Hamp was on the look-out for new acts for a new show, which was to become "The Comedians", a groundbreaking television series which ran intermittently between 1971 and 1993. Filmed in Manchester before a live audience, the programme consisted mainly of Northern club comedians telling jokes. It was a major success at the time, garnering several industry awards and a BAFTA nomination, though the jokes told often contained racist or sexist stereotypes. This was acceptable on British TV during the 1970s but would not be acceptable today. Nevertheless, the show stands as a major social document of the era. Ken Irwin: