Blankety Blank

- Season 8

(1985)

Les is thrown when two contestants are identical twins, yet soldiers on with what he calls a "garbage" show. Meanwhile, will Des Lynam ever forgive Les for getting his name wrong?

"Don't compound the felony!" Les tells contestant Brian Black after he tries to explain one particularly bad answer. With Les complaining that he's an "idiot" who has brought "boredom" to the show, will the other contestants fare better?

A high-scoring game, but with prizes that no one wants to win, and a panel of celebrities that Les calls "a theatrical knacker's yard".

An edition where the prizes are so bad, Les threatens to get security to make sure the winning contestants take them home.

The final appearances on Blankety Blank of Nicholas Lyndhurst, Sheila Ferguson and Willie Rushton, in a show where Les claims the panel are only taking part because they couldn't get jobs in pantomime.

Les is in a buoyant mood, with plenty of laughter among the panel. However, in real life things were quite different - the day before broadcast, Les had been taken into hospital.

Les presents a Welsh-themed episode for the upcoming St. David's Day. New to the panel are weather forecasters Ian McCaskill and Wincey Willis, while making his sole appearance is fellow Mancunian comedian Bernard Manning.

"You know," says Les, "you stand here some days - you think 'was it worth getting up?'" Making their debut on the panel are Fred Feast, Lesley Judd and comedian Dave Wolfe, a subject of Les's derision.

Chris Tarrant wants to give Les a kiss, while Frank Carson is finally allowed back on the show after his panel-aggravating turn in series five.

The last show recorded for the eighth series sees Les visited by guests including Michael Barrymore, Nicholas Parsons and Emily Bolton.

Les has problems with contestants interrupting his jokes, Duncan Norvelle making advances towards him, and Bella Emberg threatening violence. However, Les reveals he thinks the studio audience is a nice crowd: "They're still awake."