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BBC to Air Rediscovered 1968 Morecambe and Wise Episode on May 14

A charity’s find in a private estate highlights how collectors help rebuild wiped TV history.

Overview

  • The BBC will show the long‑lost episode on BBC Four and BBC iPlayer on Thursday, May 14 to mark Eric Morecambe’s 100th birthday.
  • Film Is Fabulous!, a trust run by film and TV enthusiasts, found the print in the estate of a former industry professional and returned it to the BBC.
  • The programme first aired on 16 September 1968 as the third episode of the duo’s first BBC series after a stint on commercial television.
  • The episode features sketches by writers Sid Green and Dick Hills with appearances by Ann Hamilton and Jenny Lee‑Wright and a performance by 1960s trio The Paper Dolls.
  • Noreen Adams of BBC Archives welcomed the recovery, which matters because the BBC reused tapes in the 1960s and erased many original recordings.