How a 1980s comedy duo became a UK number-one hit

Countries & Cities · Published 12 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In 1991, Gareth Hale and Norman Pace achieved a rare feat: a UK number-one single. Through their charity supergroup, The Stonkers, they blended comedy with rock royalty to create a massive hit that remains a fascinating snapshot of British pop culture.

Gareth Hale and Norman Pace, who met at Avery Hill teacher-training college in Eltham, rose from performing at London's Tramshed to becoming household names. Their ITV sketch show, which ran for ten years and 66 episodes between 1988 and 1998, was a staple of Sunday night television, often airing around 10 pm.

The duo's success was marked by significant accolades, including winning the Silver Rose of Montreux for their first series. Their sketches were diverse, ranging from the stone-faced bouncers known as The Two Rons to musical numbers that appeared in every episode. They even appeared in the final story of the original Doctor Who run, 'Survival', in 1989.

Their musical peak came in March 1991 with 'The Stonk', a single released for Comic Relief. Performing as part of the charity supergroup The Stonkers, the duo collaborated with an extraordinary lineup of musicians, including Brian May of Queen, Tony Iommi, and David Gilmour. The track, which was based on a fictitious dance craze, reached number one in the UK for one week.

While they achieved massive popularity, their work also invited scrutiny. Some sketches caused controversy, such as a segment involving a microwaved cat, and their 1999 BBC show, h&p@bbc, faced criticism for being a 'derivative mish-mash' of low-budget 1980s quiz shows. Despite this, their influence persisted through various television appearances and a 2022 acquisition by That's TV.

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