Ann Hamilton

First in a new series in which contemporary stars profile the heroes of their youth. In this opener, Miranda Hart follows in the footsteps of her hero Eric Morecambe, from Morecambe beach to Luton Town and many points in between. Uncovering rarer footage than that found in most other Eric & Ern documentaries, and including interviews with former collaborators Eddie Braben, Barry Cryer and Ann Hamilton, this makes for a commendably off-piste look at the much-loved comic icon.

Mark Jones, The Guardian, 29th March 2013

This is the first in an occasional series that sees celebs champion the people who inspired them. And I can imagine that there must have been quite the bunfight among stars all clamouring to claim Eric Morecambe as their hero.

After all, as the patronising voice-over tells us: "Morecambe and Wise were regarded by many as the greatest comedy double act ever." Gosh, really? It's amazing what you can learn from these documentaries, isn't it?

Miranda's quest to get closer to her hero starts, inevitably, at Eric's statue on Morecambe promenade. She also visits the house where he was born and the now dilapidated Winter Gardens where he would have watched his first shows. Sadly, she somehow neglects to visit the local Wetherspoons, the Eric Bartholomew, which bears his real name.

Elsewhere, we're treated to home movie clips of Miranda's early performances. They are universally terrible. "We all wondered 'how long is she going to keep this up?'" admits her sister Alice.

The best bits are Miranda's meetings with actress Ann Hamilton, who appeared in almost 100 of Morecambe & Wise's TV shows, and with long-time scriptwriter Eddie Braben, who wrote all their Christmas specials. His role in transforming them from an average music hall act into comedy legends really cannot be underestimated, making him the real unsung hero of this piece.

Jane Simon, The Mirror, 29th March 2013