Friday, October 19, 2007

Alan Coren RIP

Like most News Quiz aficionados I was sorry to hear of the death of Alan Coren, but I can guarantee there is one clip you won't be hearing amid the on-air tributes to him over the next few days.

On an edition of the Quiz that went out on the morning of Saturday, 30 August 1997, Coren uttered the words: "I don't know a lot about landmines or Princess Diana, but I do know you would be mad to poke either of them."

Legend has it that, after the Princess's death the following day, a BBC flunkey was despatched on a search-and-destroy mission to ensure that every last copy of the offending tape was safely disposed of.

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3 comments:

Gareth said...

Awe...I used to love him and Sandi Toksvig on Call My Bluff.

skipper said...

Paul
I heard that too and gasped; but I thought it was the Friday night it was said. But I was very sad too- Coren could have had another ten years to delight us with his wit and he/we have been denied. What a waste, but what a natural talent for humour.

Anonymous said...

I too greatly admired and enjoyed Alan's performances. He had a wonderful affected air of being baffled and bemused, but above all unaccepting, of our crazy modern world.

The one about Diana underlines the high risk wire he was on. What I recall was his reference to the cruise with her last controversial consor; he remarked that with her latest boyfriend she had become a 'looose portal'.... I gasped and laughed, the audience gasped and laughed... and then that car crash went and happened.

( I'm not sure that was in the same Quiz show edition you mentioned, perhaps on the week before?)