Blankety Brilliant.


I cannot put into words the joy I feel since Challenge TV have started to repeat Les Dawson presenting Blankety Blank.


I’m a bit of fan of quizzes and game shows, so will often head in the direction of Freeview Channel 46 when I’m at a loose end. These shows are a good way of killing time without expending many brain cells; perfect fodder for a man of tiny mind and empty diary.

The vast proportion of the programmes broadcast by Challenge are game shows from the Eighties and Nineties; the sort of material that was never intended to be repeated after their first broadcast. They’re fascinating in their own way, offering a surprisingly detailed snapshot of the entertainment and fashions of our recent past.

It’s frightening how dated even the more contemporary programmes have started to look: rediscovering these repeats (and remembering when they aired first time around) acts as a sobering reminder that I’ve been around longer than I’d like to think.

While it can be fun to while a way the hours watching the likes of Family Fortunes, Blockbusters and Knightmare, Blankety Blank is a definite cut above the rest – and this is largely down to deliciously droll persona of Les Dawson.

His timing is impeccable. Not a moment or a joke is wasted. His downbeat demeanor belies a mind that is as sharp as a pin and working nineteen to the dozen.

 He’s a man it’s almost impossible to dislike.

I love how he blissfully sends the programme up; practically screaming that the format is beneath him, his guests and the audience at home, but together we’re all going to make the best of it. In the wrong hands this could seem conceited or arrogant. Not with Les: even if you were on the receiving end of one of his most scathing glares, you’d still come out the other side wanting to give him a hug.

He'll usually follow a glare with that inimitable gurn anyway.

One of the episodes I watched yesterday evening featured Spike Milligan amongst the panel – and the fact that Dawson could hold is own in the presence of such illustrious comic company and leave Milligan in stitches is tantamount to the man’s exceptional ability.

As well as being a top-class comic, Les Dawson was a talented and intelligent wordsmith and an excellent musician. I don’t think he’s held in half as much high esteem as a person of his talent should be.

When Les passed away at the relatively tender age of 62 we lost a gentle giant of comedy. His talent is sorely missed – and even though he’s been dead for a good twenty years, I'll still tune into these repeats as often as I can: watching him at the height of his abilities and learning as much as I can from it.

Expect plenty of mother-in-law jokes to follow.

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