grahamg
Old codger
- Location
- South of Manchester, UK
Quote:
In 1931 Wilfred Pickles successfully auditioned as an actor for the BBC’s Northern region and appeared in local programmes. In 1941 the Ministry of Information came up with the idea that a regional accent on the news would be harder for the Germans to imitate (I suppose they must have feared an enemy takeover of the BBC) and Pickles was brought in to the Home Service. There was some surprise when he signed off his broadcasts with: ‘Goodnight everybody, and to all you Northerners wherever you are – good neet’.
After the war the BBC was searching for new programmes. Have a Go! was the brainchild of Philip Robinson, a programme assistant based in Leeds, in response to a request for ideas for a ‘quiz programme with audience participation’, and he became the first producer. It was intended from the start that Wilfred Pickles would be the host, and he came up with the title. The format was to ask ordinary folk to tell their heart-warming stories and share their experiences of life. Then they were invited to answer quiz questions for prizes of a small amount of cash and sometimes local produce. The theme music was written by Jack Jordan and the audience at each week’s show would sing along to these words:
Have a go, Joe, come on and have a go
You can’t lose owt, it costs you nowt
To make yourself some dough.
So hurry up and join us,
don’t be shy and don’t be slow.
Come on Joe, have a go!
In 1931 Wilfred Pickles successfully auditioned as an actor for the BBC’s Northern region and appeared in local programmes. In 1941 the Ministry of Information came up with the idea that a regional accent on the news would be harder for the Germans to imitate (I suppose they must have feared an enemy takeover of the BBC) and Pickles was brought in to the Home Service. There was some surprise when he signed off his broadcasts with: ‘Goodnight everybody, and to all you Northerners wherever you are – good neet’.
After the war the BBC was searching for new programmes. Have a Go! was the brainchild of Philip Robinson, a programme assistant based in Leeds, in response to a request for ideas for a ‘quiz programme with audience participation’, and he became the first producer. It was intended from the start that Wilfred Pickles would be the host, and he came up with the title. The format was to ask ordinary folk to tell their heart-warming stories and share their experiences of life. Then they were invited to answer quiz questions for prizes of a small amount of cash and sometimes local produce. The theme music was written by Jack Jordan and the audience at each week’s show would sing along to these words:
Have a go, Joe, come on and have a go
You can’t lose owt, it costs you nowt
To make yourself some dough.
So hurry up and join us,
don’t be shy and don’t be slow.
Come on Joe, have a go!
