'Tim Brooke-Taylor hated his character in The Goodies'

I can still remember the pilot episode of I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue in 1972. It felt like a disaster. We went to the pub afterwards and said “Never again!” But Radio 4 liked it and wanted to make more. After that first series we went to the pub and solemnly said “Never again!” We did that at the end of every series for years. I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue has now endured for almost five decades.

Tim Brooke-Taylor – my friend, comedy partner, and fellow Goodie – died of complications from Covid-19 in April. He was on the show from that very first episode and his final one airs tonight. Tim brought something special to the programme. He could make mistakes or get in a muddle but the audience loved it, because he was our Tim.

I first met him at Cambridge University in 1963. He was performing in the Footlights with John Cleese, Bill Oddie and others. Tim was the president, so when I applied to join I had to audition in front of him. At the time, I don’t think any of us had any serious thoughts about going into showbusiness. In fact, I was still a medical student when I joined Tim, John and Bill on the BBC Home Service sketch show I’m Sorry, I’ll Read That Again in 1964. Tim and I worked together pretty much every year after that.

On The Goodies, Tim, Bill and I had a shared sense of humour. Our characters were like three classes: Tim was the toff, Bill was a scruffy oik, and I was the boffin. But Tim hated his character, the monarchy-worshipping patriot. He reckoned the only thing he had in common with the character was being a coward.

Tim was scared of some of the stunts – we did some rather foolhardy things! – but he did them nevertheless. I can picture him sitting on top of a giant can of soup, which was the size of two horses, on a slipway leading down to the sea. There could have been a terrible accident when he hit the water. But he stayed up there.

At this time, we were reluctant to continue writing for the radio. It’s just as difficult as writing television but pays a great deal less. Then I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue began – and we found that we really enjoyed it. It’s a very friendly and supportive show – not combative like some of those testosterone-fuelled panel games now. The guests are sometimes nervous and we’ll pass around jokes if anyone’s a bit short.

I always enjoyed Tim playing “Pick-Up Song”. We sing along to a record, which fades out and fades back in again to see if we’ve kept in time or tune. Tim always picked something recent like Miley Cyrus – not our vintage at all! He’d sing in a high voice and look totally panic-stricken by the whole process. But very often he came in bang on the beat. I always admired his courage. I think one of the last ones he did was the children’s song, Baby Shark.

I remember on one occasion Humphrey Lyttelton had a frog in his throat. He said, “Has anyone got a cough sweet?” and this cough sweet came flying out from the audience. Tim said, “It’s a miracle! I wish I had a bar of gold…!” This golden bar came flying from the audience. It was the tube of cough sweets, wrapped in gold paper. Tim always enjoyed that story.

He was excellent company to the end – kind, sociable, funny. He was very much a family man, with a wife, Christine, two sons, Ben and Edward, and grandchildren. His grandkids adored him. That was the saddest thing about him dying – this virus prevented the family from being with him.

Tim and I tried to be groundbreaking, and to some extent we thought we’d succeeded. We were just thrilled to be part of the ongoing history of radio comedy – to get the chance to stand up together and do silly things.

Tim Brooke-Taylor's final episode of I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue is on Radio 4 on December 7 at 6:30pm