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‘Missing’ Morecambe and Wise episode to air on BBC this month to celebrate star’s 100th birthday

The episode dates all the way back to 1968.

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After being 'missing' for decades, a long-lost episode of The Morecambe and Wise Show is set to air on the BBC this month.

In what is already gearing up to be a memorable moment, the episode - which was first broadcast on the BBC on 16 September 1968, and was thought to have been lost forever before being recovered - will be shown on BBC Four and BBC iPlayer in a couple of weeks time to coincide with when Eric Morecambe would have turned 100 years old.

The episode was discovered by Film Is Fabulous! - which is a charitable trust run by film collectors and television enthusiasts.

It was found in the estate of a former television industry professional, before being returned to the BBC.

Audiences tuning in to the episode can expect to see sketches written by Sid Green and Dick Hills - with Ann Hamilton appearing as Pauline in a sketch set in a nudist colony, while Jenny Lee-Wright plays Eric’s niece, a balloon dancer.

It also includes a musical performance from The Paper Dolls, who enjoyed hits in the 1960s.

This 'lost' programme is the third episode from Morecambe and Wise’s first series after returning to the BBC, following a period working with commercial television.

Eric Morecambe’s daughter, Gail, has described the recovery of the episode as 'a lovely surprise', adding: "I’m really looking forward to seeing it on a screen once again after so many years."

Gary Morecambe, Eric's son, added: "I honestly didn’t think there was anything out there left to find, and when something like this comes out of nowhere, it’s really quite wonderful. Hats off to Professor Justin Smith and his team, whose dedication and hard work brought this gem back to us. I’m very excited about seeing it for the first time since I was 12."

This long-lost episode of The Morecambe and Wise Show will be broadcast on BBC Four at 8pm on on Thursday 14 May, and available to watch whenever you like on BBC iPlayer from then.

Featured Image - BBC | Film is Fabulous!