The Idiot Weekly
| Genre | Comedy |
|---|---|
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Country |
 Australia
|
| Home station | Australian Broadcasting Commission |
| Starring |
Spike Milligan John Bluthal Bobby Limb Michael Eisdell Ray Barrett Peter Carver John Ewart |
| Air dates | 1958 to 1962 |
| No. of episodes | 38 |
The Idiot Weekly (1958–1962) was a radio programme made by the Australian Broadcasting Commission.
Transcriptions of The Goon Show were broadcast on Australian radio from late 1955. When Spike Milligan visited his parents in Woy Woy in 1958, the Australian Broadcasting Commission signed him for a series of radio comedy broadcasts. They hoped for a local equivalent of The Goon Show with an Australian slant to it, but without Peter Sellers and Harry Secombe.
The format was very similar to The Goon Show, with Milligan recycling or adapting scripts and jokes for the new show. The show contained typical Goonish humour and some of Milligan's Goon Show characters, notably Eccles, made regular appearances. However it was distinctly Australian with plots translated to Australian locations and frequent references to topical events and Australian political figures of the time.
The closing credits were "a radio reading of The Idiot Weekly" with the actors credited as "Headlines by.." or "Cartoons by..." and the producer credited as a sub-editor.
Many episodes include references to the perceived poor state of the ABC, usually by the announcer. For example, "This is the Australian Broadcasting Commission and it's going bald" or "This is the ABC, and the roof leaks". These are similar to The Goon Show's references to the BBC, e.g. "This is the BBC Home Service." (Coin dropped into charity tin) "Thank you."
Most episodes include references to Woy Woy.
1st Series
The cast was Spike Milligan, John Bluthal, Bobby Limb, Michael Eisdell and Ray Barrett with music by Jim Gussey and the ABC Dance Orchestra. The producer was Max Greaves.
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