Bob Monkhouse Show, The

1 9 8 3 – 1 9 8 6 (UK)
31 x 55 minute episodes

The Bob Monkhouse Show – a variety cum chat show devoted to comedy and comedians – should’ve been a disaster, with the star considered by many of the public as a vacuous game show host.

In fact, the show became one of the most impressive launch-pads for comic talent with Bob taking the straight man role for acts as diverse as Frankie Howerd and Sandra Bernhard (who featured on the same edition in February 1986), Les Dawson and Jim Carrey (27 January 1986) or as in December 1983, Spike Milligan and Rita Rudner – a laid back New York-based stand-up and singer who quickly caught on with the British public and ended up with her own series.

Other highlights included Bob Hope, Tommy Cooper (sadly in his penultimate appearance), Ronnie Barker, Peter Cook, and Pamela Stephenson (who scared Bob by firing live ammo over the heads of the audience).