. Kevin was most generous with his time and our chat with Kevin has been split over two editions of this podcast, so there’s more to come!
In Part 1 Kevin talks about how he first discovered Han
S3 - E4 - Very Nearly an Armful - Death of a Duchess
And now for something completely different. In this episode, James, Tim, Jon and Martin review The Death of a Duchess, the final episode in the 1956 ATV Series The Tony Hancock Show and are delighted to welcome Hancock’s great niece, Lucy Hancock to the podcast as our guest; Lucy gave permission for the entire series of the Tony Hancock Show to be released on DVD and this was made available comme
S3 E3 - Very Nearly an Armful - The Poetry Society
In this episode, James, Tim, Jon and Martin join the beatnik movement to review the brilliant radio episode The Poetry Society, from the final radio series.The team consider the extra dynamic that using guest actors such as Warren Mitchell and Fenella Fielding bring to the episode and how this episode which is a satire on modern art, the coffee bar culture and Hancock’s own passion of philosophy,
S3 E2 - Very Nearly an Armful - Hancock in the Police
In this episode, James, Tim, Jon and Martin look at the brilliant radio episode Hancock in the Police.
The episode is a frenetic half hour of classic comedy and the team consider the incredible contribution of Kenneth Williams, who played no less than five parts in this episode, including arguably his best performance in the character of Snide. They also look at Hattie Jacques’ v
S3 E1 - Very Nearly an Armful - 12 Angry Men
Very Nearly an Armful returns for a third series; after a well-earned break, the intrepid four start the series by looking at the brilliant TV episode Twelve Angry Men.
The episode is a pastiche of the film of the same name and James, Tim, Jon and Martin compare the episode to the film and consider how all the supporting cast really add dramatic depth to the episode. The episode contains one of t
S2 E6 - Christmas Special - Very Nearly an Armful - The Christmas Club
In this final episode in the second series, we are pleased to join in with the Christmas festivities and look at the final radio episode to be recorded: The Christmas Club.
In James’s absence, Tim, Jon and Martin discuss the realism provided by the supporting cast in this episode and consider how much the final series delivered the realistic settings envisaged by Hancock as well as Galton & S
S2 E5 - Very Nearly an Armful - The Lift
In this episode, Tim, James, Jon and Martin discuss the television episode The Lift from the 1961 BBC Series ‘Hancock’ and consider how quickly this final series had moved The Lad Himself away from East Cheam with this episode set in BBC Television Centre.
The team also look at the wonderful supporting cast including the brilliant Hugh Lloyd (as the lift man) and briefly reflect on Jose Reed’s (t
S2 E4 - Very Nearly an Armful - The Rail Strike
In this episode, Tim, James, Jon and Martin discuss the radio episode The Rail Strike from the second series of Hancock’s Half Hour.
As this is the earliest surviving episode featuring Kenneth Williams’ Snide character, the four fans discuss the origin and the development of this character through to his final appearance at the end of the fourth series. They also consider how nimble Galton & Sim
S2 E3 - Very Nearly an Armful - The Reunion Party
In this episode, Tim, James, Jon and Martin discuss the episode The Reunion Party from the excellent sixth television series.
As this episode takes place 15 years after the Second World War ended, the four fans consider the likelihood that the episode reflected real life events with similar reunions happening between former pals who hadn’t seen each other for years at the time. They also con
S2 E2 - Very Nearly an Armful - The Americans Hit Town
In this episode, Tim, James, Jon and Martin consider the merit of the radio episode The American’s Hit Town from the brilliant fifth series.
The four fans look at significant role that Hattie Jacques has in this episode, look at the three very different roles that Kenneth Williams plays brilliantly, all with very different voices, and consider whether there was any ‘real-life’ event that influenc
S2 E1 - Very Nearly an Armful - The Missing Page
Very Nearly an Armful makes a welcome return for a second series. In this episode Martin, Tim, James and Jon discuss the well known television episode The Missing Page as well as the later re-recording of the same episode which was released on vinyl.
The four fans assess the merits of the two versions of this episode, consider whether Hancock’s mime sequence is one of the best moments in al
Very Nearly an Armful - Series 2 teaser
In this teaser episode for the second series, Martin, Jon, James and Tim discuss all things Hancock in extra bits that didn’t make the final edit in series one.
The four fans talk about radio episodes of Hancock’s Half Hour, “The First Night Party” and “The 13th of the Series” and revisit the infamous screeching woman before contemplating a pint of Horses Collar. We hear a clip of Bill Kerr speaki
S1 E6 - Very Nearly an Armful - There's An Airfield At the Bottom of the Garden
In this final episode of the first series, Martin, Tim and Jon talk about Tony’s infamous live episode There’s An Airfield At The Bottom of the Garden where the set didn’t quite perform as expected!
The four fans discuss how the issues with the set led to changes to how Hancock’s Half Hour was broadcast with the gradual move to recorded episodes, consider in detail how the BBC used Ampex quadrupl
S1 E5 - Very Nearly an Armful - The Lost Episodes - The Horror Serial/The Italian Maid
In this episode Martin, Tim and Jon talk about how the audio soundtracks from two lost television episodes of Hancock’s Half Hour were discovered on reel to reel tape in 2016. Neither of the episodes had been broadcast since they were repeated in 1959 so this was a brilliant discovery.
The four fans talk about The Horror Serial, which was a pastiche of Quatermass and the Pit, and consider in deta
S1 E4 - Very Nearly an Armful - The 50s revolution - The Set That Failed/The Television Set
n this episode Martin, Tim and Jon chat about the impact of the introduction of the new medium of television in the 1950s, consider the impact of the launch of ITV, and wax lyrical about the adverts of the time and how they were rudely interrupted by the programmes.
The four fans talk about the radio episodes The Television Set and The Impersonator and look at the television episode The Set That
S1 E3 - Very Nearly an Armful - The Rebel.
In this episode, Martin, Tim, Jon and James natter on about Hancock’s first major film, The Rebel. Celebrating its 60th anniversary and recently digitally remastered for DVD and Blu-ray, the film has achieved cult status with Hancock’s brilliant performance as a wannabe artist and a superb first film script by legendary writers Ray Galton and Alan Simpson.
The four Hancock fans pretend to understa
S1 E2 - Very Nearly an Armful - The First Night Party
We chat about our week including finds for the THAS archives; photo’s of Tony playing Cricket and an original script for an episode of HHH which has been offered to us.
In Hancock news, Martin discusses the donation from the estate of the late Alec Bregonzi who appeared in HHH and tapes sent to the society which we check over for lost or unedited recordings of episodes. James talks about the wolf
S1 E1 - Very Nearly an Armful - The Blood Donor.
We start this episode with Tim having purchased a new Microphone and Martin having technical difficulties and how Galton & Simpson disliked the episode Ericson The Viking compared to the other shows due to the location filming. We mention Tony’s Spitting Image Puppet and the Hancock News of the release of ‘The Missing Hancock’s on CD in March.
We talk bout our main subject of The Blood Donor a
Very Nearly an Armful - A Tony Hancock Podcast - Pilot Episode
We all introduce ourselves and how we each got into Hancock’s Half Hour. We discuss the video releases in the 1980’s, and the exorbitant cost of videotape back in the day. We mention Paul Merton’s 1990’s recreations briefly along with Dad’s Army and repeats of shows, borrowing tapes from the old THAS VHS library, our quarterly magazine, ‘The Missing Page’.
We discuss an overview of our upcoming to
