‘Missing’ episode of Morecambe and Wise ‘thought to be lost forever’ will air on the BBC

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A lost episode of the classic comedy show Morecambe and Wise will be shown on the BBC after being found. The show was hugely popular on British television throughout the 1960s and 70s, originally airing on the BBC and later on ITV.

A lost episode from the first season of a show that aired in 1968 has been found at the home of a retired television worker. The discovery was made possible by the Film Is Fabulous! charitable trust.

The BBC will air the episode on May 14th, both on BBC Four and BBC iPlayer, to mark what would have been Eric Morecambe’s 100th birthday. The beloved comedian died in 1984 at the age of 58.

This episode includes several sketches, such as Ann Hamilton playing Pauline in a funny scene at a nudist colony and Jenny Lee-Wright as Eric’s niece, who performs as a balloon dancer. The Paper Dolls also make an appearance with a performance.

Gail, Eric Morecambe’s daughter, expressed her delight at rediscovering the program after many years and shared her excitement about seeing it broadcast again. She praised the work of archivists finding these ‘lost’ shows – not just Morecambe and Wise, but others too – and highlighted how perfect the timing is, coinciding with the celebration of her father’s 100th birthday. She called it ‘really wonderful’.

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His son, Gary, said he was incredibly happy and amazed to find a Morecambe and Wise show that hadn’t been aired since 1968.

I really thought everything had already been discovered, so it’s amazing when something new appears unexpectedly,” he said. “Professor Justin Smith and his team deserve a lot of credit for their hard work in bringing this incredible find to light. I’m thrilled to finally see it again after so many years – I haven’t seen it since I was twelve!”

Noreen Adams, director of the BBC Archives, explained that Morecambe and Wise are a hugely popular comedy duo in the UK. She expressed delight that, thanks to the ‘Film Is Fabulous!’ project, the BBC is able to share what they believed was lost footage with audiences nationwide.

The Film Is Fabulous! project recently led to the discovery of lost episodes of the 1965 Doctor Who series, which became available on iPlayer earlier this month.

The latest issue of Living Legends, a beautifully illustrated 100-page tribute to Sir David Attenborough, is now available! You can purchase it at newsstands or online.

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2026-04-30 13:50