'String' by Graeme Garden and Bill Oddie

When the Goodies set up their own advertising agency, Tim soon becomes outraged at his friends’ approach of lying, bullying and tricking their audience of dumb housewives, and so decides on a new approach: telling the truth. Unfortunately, this makes the Goodies’ sales plummet to zero, and causes Graeme and Bill to start going loony from not advertising anything anymore. Tim agrees to allow them to run a campaign for a single, harmless product, and after much deliberation (ruling out bread, water and tea as too racy), the guys settle on string. Bill and Graeme’s new ad campaign is a huge success, and soon the entire country is obsessed with string. However, with string now replacing everything, even building materials, a shortage quickly strikes, and the only option is to import string from two ‘String Sheikhs’ who are monopolising supplies to ensure they make huge amounts of money. Then Tim makes a shocking discovery: the Bill and Graeme he has been talking to recently are just dummies, while the two String Sheikhs look suspiciously familiar...

Spoof Advertisements: ‘Low Suds Mold’ washing powder; ‘Captain Fishface’s Cod Pieces’; ‘Vibrena’ Drink; ‘Nosho’ dog food; ‘Mr Rudyard’s Cakes’; and various adverts for string

Bill Oddie (Bill), Tim Brooke-Taylor (Tim), Graeme Garden (Graeme), Raymond Baxter (Himself), Valerie Leon (Kung Poo Seductress), Marcelle Samett

Produced and Directed by Jim Franklin
Music by Bill Oddie and Dave McRae

TX (BBC 2):
12th October 1976

Notes:
*Featuring Tim, Bill and Graeme

*Alternative title: 'It Might As Well Be String'

*The end credits on this episode are run back-to-front, as seen from behind the television screen looking out at the Goodies watching the episode