Hello, I'm Kirstie Young and this is a podcast from the Desert Island Discs Archive for

rights reasons we've had to shorten the music.

The program was originally broadcast in 1990 and the presenter was Sue Lawley.

My cast away this week is a comedian. He made his professional debut 36 years ago

at the Empire Theatre Nottingham. From where his mastery of the art of variety

carried him unerringly to the top. Fellow comics admire his ability to hold an

audience. The audiences in their turn have supported him loyally through countless

stage television and radio shows. He is the great jester whose rapid jokes, hilarious

antics and sentimental songs have won him the affection of millions. But like all

gestures, he's had his share of troubles too, which he's had to weather in the light

of fierce publicity. There behind him now, that loyal audience is still in front. He

is, of course, the king of the Did you men, the square of not Yash, Mr. Ken Dodd.

Your man, Ken, who finds it difficult to turn his back on an audience, what are you going

to do on the desert island with nobody to play to?

Well, yes, that is, I must admit, I would be absolutely desolate. Yes, I can't imagine

myself just being on my own. Can you tell yourself, jokes?

Yes, I would, I think I could go through all my routines and a lot of other people's

routines, I think, and tell myself jokes and stories. But do you laugh at yourself?

I think so, yes, I think that's the first thing any, any comic has to be able to do.

You're a true Brit, Ken. Oh, yes. And a true Northerness, still. I mean, do you still

feel less than at home, down, sir? Oh, no, I love her, I love London. I think London

is absolutely marvelous, wonderful, exciting, theatre shops, but the north is the north,

...