Duncan Thickett claims that it's his first appearance on television, yet the character had appeared at least as early as Machine Addiction (1989). However, this would likely be deliberately intentional to make the act seem "new".
Terry Wogan's ability to misdeliver a gag so it gets virtual silence from an audience was often on display in Wogan (1982), and is prominent here, where Terry's attempts at witticisms often fall flat.
Some viewers may feel uncomfortable as silence plays out, so much so that when Tony Slattery talks about England being full of "dead people", Terry quips "Most of 'em are in the audience" - a remark which again doesn't get a laugh.
Such an adverse reaction isn't entirely Terry's fault, as the audience for the night are generally quite muted anyway, laughing sporadically at other guests on the show, such as Tony Slattery and Miss Piggy, but then falling back into silence immediately afterwards. That the show is ended by Steve Coogan as his "failed stand up" character Duncan Thickett, seems oddly apt.
Some viewers may feel uncomfortable as silence plays out, so much so that when Tony Slattery talks about England being full of "dead people", Terry quips "Most of 'em are in the audience" - a remark which again doesn't get a laugh.
Such an adverse reaction isn't entirely Terry's fault, as the audience for the night are generally quite muted anyway, laughing sporadically at other guests on the show, such as Tony Slattery and Miss Piggy, but then falling back into silence immediately afterwards. That the show is ended by Steve Coogan as his "failed stand up" character Duncan Thickett, seems oddly apt.