#british comedy

"It's a show for all grown-up kids and adults who aren't so grown-up", Goodies' producer Bob Spiers said.

"I'm always amazed that millions of kids go out of their way to watch The Goodies, because it's really a show for adults.

"The scripts are quite risque, particularly in the latest series.

"We have had a field day with the royal family, apartheid; and violence on the football terraces which we expect to stir up quite a bit of controversy," Spiers revealed.

The crazy trio — Tim Brooke-Taylor with his English public schoolboy looks; Graeme Garden behind those specs as the scientific whiz-kid; and Bill Oddie, the token rebel non-conformist — have survived for more than 10 years.

In fact, they are more popular than ever.

"I guess their secret formula for success is that they get away with murder. Adults who think they are adults but are really kids at heart see them as they would love to be sometimes — daredevils game enough to try anything for the price," Spiers said.

"Kids see them as they would like adults to be. Imagine having The Goodies in charge of your school?

"They live in a world of the absurd and in these days of terrorism and mayhem we need to laugh at ourselves as much as we can."

Although The Goodies recently switched from the BBC to London Weekend Television, the format will not change.

In the new series there's a new companion for the mad trio — a little robot, called appropriately "Robot".

One episode is all about Robot giving birth to another robot that develops into a delinquent robot. Work that one out.

"We had a lot of fun making that. I think a lot of fans don't realise the tremendous amount of work Tim, Graeme and Bill put into writing the scripts before we add the stunts," Spiers said.

"Tim's a perfectionist and will work on a script until he thinks it is perfect. There are no midway standards."

The Goodies product takes months of painstaking work from the script through to the filming and editing.

"We all work as a team and I think that's why The Goodies have remained at the top," Spiers said.

He thinks the latest scripts are the best so far.

"We have three more episodes to make to finish this series. It's got to the stage where fans can't get enough."

The Goodies have recorded more than 70 programs with the BBC. OCTOBER 17, 1981—TV WEEK