Segment Featuring Bob Monkhouse Joke Book Removed from The Repair Shop
The BBC programme The Repair Shop decided to cancel a segment that was to showcase a joke book belonging to the late comedian Bob Monkhouse after the material was judged to be inappropriate.
As reported by The Sun, the joke book was brought to the workshop located in the show's barn by Monkhouse's daughter along with his comedy writing partner.
Producer Comments on Decision
Joanna Ball, managing director of Ricochet, the production company behind the show, explained the decision:
"We planned to fix the joke book, but when we got it to the barn and saw it in its entirety, we realised it contained many jokes that were not appropriate for a programme.
We explained this to the family and returned the book to them. We did not complete filming of the item, so it was never included in the programme."
About Bob Monkhouse and His Joke Books
Bob Monkhouse was a prominent British television personality for several decades until his death from prostate cancer in 2003 at age 75.
His collection of joke books spans 25 years and has a notable history, including an incident in 1995 when they were stolen. Monkhouse offered a £10,000 reward for their return, and the books were recovered 18 months later.
In his will, Monkhouse left his joke book collection to his writing partner, Colin Edmonds. The will included a specific clause:
"I give all my gag books, specifically the two loose-leaf handwritten files and the eight loose-leaf typewritten files in their pilot cases, and all the copyright therein, free of inheritance tax, to Colin Edmonds."
Current Status and Responses
The BBC has reached out to Colin Edmonds for comment regarding the matter. Legends Management, the agency representing the recorded and written material of comedians including Monkhouse, declined to provide a statement.
Previous Celebrity Items Restored on The Repair Shop
The Repair Shop has previously restored items connected to celebrities, such as Roald Dahl's garden gate, a dress owned by Danny La Rue, and the original black chair from the television quiz show Mastermind.
