British comedy use of the panel game format, including the long-running "Just a Minute" (from 1967 to date) and "I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue" (from 1972), and The News Quiz (from 1977), which often broadcast a dozen of so episodes a year, normally split over two series broadcast at different points in the year. The success of the panel show format has in turn has influenced TV series like "Have I Got News for You" (from 1990), "They Think It's All Over" (from 1995) and Mock the Week (from 2005). . BBC Radio has continued to be a breeding ground for
BBC Radio Comedy Writers Bursary BBC Radio Comedy Writers Bursary The BBC Radio Comedy Writers' Bursary (or the BBC Radio Comedy Department Contract Writer) is a scheme through which emerging comedy writers work in-house at the BBC Radio Comedy department for a year. The scheme began in 1978 and was devised by the then-head of Head of BBC Light Entertainment (Radio), David Hatch, and BBC Television's Head of Light Entertainment, James Gilbert. Each department put £5000 a year into a kitty to employ three young writers on a one-year contract. The only proviso was that there was to be no contract for a second year,