British Comedy Guide
British Comedy Guide
Photograph courtesy of Revelation Films. Inspector Rhubarb (Eric Sykes). Copyright: Thames Television
Eric Sykes

Eric Sykes

  • English
  • Actor and writer

Eric Sykes features

Till Death Us Do Part. Image shows left to right: Alf Garnett (Warren Mitchell), Arthur Blenkinsopp (Eric Sykes). Credit: BBC Features

Comedy Chronicles: Up the polls! - Election campaigns and comedy

Sunday 30th June 2024

Comedy and politics regularly mix, but there has long been a significant hesitation amongst television broadcasters to poke fun during election campaign periods.

The Army Game. Image shows left to right: Cpl 'Flogger' Hoskins (Harry Fowler), Pte Leonard Bone (Ted Lune), Pte 'Chubby' Catchpole (Dick Emery), L/Cpl Ernest 'Moosh' Merryweather (Mario Fabrizi) Features

Comedy Rewind: The Army Game on parade

Sunday 9th June 2024

A quick-march through the history of ITV sitcom The Army Game, one of television's most commercially successful comedies.

Image shows left to right: John Junkin, Barry Cryer Features

Comedy Chronicles: Taking on the tabula rasa: Inside the writing room

Sunday 19th May 2024

Writing comedy. Some like to do it standing up; some prefer sitting down; and others have ended up lying flat out on the floor. Graham McCann examines how some of Britain's finest comic minds got their words down on the page.

Sykes. Eric Sykes (Eric Sykes). Copyright: BBC Features

Comedy Rewind: Sublime sibling silliness in Sykes

Sunday 17th September 2023

For this week's Comedy Rewind, we revisit the farcical fun of Eric Sykes and Hattie Jacques in long-running sitcom Sykes.

Sykes - With The Lid Off. Eric Sykes. Credit: Thames Television Features

Comedy Chronicles: The nation's cheerer-upper - In celebration of Eric Sykes

Sunday 23rd April 2023

Ahead of his centenary on 4th May 2023, Comedy Chronicles looks at Eric Sykes, the brilliant writer and performer who dedicated his life to making people laugh.

Sid James Features

Comedy Chronicles: The ITV Job - The day when the BBC almost lost British comedy

Sunday 26th June 2022

Graham McCann's column charts a fascinating 'what if' moment in British television comedy history: a fork in the road that had consequences of epic proportions in either direction.

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