Blankety Blank

- Season 9

(1985)

Les returns for his first episode of Blankety Blank after the eighth series was cut short by him being admitted to hospital. Les tells gags about the experience, before introducing the first of a full-length series.

Les is joined by old mates on the panel, including the final appearances of Chris Tarrant and Billy Dainty.

Les hosts a warm edition, with lots of old friends on the panel. Yet the biggest amount of attention goes to contestant Graham Barton, who uses the opportunity to propose to his girlfriend in the audience.

Playing the game this week are panellists including David Copperfield, John Junkin and Madeline Bell - but have the production team forgotten how to spell Madeline's name?

Almost an all-new panel join Les, with only Lesley Judd having appeared before. Making their sole appearances are Lance Percival and Norman Vaughan, while making their series debuts are Fern Britton, Bill Buckley and Jean Rook.

Fiona Richmond and Frankie Vaughan make their panel debuts, while Bill Pertwee puts in his sole appearance. However, it's Frankie who gets the worst of it, with Les claiming "In your day they sang in Latin."

The last appearance of Anneka Rice on the show, though Les introduces four panellists new to Blankety Blank: Polly James, Peter Goodwright and Charlie Daze, plus the sole appearance of Eddie Kidd.

"Last time I saw a panel like that," Les confides to a contestant, "was at Nuremburg war trials." Insisting that the payrate for each of them was just 50p, Les is dismayed when guests including Tommy Trinder can't get an answer right.

"If entertainment value was elastic, there wouldn't be enough in this show for a frog's jockstrap." Les introduces a show that takes so long, even the winning contestant is left pointing at their watch.

Les meets a shy contestant who wants to see if she can put her arms around him, and another who wants to be a quiz show host. But one thing all the contestants have in common is that none of them seem to be able to win anything.

Les hosts a high-scoring edition where the only setback is Jill Gascoigne's inability to get a correct match. "You see, if Jill ever has a brain operation, it'll cost fourpence. And that'll include search fees."

With the show missing a panellist, Peter Powell offers to help out and step in at "late notice" - but unfortunately for Peter, he's a bit too enthusiastic when running onto the set.

Fresh faces join the panel, as Mike Newman, Samantha Fox and Simon Bates make their debuts, while Johnny Ball and Marian Montgomery make their sole appearances. Only Anna Raeburn, having featured in Series 8, is an "old hand".

Les claims to have been shook rigid by a contestant who's so bad he can't believe it's not a set up gag. There's also a panel who Les apologises for referring to as "celebrities", as well as a guest in the audience.

A lively show sees Les sharing jokes with panellists including Mary Parkinson and Helen Shapiro - but will he fall foul of the towering Geoff Capes?

Les tries to control a boisterous show, as Freddie Trueman wants to trade barbs, and Roland Rat is blatantly honest in his view of the programme, and of Les himself.

A panto-themed Christmas Special, with Les joined by Gary Wilmot, Mollie Sugden, Tom O'Connor, Debbie Greenwood, John Inman and Aimi MacDonald.

Les claims that the night's "celebrity panel" is a broad use of the phrase. Included on the show are Danny La Rue and Cheryl Baker, while making their final appearances are Sandra Dickinson, Dave Wolfe and Michael Parkinson.

The producers have a surprise in store for Les when he's confronted by identical twins as contestants. However, what the twins really have in common is that they're all unable to get correct answers.

Les hosts a fairly high-scoring edition, with the sole appearances of Sarah Payne and Georgia Brown, along with the final appearances of Keith Harris, Orville and Bobby Knutt.

The panel gets filled with old friends and former colleagues of Les, including the Cissie to his Ada - Roy Barraclough.

Les dries his eyes as he presents the last show in the ninth series, and is joined by a host of new faces on the panel. With only Barbara Windsor having appeared before, there are five newcomers, including Rory Bremner and Marti Webb.