Ned Sherrin, the University of New England and That Was the Week that Was

I see that Ned Sherrin (1931-2007) has died.

Ned Sherrin rose to fame as the creator of That Was the Week that Was, the British TV program that launched the satire boom of the 1960s.

I wonder how many University of New England students from the 1960s remember the UNE equivalent?

The UNE Union decided to launch a local version. Each Friday three speakers would be selected, wined and dined, then escorted to the Belshaw Room to entertain the assembled throng of staff and students. The event was hugely popular.

For my part, while I could not tell a joke to save my life, I could get people to laugh through irony and understatement. So I quickly discovered that this was a great way to have a good lunch at Union expense, while also having some fun.