Ian Messiter was best known in the UK for his pioneering work in BBC radio, particularly for devising the entertaining game "Just a Minute", which began in 1968 and featured such comic talents as Kenneth Williams (Carry On films, et al), Derek Nimmo (TV - All Gas and Gaiters, etc), Clement Freud MP and Peter Jones (TV - The Rag Trade, Hitchhikers Guide to the Universe, Spike Milligan's Q series, etc) on the panel, hosted by Nicholas Parsons (one time straight man to TV comedian Arthur Haynes and now very much a British institution in his own right). The challenge was to speak off the cuff for a minute on a given subject without deviation, repetition or hesitation. Easily one of the most popular and long running formats in radio it relied on the native wit and personae involved, with Kenneth Williams usually turning in an outrageous (and outraged) performance when challenged over petty matters. Recent panels have included many younger British comics, including Stephen Fry, Paul Merton and Tony Hawkes.