BBC Audio presents all three original albums from the ground-breaking comedy series that launched the careers of Rowan Atkinson, Mel Smith, Pamela Stephenson and Griff Rhys-Jones.

Not the Nine O'Clock News is one of the great classics of British television comedy. The show ran from 1979 to 1982 on BBC2, and was irreverent, outrageous, innovative, and rude. Originally shown as a comedy alternative to the Nine O'Clock News on BBC1, it featured satirical sketches, parody songs and spoofs of TV formats, and quickly became a trailblazing smash hit, running for four series.

This collectible compilation includes the three albums that were released during the show's run on TV: Not the Nine O'Clock News, Hedgehog Sandwich and The Memory Kinda Lingers.

Among the many much-loved sketches included in this collection are 'The Gorilla Interview', 'Points of View', 'The General Synod's "Life of Python"', 'Constable Savage', 'University Challenge', 'Hi-Fi Shop', 'Not the Parrot Sketch', 'Open Marriage', 'Question Time', 'Game For a Laugh', 'Two Ninnies Song', 'McEnroe's Breakfast', 'What a Load of Willies!' and 'The Pope's Visit', plus the live Drury Lane Theatre show Not in Front of the Audience.

Produced and devised by John Lloyd and Sean Hardie, Not the Nine O'clock News won a Silver Rose at the Montreux festival and a BAFTA for Best light Entertainment programme. Its writing team included such future greats of TV comedy as Richard Curtis, David Renwick, Andrew Marshall, Guy Jenkin, Laurie Rowley, John Lloyd and Andy Hamilton.

Warning: contains strong language and adult humour which reflects the era in which it was first broadcast.

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