WARNING. Some jokes in the programme are likely to give offence, and would not be broadcast today.

Atypically, this episode has a quick 'warm-up' gag from Ken Goodwin, prior to the standard voice-over "Ladies and Gentlemen, it's The Comedians" that starts every show. Sheps Banjo Boys play in with 'When You're Smiling' over head and shoulders shots of five acts appearing in the episode and a back shot of all the comics in front of the studio audience.

The show proper starts with Frank Carson, Bernard Manning and George Roper in a swift succession of quick-fire gags, before Charlie Williams and then Frank Carson get more time, Carson doing one of his trade-mark 'letters from home'. Droll-faced Mike Coyne follows, slipping in a racist gag about Jamaicans which appears to get a reaction (laughter) from Charlie Williams, the only non-white on tonight's show. While Williams is apparently happy to laugh at his own ethnicity he slips in a joke about a disabled person. Duggie Brown closes the first half with a shaggy dog story wrapped around other jokes.

Sheps Banjo Boys open the second act with Alexander's Rag Time Band, with the audience clapping along. Gormless Ken Goodwin is first up, followed by Bernard Manning and Paul Melba, who starts his act in cod-Italian tenor style, only to use that as a basis for some mincing homophobic remarks and gestures. Roper is next on, extending the homophobic theme, but moving swiftly into his 'topical' local Manchester football rivalry jokes.

Sheps Banjo Boys play out, and the anonymous voice-over identifies each act as they appear on screen with their names superimposed over them.