"don't worry, Jim'll Fix It"

[Zbigniev Hamson]

Can anyone explain how there appears to be a reference to Jim'll Fix It in Colony in Space, given that it was made about 4 years before Jim'll Fix It even began to air?

I noticed it while watching it recently, and the way the characters laugh after the line certainly seems to imply some sort of in-joke, but then I thought, "hang on... 1971?". Sure enough it wasn't even on until 1975 (unless wikipedia is wrong again).

Was it a slot on a radio show first? Was it actually some sort of everyday phrase which he nicked for the title of the show? Or is it just utterly bizarre?

[Wayne]

There's nothing odd about that. Dr.Who was set slightly in the future. That's why the brig was talking to a female prime minster in 1975.

[Zbigniev Hamson]

(it's not real you know )

[Rob McCow]

Hmm - can you remember roughly what the line is and who said it?

[Dirk Gently]

(it's not real you know )

Well if Jim'll Fix It isn't real then what's the problem?

[Zbigniev Hamson]

Hmm - can you remember roughly what the line is and who said it?

That woman with no chin out of Coronation Street says it. The generator goes down and she says "don't worry, Jim'll fix it" to Jo, and they both have a little giggle about it.

I mean... it doesn't really work as a joke on ANY level to be honest, but it seems to mean more than just "Jim, our handy man, will fix it."

EDIT: According to the BBC website it's actually the Doctor who says it, but I'm not sure they got that right. And they also list it as a double entendre too for some bizarre reason.

[Logo Polish]

It's probably not meant to be a joke, they're just giggling out of light heartedness, I shouldn't wonder. They're quite friendly and giggly with each other a lot of the time anyway, from what I remember.

[Perry Vale]

They fancy Jim, and are laughing like giggling schoolgirls.....there's no psychic abilities going on!

[Si Hunt]

Or they fancy each other, and are giggling girlishly hoping someone will touch someone else inappropriately, one thing needs to another, and the knickers will wind up around the spaceship light fittings.

Si.

[Zbigniev Hamson]

You must have been watching a different Doctor Who to me. That sort of thing would never happen in mine

[Stuart Wallis]

Well if Jim'll Fix It isn't real then what's the problem?

I always wondered whether Jimmy Saville was really Tony Blackburn in disguise...

[Zbigniev Hamson]

This appears to be the first solid evidence that the production team at the time were genuine time-travellers. I'm surprised you're not all taking this more seriously.

[Lissa]

It's just a bit of local banter - lord knows the colonists have little enough to be happy about - and Jo joins in to be polite. Whenever the lights go out, Jim will always fix it. Chuckle. Why they never asked Jim to teach someone else how any of the electrical stuff - despite Jim being about 90 - is the real mystery. That and why anyone ever wears that leather waistcoat with the enormous buttons.

I love Colony in Space.

[Ian Lethbridge-Stewart]

Or they fancy each other, and are giggling girlishly hoping someone will touch someone else inappropriately, one thing needs to another, and the knickers will wind up around the spaceship light fittings.

Si.

Has someone hacked into Si's account or is he drunk again?
I don't know why but this doesn't sound like a Si Hunt post to me - is P-Bal staying at Sawbo at the moment

I expect to receive some official papers from P-Bal's people about slander now!!!

[The Secretive Bus]

If anybody actually has the Doctor Who: Television Companion book it explains the Jim'll Fix It bit under the Popular Myths section. But my copy is at home. In a stack of books. Under the bed. In Tangiers.

[Si Hunt]

If you see her, say hello. She might be in Tangier.

Si.

[Lissa]

My copy doesn't and if anyone else's does I'll be cross.

[Captain Tancredi]

Mine doesn't either- it simply says that the story features an appearance by Helen Worth, best known for her long-standing appearance in Coronation Street. You'd think they'd have bought her a chair by now.

[Ian Lethbridge-Stewart]

You'd think they'd have bought her a chair by now.

[Zbigniev Hamson]

Luckily I realised, after only buying 7 handbooks, that those Howe/Stammers/Walker blokes are a bunch of joyless thrillsuckers and consequently I don't have my own copy of this book. Doesn't sound as though I'm missing much though.

[Dave Tudor]

I like this thread.

Seriously, if 'Jim'll Fix It' didn't actually start until 1975 (and yes, Wikipedia could very well be wrong - don't trust the bloody thing, myself) I wonder if the phrase 'Jim'll fix it' was already a well-known catchphrase, somthing which popular DJ (as he was) Jimmy Saville used on his radio shows? And thus, when he came to get his own TV show, they adopted said catchphrase as the title? That's just pure guesswork, but I've always* assumed that the line said by Gail Tilsley (and yes, it was her who said it) could only be a reference to Jimmy Saville.



*I say "always" as if I've watched the bloody story hundreds of times. Which I most definitely haven't.

[Simon R]

Jim'll Saville used to have a flat near my school about twenty years ago and came into give a talk one day. He said that when we watch him on TV he can see us down the camera and if we were to hold out an apple to the screen he'd be able to take it.

The lying old twat.

[Zbigniev Hamson]

Have you tried it?