A Taste of Toast - A "Toast of London" Quiz

Answer: Matt Berry

Matt Berry appeared in a number of fairly surreal TV comedies such as "Garth Marengi's Darkplace", "The Mighty Boosh" and "The IT Crowd" before getting his own series playing the self-important Steven Toast in "Toast of London". A 2012 pilot show was followed by six-episode series in 2013, 2014 and 2015.

He has also appeared as the character Beef in Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer's "House of Fools".

Answer: Gives away the name of the murderer on live radio

The name of the episode (and of the play) is a not-at-all-subtle reference to Agatha Christie's "The Mousetrap", which opened in London's West End in 1953, and was still running sixty years later. Over the years, there has grown up a particular "thing" about keeping the name of the murderer a secret, which is why it is such a major faux-pas for Toast to reveal it.

As a further aside, it used to be said that London taxi-drivers who were inadequately tipped by passengers arriving to see the show would shout out "The [no spoilers here, I'm afraid] did it!", thus ruining the surprise.

Answer: Arthur Mathews

Arthur Mathews began his writing career on TV shows such as "The Fast Show" and "Harry Enfield and Chums", before hitting the big time as the co-writer (with Graham Linehan) of the sitcom "Father Ted". He and Linehan then created the sketch show "Big Train" (which featured performers such as Simon Pegg and Catherine Tate). He co-writes "Toast of London" with its star, Matt Berry.
(To avoid correction notes, I should perhaps point out that Arthur Mathews does indeed spell his surname with a single "t").

Answer: Celebrities and Prostitutes Blow Football Tournament

The tournament is an annual fundraising event run by the "River Rats" show business charity. Toast, who is extremely competitive, is determined to win, especially when he hears that his chief showbiz rival has entered as well. Toast and his partner, Wendy Nook, win by default in the final, when their opponents are disqualified on a technicality which is much too complicated to explain here, but hinges on the fact that his opponent's partner isn't a proper prostitute.

Answer: Clem Fandango

Most episodes include a scene in which Toast is doing some studio voice-over work with two hipster-styled sound engineers, Danny Bear and Clem Fandango. Danny is clearly the chief engineer, while Clem's contribution is mainly to ask Toast a variety of inane questions. Toast's usual exasperated response of "Yes, I can hear you, Clem Fandango" has become enough of a catch-phrase to start appearing on t-shirts.

Portia de Coogan is Toast's girl-friend in the episode entitled "Submission", Norris Flipjack is a director of commercials in "Desperate Measures", and Acker Herron is a director in "Afternoon Tea". The writers of "Toast of London" clearly have a thing about odd names.

Answer: Andrew Lloyd-Webber

Toast, of course, doesn't have £20,000, and consequently finds himself pursued by the notorious show-business enforcer and debt-collector, Michael Ball. Yes, the same Michael Ball who most people know as the star of such musicals as "Les Miserables", "Aspects of Love" and "Phantom of the Opera".

In this episode, the role of Michael Ball is played by Michael Ball himself, clearly having no end of fun.

Answer: Ray Purchase

Toast is often at odds with Ray Purchase, who habitually gets the acting jobs that Toast himself is after. However, Toast is also having an on-going affair with Mrs Purchase, which may explain some of the rivalry. Ray is played by Harry Peacock, and his wife (whose first name is never mentioned) by Tracy-Ann Oberman.

The incorrect answers are all real distinguished actors, none of whom have any particular rivalry with Steven Toast, as far as we know.

Answer: Macbeth

Toast has somehow managed to get the title role of Macbeth at London's Open Air Theatre in Regent's Park. Unfortunately, when he discovers that the performance is being broadcast live on television, he develops a serious case of stage-fright. This manifests itself in his being unable to let go of a pillar in his dressing room.

In the end, his therapist saws through the pillar and he does the entire show still holding onto it. The critics acclaim his performance, seeing the pillar as a metaphor for the burdens of kingship.

Answer: Jane Plough (pronounced Pluff)

She always explains the pronunciation of her name by comparing it to the late English football manager Brain Clough, who also pronounced his name to rhyme with "ruff". Toast is usually seen in her office moaning about the fact that she never gets him any proper jobs, although that may be his fault as much as hers. She is also the manager of his main rival, which only adds to the tension.

Of the incorrect options, Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced Bouquet) is the snobbish character in the BBC TV series "Keeping Up Appearances". The pronunciations of the old English surnames Featherstonhaugh and Cholmondeley are genuine.

Answer: Writer of erotic literature

Under the name of Paloma Toast, our hero writes an erotic novel set in the court of Henry VIII, thus hoping to capture the "Wolf Hall" market as well as that of "50 Shades of Grey". His new literary agent, Yvonne Wryly, considers it to be the greatest thing she has ever read, hampered only by the fact that it doesn't have a proper ending.

Unfortunately, Toast struggles to provide any sort of ending at all, and the whole scheme collapses when Ms Wryly suddenly dies of spontaneous combustion.