Heroes Of Comedy (Channel 4)

From 1995 to 2002 Heroes Of Comedy on Channel 4 showcased and celebrated some of the finest comic talents Britain has ever produced and this week, with returning guest Chris Diamond, we're taking a look at the series with particular emphasis on three editions: The Goons, Terry-Thomas & Tommy Cooper.

It's a sprawling and highly entertaining chat which covers lot of ground including:

Max Wall - Spike in Peter Sellers' car boot - Denis Healey as Bloodnok - kicking Bob Todd up the arse - Tommy Cooper's death on stage - Vault of Horror - Dick Lester - The Obituary Show - WHY Nigel Havers? - The Mouse That Roared TV pilot - Tarby's TT theft - Harry's hoary stories - airing dead comics' dirty laundry in public - Richard Briers - Jack Benny - Fierce Creatures - Frank Muir's TV Heaven - the decline of Terry-Thomas - Julia Breck - Victor Lewis-Smith - Liberace with TT & Richard Wattis - Danny Baker & Tommy Cooper - Clive James - Telly Addicts - Ruxton Hayward - Max Miller's creepy animatronic doll - Hannibal Lecter does Terry Cooper - Michael Bentine: clever or funny? - Spike hates the BBC - YouTube has spoiled us - Fantabulosa! - producer John Fisher - Jonathan Miller - bored with The Last Goon Show of All - Terry Pratchett - Pat Dixon - The Naked Truth - "Hard Cheese!"