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Much-Binding-in-the-Marsh

Updated: 12/11/2025, 3:29:47 PM Wikipedia source

Much-Binding-in-the-Marsh was a comedy show broadcast from 1944 to 1950 and 1951 to 1954 by BBC Radio and in 1950–1951 by Radio Luxembourg. It was written by and starred Richard Murdoch and Kenneth Horne as officers in a fictional RAF station coping with red tape and the inconveniences and incongruities of life in the Second World War. After the war the station became a country club and, for its last season, the show became the chronicle of a newspaper, The Weekly Bind. Among the supporting cast were Sam Costa as the officers' batman, Maurice Denham in a multitude of roles, Diana Morrison, Dora Bryan and Nicholas Parsons. Singers in the show's musical interludes included Gwen Catley, Maudie Edwards, Binnie Hale and Doris Hare. Among those appearing as guest stars were Phyllis Calvert, Richard Dimbleby, Glynis Johns, Alan Ladd and Jean Simmons. The show followed It's That Man Again as the most popular British radio comedy and was succeeded by Take It from Here and The Goon Show. After the show ended, its two stars returned to radio in several long-running series.

Infobox

Genre
Radio comedy
Country of origin
United Kingdom
Language
English
Home station
mw- BBC Radio (1944–1950)Radio Luxembourg (1950–1951)BBC Radio (1951–1954)
Starring
Richard MurdochKenneth HorneSam Costa
Written by
Richard MurdochKenneth Horne
Produced by
Leslie Bridgmont
Original release
1944 (1944) –1954 (1954)
Sponsored by
Mars (1950–1951)

Tables

· Output
ENSA Half-Hour
ENSA Half-Hour
Programme
ENSA Half-Hour
Date
4 January 1944
Channel
BBC Forces Programme
Mediterranean Merry-Go-Round
Mediterranean Merry-Go-Round
Programme
Mediterranean Merry-Go-Round
Date
31 March 1944 –27 October 1944
Channel
BBC General Forces Programme
Notes
Broadcast on: 31 March 1944 12 May 1944 23 June 1944 4 August 1944 15 September 1944 27 October 1944
Christmas Night at Eight
Christmas Night at Eight
Programme
Christmas Night at Eight
Date
25 December 1944
Channel
BBC Home Service
Merry-Go-Round
Merry-Go-Round
Programme
Merry-Go-Round
Date
19 January 1945 – 1 February 1946
Channel
BBC Home Service (to 9 September 1945)and BBC Light Programme (from 23 September 1945)
Notes
Broadcast on: 19 January 1945 2 March 1945 13 April 1945 25 May 1945 6 July 1945 21 July 1945 17 August 1945 11 September 1945 28 September 1945 19 October 1945 9 November 1945 21 December 1945 25 December 1945 11 January 1946 1 February 1946
Much-Binding-in-the-Marsh
Much-Binding-in-the-Marsh
Programme
Much-Binding-in-the-Marsh
Date
2 January 1947 – 18 September 1947
Channel
BBC Light Programme
Notes
38 weeks, including a bank holiday special
Much-Binding-in-the-Marsh
Much-Binding-in-the-Marsh
Programme
Much-Binding-in-the-Marsh
Date
26 November 1947 – 16 June 1948
Channel
BBC Light Programme
Notes
30 weeks, including a bank holiday special
Much-Binding-in-the-Marsh
Much-Binding-in-the-Marsh
Programme
Much-Binding-in-the-Marsh
Date
21 September 1948 – 12 July 1949
Channel
BBC Light Programme
Notes
43 weeks, plus a Christmas Day special
Much-Binding-in-the-Marsh
Much-Binding-in-the-Marsh
Programme
Much-Binding-in-the-Marsh
Date
15 March 1950 – 13 September 1950
Channel
BBC Light Programme
Notes
27 weeks
Much-Binding-in-the-Marsh
Much-Binding-in-the-Marsh
Programme
Much-Binding-in-the-Marsh
Date
30 October 1950 – 17 June 1951
Channel
Radio Luxembourg
Notes
34 weeks
Over to You
Over to You
Programme
Over to You
Date
30 September 1951 – 14 April 1952
Channel
BBC Light Programme
Notes
28 weeks
Much Binding
Much Binding
Programme
Much Binding
Date
21 July 1953 – 23 March 1954
Channel
BBC Light Programme
Notes
35 weeks
Programme
Date
Channel
Notes
mw- Refs.
ENSA Half-Hour
4 January 1944
BBC Forces Programme
Mediterranean Merry-Go-Round
31 March 1944 –27 October 1944
BBC General Forces Programme
Broadcast on: 31 March 1944 12 May 1944 23 June 1944 4 August 1944 15 September 1944 27 October 1944
Christmas Night at Eight
25 December 1944
BBC Home Service
Merry-Go-Round
19 January 1945 – 1 February 1946
BBC Home Service (to 9 September 1945)and BBC Light Programme (from 23 September 1945)
Broadcast on: 19 January 1945 2 March 1945 13 April 1945 25 May 1945 6 July 1945 21 July 1945 17 August 1945 11 September 1945 28 September 1945 19 October 1945 9 November 1945 21 December 1945 25 December 1945 11 January 1946 1 February 1946
Much-Binding-in-the-Marsh
2 January 1947 – 18 September 1947
BBC Light Programme
38 weeks, including a bank holiday special
Much-Binding-in-the-Marsh
26 November 1947 – 16 June 1948
BBC Light Programme
30 weeks, including a bank holiday special
Much-Binding-in-the-Marsh
21 September 1948 – 12 July 1949
BBC Light Programme
43 weeks, plus a Christmas Day special
Much-Binding-in-the-Marsh
15 March 1950 – 13 September 1950
BBC Light Programme
27 weeks
Much-Binding-in-the-Marsh
30 October 1950 – 17 June 1951
Radio Luxembourg
34 weeks
Over to You
30 September 1951 – 14 April 1952
BBC Light Programme
28 weeks
Much Binding
21 July 1953 – 23 March 1954
BBC Light Programme
35 weeks

References

  1. Initially the title varied from show to show, in variants such as Mayfair Merry-go-Round, Merry-go-Lucky, Middle-East Me
  2. Bridgmont described the manuscripts as "thirty pages of hieroglyphics" that only his secretary could decipher.
  3. £50,000 in 1950 is approximately £2,163,950 in 2023, according to calculations based on Consumer Price Index measure of
  4. The real-life Edward Wilkinson was Horne's RAF driver, who became a good friend in post-war years.
  5. The last name became well enough known to be used by Peter Nichols in his 1977 play Privates on Parade, set c. 1950.
  6. In the early broadcasts, the celebrated four-verse song ("a little thing that goes something like this") concluded the f
  7. Foster and Furst, p. 53
  8. Briggs (1985), p. 175
  9. Foster and Furst, p. 36
  10. "Merry-go-Round". Radio Times. Vol. 46 no. 598. 15 March 1935. p. 82
    https://web.archive.org/web/20211208112306/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/search/100/20?order=first&q=Merry-go-Round#top
  11. Took, pp. 42, 45 and 48
  12. Johnston, p. 65
  13. Johnston, p. 95
  14. Foster and Furst, p. 79
  15. Hackforth, p. 42
  16. Johnston, pp. 50, 55–56
  17. Hackforth, p. 49
  18. Johnston, pp. 58–59
  19. Hackforth, p. 50
  20. Took, pp. 18–21
  21. Johnston, p. 77
  22. Gifford, p. 166
  23. Johnston, p. 62
  24. Crisell, p. 89
  25. Hackforth, p. 56
  26. Johnston, p. 76
  27. Bridgmont, p. 58
  28. Hackforth, p. 55
  29. Daily Mirror
  30. Foster and Furst, p. 83
  31. Listings, Radio Times, 3 January 1947 Archived 15 December 2021 at the Wayback Machine, p. 23 and 12 March 1954 Archived
    https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/page/a5c23a1aa8964e79a945ff5ecb26ddfa?page=23
  32. Took, p. 49
  33. Hackforth, pp. 51–52
  34. Bridgmont, p. 71
  35. "Richard Murdoch", The Sketch, 6 July 1949, p. 10
  36. Bridgmont, p. 68
  37. Johnston, p. 78
  38. Bridgmont, pp. 58–59
  39. For example Much-Binding, Series 4 Episode 10 (24 May 1950) at 8m 27s and 28m 08s
  40. Johnston, p. 82
  41. Johnston, p. 100; and Briggs (1995), p. 499
  42. Johnston, pp. 100, 104 and 107
  43. Foster and Furst, pp. 82–83
  44. Johnston, p. 109
  45. Street, p. 183
  46. Gifford, p. 183
  47. Johnston, p. 96
  48. Foster and Furst, p. 84
  49. Johnston, pp. 103–104
  50. Foster and Furst, pp. 84–85
  51. Johnston, p. 115
  52. Johnston, pp. 115–116
  53. Briggs (1995), p. 499
  54. Johnston, p. 116
  55. Nichols, p. 75
  56. The Argus
  57. "The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20230401021917/https://www.measuringworth.com/datasets/ukearncpi/
  58. Johnston, p. 117
  59. Johnston, p. 120
  60. Nichols, p. 74
  61. "Over to You" Archived 21 March 2022 at the Wayback Machine, BBC Genome. Retrieved 20 March 2022
    https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/search/0/20?q=%22Over+to+You%22+AND+%22Murdoch%22#top
  62. Standing, Michael (28 September 1951). "Variety"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20240414102234/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/page/e9a929c08cf74011a0a6c30dbe065182?page=7
  63. Johnston, p. 133
  64. Simmons, Lionel (24 July 1933)."'Much-Binding' Acquires 'The Weekly Bind' Archived 21 January 2022 at the Wayback Machin
    https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/page/4a1360e4f34f485091a6b7901c240c8a?page=6
  65. Johnston, pp. 133, 134; and "Much-Binding acquires 'The Weekly Bind'" Archived 21 March 2022 at the Wayback Machine, Rad
    https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/page/f2c61f981ff34a128662570cbd2be286?page=6
  66. Hackforth, p. 61
  67. Foster and Furst, p. 135
  68. Johnston, pp. 157–158
  69. Johnston, pp. 144–145
  70. Took, p. 25
  71. Worsley 1949, p. 100
  72. Parsons, p. 81
  73. Farkas, pp. 62–63
  74. Farkas, p. 119
  75. Partridge, p. 109
  76. Rees, p. 166
  77. Farkas, p. 105
  78. Gifford, p. 73
  79. Gifford, pp. 67 and 73; Hackforth, p. 59; and Much-Binding, Series 4 Episode 10 (24 May 1950) at 25m 30s ff
  80. Jennings, Alex. "Denham, (William) Maurice (1909–2002), actor" Archived 29 January 2022 at the Wayback Machine, Oxford D
    https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-77050
  81. Much-Binding, Series 4 Episode 10 (24 May 1950) at 10m 43s and 28m 08s
  82. Gifford, p. 83
  83. Gifford, p. 118
  84. Gifford, p. 171
  85. Johnston, pp. 60 and 112
  86. Gifford, pp. 31, 76 and 78; and Foster and Furst, p. 84
  87. Nichols, p. 81
  88. Johnston, p. 100
  89. "Mediterranean Merry-Go-Round Archived 6 February 2022 at the Wayback Machine". Radio Times. Vol. 83 no. 1081. 18 June 1
    https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/page/7b9e38a6349c4e8b8c8b32e96f383e45
  90. "Mediterranean Merry-Go-Round Archived 6 February 2022 at the Wayback Machine". Radio Times. Vol. 85 no. 1099. 20 Octobe
    https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/page/37490239b67249a98761da5ec4215d44?page=17
  91. TopFoto
    https://www.topfoto.co.uk/asset/2983025/
  92. Hackforth, p. 62
  93. Halliwell, pp. 217–218
  94. Bridgmont, pp. 59–60
  95. Johnston, p. 138
  96. "Merry-Go-Round Archived 6 February 2022 at the Wayback Machine". Radio Times. Vol. 86 no. 1111. 14 January 1945. p. 17.
    https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/page/7a1f8c17c4524318a9d78bd45a1edd18
  97. "Much-Binding-in-the-Marsh Archived 6 February 2022 at the Wayback Machine". Radio Times. Vol. 99 no. 1284. 21 May 1948.
    https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/page/a1bcaffded2b4e7995625ebe8041c8f6?page=15
  98. "Much-Binding-in-the-Marsh Archived 6 February 2022 at the Wayback Machine". Radio Times. Vol. 98 no. 1267. 23 January 1
    https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/page/0bac47a544354f40bc58e0095eb4a5f6?page=18
  99. Legge, Walter. "Dennis Brain" Archived 19 May 2021 at the Wayback Machine, The Gramophone, November 1957. Retrieved 9 De
    https://www.gramophone.co.uk/features/article/dennis-brain-obituary-gramophone-november-1957
  100. Foster and Furst, p. 82
  101. "Richard Murdoch in Much Binding in the Marsh Archived 6 February 2022 at the Wayback Machine". Radio Times. Vol. 95 no.
    https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/page/e94a5375b76745128627be48b2c8f958?page=19
  102. "Richard Murdoch in Much Binding in the Marsh Archived 6 February 2022 at the Wayback Machine". Radio Times. Vol. 95 no.
    https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/page/49f1df668e464e09b9c1a52db2eb1396?page=19
  103. Foster and Furst, p. 85
  104. "Richard Murdoch in Much Binding in the Marsh Archived 6 February 2022 at the Wayback Machine". Radio Times. Vol. 95 no.
    https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/page/46f40152334d439e9c53adf2f53ca4d6?page=19
  105. "Richard Murdoch in Much Binding in the Marsh Archived 6 February 2022 at the Wayback Machine". Radio Times. Vol. 95 no.
    https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/page/c6cae586b52043bc86c4d4cb5277b890?page=19
  106. "Much-Binding-in-the-Marsh Archived 21 February 2022 at the Wayback Machine". Radio Times. Vol. 108 no. 1403. 1 Septembe
    https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/page/d807235c2e1c407093e1ee1c8def5b95
  107. Briggs (1995), p. 545
  108. Gifford, pp. 32, 167–168 and 248
  109. Ross, p. 380
  110. Schmadel, p. 857
  111. "ENSA Half Hour". Radio Times. Vol. 82 no. 1057. 31 December 1943. p. 11.
    https://web.archive.org/web/20211208113955/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/be74cb6166c84f32a966b540803e4c80
  112. "Mediterranean Merry-Go-Round". Radio Times. Vol. 83 no. 1069. 26 March 1944. p. 17. ".
    https://web.archive.org/web/20141021082910/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/d735a354fbf54d97b9c928a87168e392
  113. "Mediterranean Merry-Go-Round". Radio Times. Vol. 83 no. 1075. 7 May 1944. p. 17. ".
    https://web.archive.org/web/20220321153804/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/f09e3517909c4e39a4cf9316a7dfb43f
  114. "Mediterranean Merry-Go-Round". Radio Times. Vol. 83 no. 1081. 18 June 1944. p. 17. ".
    https://web.archive.org/web/20211208113941/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/7b9e38a6349c4e8b8c8b32e96f383e45
  115. "Mediterranean Merry-Go-Round Archived 8 December 2021 at the Wayback Machine". Radio Times. Vol. 84 no. 1087. 30 July 1
    https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/68acc14e38ed4e20b6b6baef447e11e9
  116. "Mediterranean Merry-Go-Round Archived 8 December 2021 at the Wayback Machine". Radio Times. Vol. 84 no. 1093. 10 Septem
    https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/7571584703df40c3a7edd65d51ac2dd0
  117. "Mediterranean Merry-Go-Round Archived 8 December 2021 at the Wayback Machine". Radio Times. Vol. 85 no. 1099. 22 Octobe
    https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/37490239b67249a98761da5ec4215d44
  118. "Christmas Night at Eight Archived 8 December 2021 at the Wayback Machine". Radio Times. Vol. 86 no. 1108. 24 December 1
    https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/a5fde9b3f31d4727affbe71f04ec8192
  119. "Merry-Go-Round Archived 8 December 2021 at the Wayback Machine". Radio Times. Vol. 86 no. 1111. 14 January 1945. p. 17.
    https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/7a1f8c17c4524318a9d78bd45a1edd18
  120. "Merry-Go-Round Archived 8 December 2021 at the Wayback Machine". Radio Times. Vol. 86 no. 1117. 25 February 1945. p. 17
    https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/1a111a23a7b34fe3a889fd31faf56b34
  121. "Merry-Go-Round Archived 8 December 2021 at the Wayback Machine". Radio Times. Vol. 87 no. 1123. 8 April 1945. p. 17.
    https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/cebf0babf64942299008cebfa758c989
  122. "Merry-Go-Round Archived 8 December 2021 at the Wayback Machine". Radio Times. Vol. 87 no. 1129. 19 May 1945. p. 21.
    https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/a049e3a9407a433ea481c712d095fa91
  123. "Merry-Go-Round Archived 8 December 2021 at the Wayback Machine". Radio Times. Vol. 88 no. 1135. 1 July 1945. p. 17.
    https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/a049e3a9407a433ea481c712d095fa91
  124. "Merry-Go-Round Archived 8 December 2021 at the Wayback Machine". Radio Times. Vol. 88 no. 1137. 15 July 1945. p. 19.
    https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/a13754a5ea9d490f9da0f2bc1d03c519
  125. "Merry-Go-Round Archived 21 March 2022 at the Wayback Machine". Radio Times. Vol. 88 no. 1141. 12 August 1945. p. 17.
    https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/d121e433f76641b4a428230f1c707788
  126. "Merry-Go-Round Archived 8 December 2021 at the Wayback Machine". Radio Times. Vol. 88 no. 1145. 9 September 1945. p. 10
    https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/32bf0ee87129495d8e17198616e9e45b
  127. "Merry-Go-Round Archived 8 December 2021 at the Wayback Machine". Radio Times. Vol. 89 no. 1147. 23 September 1945. p. 1
    https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/dacff55491624fb7b4c01c941df8c2f3
  128. "Merry-Go-Round Archived 8 December 2021 at the Wayback Machine". Radio Times. Vol. 89 no. 1150. 14 October 1945. p. 17.
    https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/5626a257f53548889ed528ee9ab5a5ad
  129. "Merry-Go-Round Archived 9 December 2021 at the Wayback Machine". Radio Times. Vol. 89 no. 1153. 4 November 1945. p. 21.
    https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/7b62d6d54ebb48c58b38e7612a8e63a2
  130. "Merry-Go-Round Archived 8 December 2021 at the Wayback Machine". Radio Times. Vol. 89 no. 1159. 16 December 1945. p. 21
    https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/6496b44e6b734f10a90e6336612c010c
  131. "Merry-Go-Round Archived 8 December 2021 at the Wayback Machine". Radio Times. Vol. 89 no. 1160. 23 December 1945. p. 14
    https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/8ddf56f9820c4cbeaaf4a403869afab8
  132. "Merry-Go-Round Archived 13 April 2024 at the Wayback Machine". Radio Times. Vol. 90 no. 1162. 6 January 1946. p. 17.
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  134. Much Binding in the Marsh Archived 21 March 2022 at the Wayback Machine, BBC Radio 4 Extra, 11 October 2020
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  135. BBC Radio 4 Extra
    https://web.archive.org/web/20240406165442/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00fbz8q/broadcasts/upcoming
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