There a programme in the Sunday Feature slot on BBC Radio 3 tonight (21.30 GMT), called Chaplin, Celebrity and Modernism. Thirty years after Chaplin’s death, Mark Kermode investigates the great comedian’s celebrity role and influence on world culture from the modernists and Dadaists to the Russian avant-garde and imitators in Bombay. The 45-minute programme makes use of privileged access to Chaplin’s private archive to reveal remarkable letters from Truman Capote, Winston Churchill and James Agee. As usual with BBC radio programmes, it can be listened to worldwide online, and will remain available for a week thereafter through the Listen Again service.

Despite Ian Hislop’s best efforts, Charlie Chaplin was saved from Room 101 because Paul Merton refused to put him there (see previous post). Hislop railed against not only Chaplin but “all silent films”. Merton called on pianist Neil Brand to accompany Chaplin clips on the big screen, followed by ‘silent’ film of Hislop himself. The audience seemed to lap it up, but Hislop remained stonily unconvinced.

Look out on British TV for the comedy programme Room 101 on Friday 9 February at 22.00. The guest is Private Eye editor Ian Hislop nominating his pet hates for consigning to Room 101, and they include Charlie Chaplin. The doyen of silent film pianists, Neil Brand, will be accompanying a Chaplin clip with the hope of saving Chaplin’s reputation. the programme is hosted by silent film comedy enthusiast Paul Merton, who will hopefully put up some form of defence. We’ll have to see.