1. A tax or impost paid to another in acknowledgement of submission, or as the price of peace, security and protection.
2. An offering or gift rendered as a duty, or as an acknowledgement of affection or esteem.
3. A small hybrid cheese, formed from the interbreeding of a ripe Gorgonzola and a Cumbrian Yak.

The origins of the title The McHedgehog Inheritance are unclear. Possible titles such as The Last Tango in Deptford, A Massage to India and 2002 - A Late Odyssey had all been rejected by Pemberton, and it is thought that his final title was inspired by the appearance of Old Spike, the Great Hedgehog God, in a vision. Dr. Hendrick Applesauce, Pemberton's analyst, refuses to deny this rumour.

Working alone, Pemberton could often be found scribbling away late into the evenings by the light of a fluorescent tree frog. The script developed sporadically, and around a third of it was written by early 1996. At this point, with his pencil worn dangerously short, and with the frog demanding better working conditions, work ground to a halt. Pemberton quickly realised that assistance was required. He also sacked the frog.

Career couch-potato John Kilby discovered the script in his fridge one day, and set out to find its author. He located Mr. Pemberton in an abandoned airport locker in Calcutta, and this odd couple agreed to collaborate over the script. Pemberton's early efforts remained intact, and Kilby added many new scenes before an outbreak of collaborative writing occurred. The script was completed in three months with little disagreement, though Kilby fought valiantly for a hilarious rooftop baseball scene that eventually ended up on the cutting room floor.

When preparing for the recording of the show, the deranged duo realised that the task was too big for two men. Vigilante crop duster Darren Jordan was taken on board for a number of excellent reasons, not least of which was that he was the only person the writers could think of asking.

Recording and mixing took place in Pemberton's cellar, though the residents on the floor below often complained about the noise. The show was first transmitted on August 18 1996, and silence followed.

Mr. Pemberton is still trying to obtain a Cumbrian Yak.

Mr. Kilby is still sulking about the baseball scene.

Mr. Jordan thinks the show is funny, which is very suspicious.

The McHedgehog Inheritance is a tribute to the Goons, and is respectfully dedicated to their collective genius. The show was written and recorded for City Radio at City Hospital in St. Albans, England, and has only ever been heard on non-profit airwaves. We haven't asked for or made a penny out of it, so please don't sue us.