Very Nearly an Armful - A Tony Hancock Podcast

• The Chef That Died of Shame

  In this podcast we look at the radio episode The Chef That Died of Shame from the second radio series. The team consider how much of a departure from the usual format this episode represents, look at how, with hindsight, the episode can be seen as a reflection of Tony’s own life story and discuss the recurring character of Higgins in Hancock’s Half Hour. The gang of three go on to consider how brilliant the cast are in their different-from-usual roles and go on to compete to determine who can cook the best winkles’ feet on toast! Don’t forget to rate and subscribe to the podcast. And if you haven’t done so already, why not join the Tony Hancock Appreciation Society - full details of how to join are at www.tonyhancock.org.uk. We have an event planned for Solihull in September 2025 and more events will be added to the calendar over the coming months. We’d love to welcome you as a member and see you at our events. In addition, screenings of Hancock’s TV episodes on the big screen continue at the Riverside Studios in Hammersmith. We’ll be back in two weeks time with a review of the sixth television series episode The Poison Pen Letters.  We hope to see you then.

  --------  

  1:35:54
• Around The World in Eighty Days

  In this podcast, we look at the episode Around the World in Eighty Days from the fifth radio series The episode, which was lost for many years, is a brilliant parody of Jules Verne’s 1872 novel.  The gang of three consider how the show encapsulates the atmosphere of 1950s Britain in the middle of the Cold War, discuss Kenneth Williams’s incredible nine different roles and Hattie Jacques’s six roles, and discuss in detail, how best to spend two and half months in Southend! Don’t forget to rate and subscribe to the podcast.  And if you haven’t done so already, why not join the Tony Hancock Appreciation Society – full details of how to join are at www.tonyhancock.org.uk   We have an event planned for Solihull in September 2025 and more events will be added to the calendar over the coming months.  We’d love to welcome you as a member and see you at our events. In addition, screenings of Hancock’s TV episodes on the big screen continue at the Riverside Studios in Hammersmith with the next one on the 7th June. We’ll be back in two weeks with a review of the second radio series episode The Chef That Died of Shame.  

  --------  

  1:23:25
• The Wild Man of The Woods

  In the first of our new series of podcasts, we look at the radio episode The Wild Man of the Woods from the fourth radio series. The episode, which was released on Hancock’s first LP This is Hancock, is considered by the Team as one of best of the radio episodes.  The gang look at the number of roles played by Kenneth Williams, discuss the great performances from all of the cast, consider the beautiful language used by Galton and Simpson in this episode and review probably the most well known fluff in all of the radio episodes!Don’t forget to rate and subscribe to the podcast.  And if you haven’t done so already, why not join the Tony Hancock Appreciation Society – full details of how to join are at www.tonyhancock.org.uk   We have an event planned for Solihull in September 2025 and more events will be added to the calendar over the coming months.  We’d love to welcome you as a member and see you at our events. In addition, screenings of Hancock’s TV episodes on the big screen continue at the Riverside Studios in Hammersmith. We’ll be back in two weeks with a review of the fifth radio series Around the World in Eighty Days.  We hope to see you then.

  --------  

  1:28:53
• S8 -E5 -Very Nearly an Armful - Bill and Father Christmas

  In our Christmas podcast this year we look at the radio episode Bill and Father Christmas which was broadcast between the fifth and sixth radio series.   The gang consider the roles of Hattie, Sid and Hancock in this episode and how they all appear in a role reversal of their usual characterisations.  They discuss the fantastic performance from Hattie Jacques in this, her final Hancock’s Half Hour and look at the brilliant contribution from Warren Mitchell. The team consider the deep philosophical references in this episode and discuss, in detail, the use of duck sound effects in Hancock’s Half Hour! Don’t forget to rate and subscribe to the podcast.  And if you haven’t done so already, why not join the Tony Hancock Appreciation Society – full details of how to join are at www.tonyhancock.org.uk   We have events planned – Steve Punt (subject to commitments) will be one of the guests at our event at Hancock’s local The Red Barn in the Spring and we are planning an event in Solihull in September 2025.  We’d love to welcome you as a member and see you at our events. In addition, screenings of Hancock’s TV episodes on the big screen continue at the Riverside Studios in Hammersmith.   We’ll be back in the Spring with more Hancock reviews and special guest stars.  In the meantime, we wish all our listeners a merry Christmas and Happy New Year – do enjoy your turkey feet and chips.  We hope that you will be able to join us again next year.

  --------  

  1:36:30
• S8 - E4 - Very Nearly an Armful - The Two Murderers

  In this episode, Tim, Jon and Martin look at the fifth television series episode The Two Murderers. The team consider how this episode takes on the feel of a film noir, especially with regards to the lighting, look at the quality of Sid and Tony’s acting throughout this episode and discuss the palpable sense of fear that both Hancock and James manage to portray. In a moment of light relief, the gang go on to practice how to eat egg and bacon with a spoon.   Tim, Jon and Martin are delighted to welcome Dick Fiddy, consultant with the British Film Institute (BFI) who discusses Hancock’s legacy, BFI’s Missing Believed Wiped campaign and considers what programmes have been influenced by Hancock, and the superb writing partnership of Ray Galton and Alan Simpson. Don’t forget to rate and subscribe to the podcast.  And if you haven’t done so already, why not join the Tony Hancock Appreciation Society – full details of how to join are at www.tonyhancock.org.uk   We have events planned – Steve Punt (subject to commitments) will be one of the guests at our event at Hancock’s local The Red Barn in the Spring and we are planning an event in Solihull in September 2025.   In addition, screenings of Hancock’s TV episodes on the big screen continue at the Riverside Studios in Hammersmith; we’d love to welcome you as a member and see you at our events. We’ll be back with our festive edition with a look at the radio episode Bill and Father Christmas soon.  We hope that you will be able to join us then.  

  --------  

  2:10:39

More TV & Film podcasts

Trending TV & Film podcasts

About Very Nearly an Armful - A Tony Hancock Podcast