Eric Morecambe

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.

I was several minutes into my preview copy of My Hero: Miranda Hart on Eric Morecambe (9pm, BBC1) before something significant struck me.

Namely, the fact that, up to this point, there hadn't been a lot of Eric Morecambe in it.

Instead, it begins with Miranda reflecting, with her sister, on her own hit-and-miss beginnings in the comedy world - which, as some old clips confirm, offered no hint of the success that would eventually come her way.

The thing about Morecambe, though, is that he's always been Miranda's inspiration, even though she was only 11 when he died.

So although the show is very much her own personal take on a comedy legend and what he's meant to her, it also sees her travelling around the country on a kind of Eric Morecambe pilgrimage, visiting places where he and partner Ernie Wise performed, chatting with people who knew this great double act and digging out her favourite Morecambe and Wise clips.

Miranda Hart on her comedy hero Eric Morecambe

Plus Barry Cryer, Ant and Dec, Victoria Wood, Ben Miller salute a legacy of laughter.

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.

My Hero: Miranda Hart on Eric Morecambe - TV review

Miranda shows plenty of Hart in her homage to Eric Morecambe, but do we really need to see her supporting his football team?

Would anybody really vote for a TV cartoon character in a by-election? As imagined in the final, chillingly plausible satire in Charlie Brooker's technocentric trilogy, the worrying answer is, quite possibly, yes.

After ill-advised tweets lead to the downfall of a regional politician, there's a void to be filled. In the absence of any candidates the voters can believe in, TV PR spin fans social media into a frenzy, catapulting Waldo - a foul-mouthed animated bear - into the political arena.

Daniel Rigby (Eric Morecambe in BBC2's excellent Eric & Ernie) stars as the disillusioned comedian whose voice and movements animate the bitter Waldo.

Following previous docs delving into the hidden worlds of comedy greats Eric Morecambe and Spike Milligan, this profile of the Up Pompeii star promises a number of undiscovered gems. Taking in previously unseen footage, from home movies to live stand-up material, this profile celebrates the life of the comic actor whose career stretched all the way from Variety Bandbox to 1990's The Craig Ferguson Story (playing The God Of Comedy, no less). Also, a peek at Howerd's extensive correspondence, including exchanges with the likes of Laurence Olivier and Paul McCartney.

Shirley Bassey getting into big boots, Andre Previn (or should that be Mr Preview?) watching in horror as Eric Morecambe murders Grieg's Piano Concerto in A Minor, Glenda Jackson being a remarkably convincing Ginger Rogers... We've seen these clips time and again, yet somehow they never cease to raise a smile. Penelope Keith, who took part in Morecambe and Wise's 1976 Christmas special, presents the best of the pair's musical routines from the archives.

BBC told Morecambe to dump Wise if he wanted to make it

BBC chiefs initially believed Eric Morecambe would have a much better chance of TV stardom if he dumped Ernie Wise and went solo.

Eric & Ernie's preview of Mr Preview

Rare footage of Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise is to be aired tonight for the first time in 50 years.