Just a Minute

Just a Minute

Just a Minute is a BBC Radio 4 comedy panel game that begins broadcasting in 1967 and continues as a long-running radio format. Four players are given a simple subject and must speak on it for one minute while avoiding hesitation, deviation from the subject, and repetition of words other than simple ones or the subject itself.

Format and rules

The programme is built around rule enforcement by the chairman, who checks for breaches during the round. A whistle marks the end of a player’s minute. Points are awarded for speaking when the whistle sounds, making a successful challenge to a rule break, making a valid interruption without a rule being broken, or forcing an incorrect challenge after an interruption.

Participants

The chairman is Nicholas Parsons. Regular panelists include Paul Merton, Clement Freud, Tony Hawks, and Sue Perkins.