The Goons Sell Out

Cars, hotels, cigarettes, breakfast cereal, airlines, petrol stations, banks, department stores, milk, newspapers, even nuts - there was seemingly nothing that the former members of the Goon Show wouldn't promote should an advertising executive show a bit of leg and wave a fat cheque under their nose. Spike Milligan in particular was always game for a telly commercial, endorsing products with his own particular brand of humour and the faintest hint of 'I'm getting PAID to do this?' - everything from Kelloggs cornflakes to a Norwegian soft drink (in which he appeared with Marty Feldman). Peter Sellers notably advertised TWA and Barclays Bank in the seventies and early eighties, right up to his death, and of course he and Milligan had collaborated on the popular commercial for Benson & Hedges, the back story of which has to be heard to be believed. Harry Secombe likewise would pop up between programmes pushing some product or service, from Woolworths to Goodyear tyres, but didn't seem to do quite as many as his erstwhile colleagues. This week Tyler and guest Chris Oakley look into the murky world of commercials and consider the Goons' relationship with television admen.