BBC’s Comedy Map Of Britain – Dundee

By John Freeman on April 26, 2008

The BBC2 programme The Comedy Map Of Britain turned its attention to Scotland for the second programme of the second series. As well as taking Johnny Vegas back to the ruins of the Gilded Balloon in Edinburgh and Doon Mackichan to Fife, the programme also visited the hallowed, and very shiny, halls of D C Thomson in Dundee.

Beano editor Alan Digby takes the camera into the Beano office where the late Ian Gray talks about writing for the comic and his creation of Dennis The Menace’s dog Gnasher.

Selected clips are available on the programme’s website. To view the clip from the Beano office select the Aviemore To Edinburgh programme and The Home Of The Beano clip.

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.