Frankie Howerd

It had, however, Frankie Howerd, with his collapsible face and salacious asides, who can make an audience laugh just by telling them not to. It was kept moving nice and fast. Half the fun was seeing the jokes coming, and laughing before they arrived. It gives an audience a flattering sense of being quick off the mark.

Frankie Howerd topped the bill of last night's Palladium Show on ITV - and drew expectant giggles even before he opened his mouth. He is, in fact, the kind of comedian who can make the joke in a cracker seem amusing.