Editing I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue (section)

===Chairman===
[[Humphrey Lyttelton]], primarily known as a [[jazz]] [[trumpeter]] and bandleader, and known as Humph to his friends, was invited to be chairman because of the role played by improvisation in both comedy and jazz music.<ref name="chortle">{{cite web|url=http://www.chortle.co.uk/radio/radioshows/clue.html|title=Profile|publisher=Chortle.co.uk|access-date=26 March 2006|archive-date=3 April 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060403152416/http://www.chortle.co.uk/radio/radioshows/clue.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> In the first series Lyttelton shared the role of chairman with [[Barry Cryer]]<ref name="foster2009"/> but he made it his own (especially once Cryer replaced Cleese as a regular panellist) and continued as chairman until his death on 25 April 2008.<ref name="officialsite">{{cite web | url=http://www.humphreylyttelton.com/ | title=Humphrey Lyttelton | date=2008-04-25 | access-date=2008-04-25 | archive-date=9 February 2008 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080209212511/http://www.humphreylyttelton.com/ | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="bbcnews">{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7367385.stm | title=Jazz legend Lyttelton dies at 86 | work=BBC News | date=2008-04-25 | access-date=2008-04-25 }}</ref> He read the script introducing the programme and segments in an utterly deadpan manner. He claimed the secret was just to read what was in front of him without understanding why it was funny. He adopted the grumpy persona of someone who would really rather be somewhere else, which he attributed to worrying that, surrounded by four professional comedians, he would have nothing worthwhile to chip in. He did occasionally depart from the script, however, often bringing the house down with an ad-lib.<ref name="humph">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/clue/interviews/humph_transcript.shtml|title=Interview with Humphrey Lyttelton|publisher=BBC}}</ref> He was credited by the regular panellists as being the chief reason for the show's longevity.<ref name="tim barry graeme">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/clue/interviews/tim_barry_graeme_transcript.shtml|title=Interview with Graeme Garden, Tim Brooke-Taylor and Barry Cryer|publisher=BBC}}</ref>

On 18 April 2008 the producer of ''I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue'', [[Jon Naismith]], announced that, owing to hospitalisation to repair an [[aortic aneurysm]], Humphrey Lyttelton would be unable to record the scheduled shows and that they would have to be postponed. The final show of the 2008 ''Best of'' tour on 22 April would be presented by [[Rob Brydon]].<ref name="Mailing List 8 April">{{cite mailing list|last=Naismith|first=Jon|mailing-list="The Official I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue Mailing List"|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/comedy/clue_newsletter.shtml|title=I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue Mailout 18.4.08}}</ref> Following Lyttelton's death there was speculation that the series might be cancelled because replacing him would be extremely difficult if not impossible.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sitcom.co.uk/news/news.php?story=000434|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120913110141/http://www.sitcom.co.uk/news/news.php?story=000434|url-status=dead|archive-date=13 September 2012|title=News&nbsp;— RIP Humphrey Lyttelton|publisher=British Sitcom Guide|date=2008-04-25|access-date=2008-04-26}}</ref> In a [[eulogy]] in ''[[The Guardian]]'', Barry Cryer did not allude to the future of the programme but said that there's "got to be an agonising reappraisal" and that Lyttelton was the "very hub of the show".<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2008/apr/27/bbc.radio | title=He was the hub of the show, the urbane man surrounded by idiots | first=David | last=Smith | newspaper=Guardian | date=2008-04-27 | access-date=2007-04-27 | location=London}}</ref> Cryer, Tim Brooke-Taylor and Graeme Garden all ruled themselves out as hosts: Cryer did not think the programme would work if a panellist became chairman and it "would need somebody of stature to be parachuted in".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article3822583.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517050937/http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article3822583.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 May 2008|title=Humphrey Lyttelton delivers swansong with giant kazoo band|newspaper=The Times|date=2008-04-27 | location=London | first=Maurice | last=Chittenden | access-date=4 May 2010}}</ref> [[Jeremy Hardy]] also ruled himself out, saying "Humph had big shoes to fill and I wouldn't do it."<ref name=indie>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/im-sorry-we-havent-a-clue-who-will-replace-humphrey-lyttelton-907191.html |title=I'm sorry, we haven't a clue: Who will replace Humphrey Lyttelton? |work=[[The Independent]] |first=Emily |last=Dugan |date=2008-08-24 | location=London}}</ref>

In the ''Clue'' mailout for September 2008 Naismith stated: "Despite the rumours, we've made no decisions about possible replacements for Humph, and are unlikely to make any decisions this year at least. Certainly I don't envisage us selecting anyone on a permanent basis for several series."<ref>{{cite mailing list|last=Naismith|first=Jon|mailing-list="The Official I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue Mailing List"|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/comedy/clue_newsletter.shtml|title=I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue Mailout 17.9.08}}</ref> It was announced that the show would continue recording beginning in 2009. The first new shows would be hosted by rotating guest presenters (similarly to the format of ''[[Have I Got News for You]]'') before a permanent replacement host was decided.<ref name=indie/> In the ''Clue'' mailout for February 2009 Naismith announced that [[Stephen Fry]], [[Jack Dee]] and [[Rob Brydon]] would host two shows each, to be recorded in April, May and June 2009 respectively.<ref>{{cite mailing list|last=Naismith|first=Jon|mailing-list="The Official I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue Mailing List"|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/comedy/clue_newsletter.shtml|title=I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue Mailout 2009-02-20}}</ref> The programme returned on 15 June 2009, chaired by Fry with the usual panellists and special guest [[Victoria Wood]]. Every series since then has been chaired by Dee.