When Spike Miligan died I was in the East end of London buying second hand clothes by the kilo for the shop I work for. I had just been sick after discovering a dead bird in some rag. Then I heard some Disc Jockey announce it. It hit me like a train. I first discovered Spike through Peter Sellers films when I 12, Growing up in Corwall and listening to the Goon shows made me a figure of ridicule but also provided me with salvation and honed my sense of humour to the absurd. I'm now 23. Two weeks ago I was in foyles doing my usual rant about the lack of avaliablity of our heritage, I offhandley said to the bookseller what will it take for the bbc to come to it's senses, him to die. Even now that statement rings hollow as there are still no plans to air Q or repeat the goon show and with no Spike to harrang them will it just get buried.
I was fortunate to see some Q repeats in the early 90's. 6 episodes of inspiredness wich make monty python look very very tame, I guess some people will not even be that lucky.
The BBC has produced the finest among a sea of mediocrities please don't let us forget why we pay 100 pounds a year.