History Radio / ImSorryIllReadThatAgain

''I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again'' was a popular BBC SketchComedy show which ran between 1965 and 1973, with a one-off "25th anniversary" show in 1989. It was something of a spiritual successor to ''Radio/TheGoonShow'', featuring numerous awful puns, funny voices and bizarre situations. The program originated from a broadcast of the 1963 Cambridge Circus revue, followed by three preparatory shows in April 1964, which were followed by the first series proper a year and a half later.

The cast, all Cambridge alums, included Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graeme Garden and Bill Oddie, who later went on to create ''Series/TheGoodies'', and Creator/JohnCleese, who, along with occasional writers Eric Idle and Graham Chapman, later went on to form Creator/MontyPython. Also in the cast were Jo Kendall and David Hatch.

-->'''BBC Director:''' Now, here's what we want ''you'' to do!
-->''[transitional piano music]''
-->'''David Hatch:''' ...but I can't ''play'' the piano.

* MistakenForGay: This, from ''the Source of the Nile''.

''I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again'' was a popular BBC SketchComedy show which ran between 1965 and 1973, with a one-off "25th anniversary" show in 1989. It was something of a spiritual successor to TheGoonShow, featuring numerous awful puns, funny voices and bizarre situations. The program originated from a broadcast of the 1963 Cambridge Circus revue, followed by three preparatory shows in April 1964, which were followed by the first series proper a year and a half later.

** Catchphrases seemed to keep happening, whether the performers wanted them or not. In one later episode, they ran through all the catchphrases from the show's run right at the start to get them over with, with John Cleese commenting "Honestly, it's like feeding time at the zoo" at the audience's cheers.

* DoubleEntendre: Almost every joke that wasn't a pun was this.

-->''<transitional piano music>''

* LoadsAndLoadsOfRoles

* TheCastShowoff: Bill Oddie's songs.

'''Tim:'''' Featuring Tim Brooke-Taylor...\\

-->'''Egyptian Man:''' Offendi, offendi! I have nice sister!\\

'''Egyptian Man:''' Oh, I apologize. Offendi, offendi! I have nice brother!

-->'''John:''' This is ''I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again'', with special guest John Cleese.
-->'''Tim:'''' Featuring Tim Brooke-Taylor...
-->'''David:''' Starring David Hatch!
-->'''Graeme:''' Surprise celebrity -- Graeme Garden!
-->'''Jo:''' Introducing Jo Kendall.
-->'''Bill:''' With...''(sadly)'' Bill Oddie.
* ButtMonkey: Bill Oddie, and occasionally David Hatch.
** Example:

-->'''David:''' London is home to many people.
-->'''John:''' ...London is home to many people. Oh, well done. David Hatch, the boy genius.

-->'''John:''' Aren't you a little past it, old man?
-->'''Grimbling:''' No, I'm a little dirty old man.

-->'''David:''' No, no, that's not going to cut it. Look, we need an arts show -- but something with a bit of a kick in it.
-->''(theme music)''
-->'''Tim:''' We present ''A Kick In The Arts.''

-->'''David:''' Oh my, oh my, oh my--I'm late, I'm late, I'm late--oh my ears and whiskers--oh my, I'm late, I'm late, I'm late...
-->'''John:''' It was a loony.
-->'''David:''' I am not! I'm a little white rabbit!

-->'''Egyptian Man:''' Offendi, offendi! I have nice sister!
-->'''Lord Luvaduck:''' How dare you?! I'm an English lord!
-->'''Egyptian Man:''' Oh, I apologize. Offendi, offendi! I have nice brother!

* ShowStopper: Once she becomes an established recurring character, Lady Constance's first appearance in any given episode always causes a prolonged audience reaction.
** And from the serial ''Professor Prune And The Electric Time Trousers'', any time the Dog Spot appears, there's ''huge'' audience applause. Eventually, John Cleese gets jealous.
-->'''David:''' Oh, come now, John -- you've got a sports car, a mansion, a career--all Tim's got is his woof! You don't begrudge him that, do you?
-->'''John:''' Yes.

-->'''Narrator:''' They basked in the sun merrily.
-->'''Crowd:''' Bask, bask, bask...
-->'''Voice:''' Merrily!

"I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again" was a popular BBC SketchComedy show which ran between 1965 and 1973, with a one-off "25th anniversary" show in 1989. It was something of a spiritual successor to TheGoonShow, featuring numerous awful puns, funny voices and bizarre situations. The program originated from a broadcast of the 1963 Cambridge Circus revue, followed by three preparatory shows in April 1964, which were followed by the first series proper a year and a half later.

* CharacterDevelopment: Unusual for a sketch show, but still present -- for many seasons, David Hatch usually played himself playing a generic announcer, and was otherwise either [[StraightMan dull]] or [[DeadpanSnarker snarky]]. Then, towards the end of season 7 and throughout season 8, he started identifying himself more as a producer, becoming more assertive, occassionally power-mad, and actively trying to stop the surreality/filthy-mindedness of other cast members rather than just providing a contrast to it.

'I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again was a popular BBC SketchComedy show which ran between 1965 and 1973, with a one-off "25th anniversary" show in 1989. It was something of a spiritual successor to TheGoonShow, featuring numerous awful puns, funny voices and bizarre situations. The program originated from a broadcast of the 1963 Cambridge Circus revue, followed by three preparatory shows in April 1964, which were followed by the first series proper a year and a half later.

The cast, all Cambridge alums, included Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graeme Garden and Bill Oddie, who later went on to create ''Series/TheGoodies'', Creator/JohnCleese, who, along with occasional writers Eric Idle and Graham Chapman, later went on to form Creator/MontyPython. Also in the cast were Jo Kendall and David Hatch.

-->''This is 'I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again', an extravaganza especially written for the wireless by several persons, and featuring a number of performers.''
-->-Announcer

The cast, all Cambridge alums, included Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graeme Garden and Bill Oddie, who later went on to create ''Series/TheGoodies'', John Cleese, who, along with occasional writers Eric Idle and Graham Chapman, later went on to form Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus. Also in the cast were Jo Kendall and David Hatch.

I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again was responsible for the creation of ''Radio/ImSorryIHaventAClue'' a few years later.

!!''I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again'' includes examples of:

-->'''John:''' This is ''Radio/ImSorryIllReadThatAgain'', with special guest John Cleese.

* CrossDressingVoices: Lady Constance De Coverlet, played by Tim Brooke-Taylor.

* OldShame: On a late-'80s radio interview, John Cleese spent several minutes thoroughly denouncing the show and said he thought it was a waste of his time to be doing it.
** Even though a surprising number of ISIRTA sketches, not always written by Cleese, Idle or Chapman, found their way into Python. An example being the "Joke-swappers" sketch.

* TalkingToHimself: Occasionally, and usually [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] when used.

The cast, all Cambridge alums, included Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graeme Garden and Bill Oddie, who later went on to create ''Series/TheGoodies'', John Cleese, who, along with occasional writers Eric Idle and Graham Chapman, later went on to form MontyPythonsFlyingCircus. Also in the cast were Jo Kendall and David Hatch.

I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again was responsible for the creation of ''[[Radio/ImSorryIHaventAClue I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue]]'' a few years later.

-->'''John:''' This is ''ImSorryIllReadThatAgain'', with special guest John Cleese.

** Another episode included characters randomly blurting out the word "teapot" in the hope that the audience would be conditioned to find it funny. And by halfway through the episode they were.

** Even though a surprising number of ISIRTA sketches, not always written by Cleese, Idle or Chapman, found their way into Python. An example being the "Joke-swappers" sketch.

* RunningGag: Many, such as Tim Brooke-Taylor playing all women's parts, the phrase "promises, promises" to signify a DoubleEntendre, David Hatch playing all boring bits, ferrets, gibbons, OBEs, and John Davidson (who?).

The cast, all Cambridge alums, included Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graeme Garden and Bill Oddie, who later went on to create TheGoodies, John Cleese, who, along with occasional writers Eric Idle and Graham Chapman, later went on to form MontyPythonsFlyingCircus. Also in the cast were Jo Kendall and David Hatch.

I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again was responsible for the creation of ''[[ImSorryIHaventAClue I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue]]'' a few years later.

-->'''Jo Kendall:''' And now a little song about a one-man band, sung by our little songster, Bill Oddie, who should be one man banned.

* ShowWithinAShow: All the time, since the setting of the show was a radio station. Most notable is the weekly ''Prune Play Of The Week''.