Legendary comic Peter Cook died in 1995 and, oddly, it took until 2002 for a special tribute to be recorded for him (on 29th September). Filmed, by BBC2, at the Prince of Wales Theatre (in London’s West End) the assembled comedians were asked to do some of Cook’s own material, to an audience that had paid £75 each (proceeds to the Peter Cook Foundation).
One of them wasn’t comfortable with this and insisted on doing his own jokes…step forward Jimmy Carr. Who made a really good decision there, fully justified by the reviews that followed.
Chortle also reported that Sir David Frost had been asked to host the show – despite Cook disliking him.
Ross and Baddiel did a “Derek and Clive” sketch and imagining what the list below did to Cook’s comedy – I can understand why Jimmy might have come out of this smelling of roses.
A DVD was released in March 2003 and the cover can be seen on Amazon UK. Jimmy’s name is not listed on there and I can only assume, as it was his own material performed, that clearance was not given to include it.
- Ade Edmondson and Rik Mayall (as Richie and Eddie, characters from Bottom)
- Angus Deayton
- Clive Anderson
- David Baddiel
- Dom Joly
- Griff Rhys-Jones
- Harry Enfield
- Jimmy Carr
- Jonathan Ross
- Jon Culshaw
- Josie Lawrence
- Mel Smith
- Michael Palin
- Neil Innes
- Terry Jones
- Vic Reeves
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