logo
episode-header-image
Jun 2023
13m 25s

It's A Royal Cock-up

The Retrospectors
About this episode

The Grand Knockout Tournament (also known as It’s a Royal Knockout) was a one-off charity event first shown on BBC1 on 19th June 1987, to an audience of 18 million gobsmacked viewers. 


The brainchild of the then 23 year old Prince Edward, the slapstick spectacle featured the Princess Royal and the Duke and Duchess of York captaining rival teams in a series of preposterous rounds involving celebrities including Rowan Atkinson, Tom Jones, Cliff Richard, John Travolta and Les Dawson.


In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly recall Fergie’s feelings of shame, blame and betrayal; discover the extraordinary cast of characters gathered at this bizarre occasion; and explain why Meat Loaf and Prince Andrew did not see eye-to-eye…


Further Reading:


#Royals #80s #TV #UK


Love the show? Join 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS 🌴 to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode every SUNDAY!

Plus, get weekly bonus bits, unlock over 70 bits of extra content and support our independent podcast.

Join now via Apple Podcasts or PatreonThanks!

 

We'll be back tomorrow! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts: podfollow.com/Retrospectors

 

The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.

Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Sophie King.

Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2023.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Up next
Yesterday
Bill Haley's Teenage Anthem
Rock Around The Clock was a moderately successful B-side - until its inclusion in the teen rebellion movie Blackboard Jungle - following which, on 9th July, 1955, Bill Haley and the Comets’ earworm became the first rock n’roll song to hit US No.1. But Haley was no teenage rebel. ... Show More
13m 25s
Jul 8
The Miracle in the Ashes
‘Our Lady of Kazan’, a painting of the Virgin and Child, was discovered in the ashes of a fire in the Russian town of Kazan on 8th July, 1579. The icon quickly became associated with miracles after two blind men were said to have their sight restored by standing in front of it. T ... Show More
11m 35s
Jul 7
America's Child Ambassador
Samantha Smith, an 11 year-old from Maine, New England, left for the USSR on 7th July, 1983, as the personal guest of Soviet Premier Yuri Andropov. Her adventure began with a letter she wrote him, bluntly asking if he intended to start a war or conquer the United States. After th ... Show More
11m 56s
Recommended Episodes
Jul 2022
Prince George Turns Nine | BBC Award Damages to Former Royal Nanny | Episode 74
In this week’s Royal Family podcast, we talk all about: The adorable photo that was released to mark Prince George’s 9th birthday by Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge The damages awarded to William and Harry’s former nanny, Tiggy Legge Bourke from the BBC Amazing engagements from T ... Show More
15m 53s
Dec 2023
Our Royal Podcast Update | Happy Holidays | Episode 144
Thank you so much for all your wonderful messages of support as we have taken a break from the Podcast. It's important now more than ever that we look after our mental health and make the podcast as sustainable as we can. We are so excited about bringing new content to you in 202 ... Show More
11m 31s
Nov 2022
I’m a Royal, Get Me Out Of Here! | Mike Tindall Is Going To The Jungle | Harry’s Memoir, ’Spare’ Details Released | Episode 88
Coming up in today's Royal episode... The King appearing on The Repair Shop - yeah! Prince William attends the Tusk Awards Earl of Wessex gets a new patronage Shocker - Mike Tindall is going to be on reality tv! And, we talk all things SPARE and our first thoughts of Harry’s book ... Show More
30m 10s
Sep 2023
Remembering Queen Elizabeth II: One Year On | Royal Summer Series | Episode 134
On the 8th September 2022 at 3:10 pm, Queen Elizabeth II passed away at her Balmoral home surrounded by members of her family. She was 96 years old. Two days previous, She welcomed in her 15th UK Prime Minister as her last official public duty as Monarch. Over the past year, we h ... Show More
29m 26s
Apr 2023
Let’s Talk Royal Style With Rebecca Victoria From Royal Style Diary | Royal Community Spotlight | Episode 113
We are so pleased to welcome Rebecca Victoria to our Royal podcast this week. We talk all things Royal Style from: Diana's revenge dress Our Coronation fashion predictions. Did Meghan, Duchess of Sussex revolutionise Royal fashion? Are the men in the Royal Family well dressed? We ... Show More
44m 4s
Oct 2023
The Prince and Princess of Wales’ Mental Health Crusade | The Crown Season 6 Teaser Release | Episode 139
❤️Thanks so much to Royal Community members, Tracy Hunter Hart (Jackie Walsh) and Martha for sending in your voice notes. Xoxo 💂🏾‍♂️Coming up in today’s British Royal Family podcast: The Prince and Princess of Wales attend The Royal Foundation Mental Health Forum The Duchess of ... Show More
26m 52s
Aug 2023
Should Princess Beatrice Become A Working Royal? | Royals in Scotland | Royal Birthdays | Episode 130
Should Beatrice become a working Royal? If Princess Beatrice become a working Royal, what would that look like? And, is it fair that other members should be working Royals, and not Princess Beatrice? What about Zara, Peter, Lady Louise and Princess Eugenie? We discuss all in toda ... Show More
20m 12s
Dec 2020
I'm A Celeb: The Reunion
Our King of the Castle rejoins our Queen of the Podcast (and Producer Ben) to unpack some of the key moments from his time on I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here. That sick on the side of a cliff, those bushtucker trials and the phantom dribbler… and a few bits in between. This is ... Show More
48m 51s
Jul 2024
Listen Now: Even the Royals
Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived. We know the six wives of Henry the eighth as pawns in his hunt for a son. But their lives were so much more than just being the king’s wives.  Each episode of Wondery’s podcast Even the Royals pulls back the curtain on royal ... Show More
5m 10s