‘Beyond Our Ken (1958–1964) was a radio comedy program, the predecessor to Round the Horne (1965–1968). Both programs starred Kenneth Horne, Kenneth Williams, Hugh Paddick, Betty Marsden and Bill Pertwee, with announcer Douglas Smith.

Musical accompaniment was provided by the BBC Revue Orchestra. The name is a pun on Kenneth Horne’s name and the (now mainly Northern English and Scots) word ken, meaning “knowledge or perception”.

Eric Merriman had previously written material for Kenneth Horne on Henry Hall’s Guest Night and Variety Playhouse and written some stand-up comedy material for Barry Took.

In June 1957 the BBC Radio Variety department asked Merriman to come up with an idea for a radio series starring Horne. Merriman devised a format for the show with the working title Don’t Look Now.

Other memos from the BBC archive show how the proposed format evolved and the discussion of alternative titles (including Around the Horne)

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