Missing Likely Lads and Till Death Us Do Part recovered
- Two missing episodes of 1960s sitcom The Likely Lads have been recovered
- Another missing edition of Till Death Us Do Part has also been identified
- All three editions will be released on new DVD and Blu-ray editions of the shows' respective feature films
Network Distributing has announced the recovery and imminent DVD and Blu-ray availability of three classic sitcom episodes previously missing, believed wiped.
The distributor has acquired two editions of Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais's landmark sitcom The Likely Lads, as well as one episode of Till Death Us Do Part. All three programmes are BBC productions, and will be released as extra features on new editions of their respective film spin-offs.
Till Death Us Do Part will be released on Monday 28th January 2019, with The Likely Lads following on Monday 18th March. DVD and Blu-ray versions of each title are available to pre-order now.
The Likely Lads, following northern friends Bob and Terry, was a huge success, running initially from 1964 to 1966, totalling 20 episodes and one short special over three series. A film adaptation was released in 1976, following an even more popular sequel series - Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads? - in 1973 and 1974.
Eight episodes of The Likely Lads are already available on BBC DVD.
The two newly recovered editions are Series 2 Episode 2, A Star Is Born (first broadcast on 23rd June 1965, preview below), and Series 2 Episode 5, Faraway Places (14th July 1965).
Meanwhile, the Till Death Us Do Part episode is Series 2 Episode 2, Sex Before Marriage. It was recovered and returned to the BBC in October 2017, as previously announced.
All three episodes will be released from later this month, on DVD and Blu-ray issues of the series' respective feature films. Both films have been fully restored and remastered to HD from their original film negatives. Neither film has ever been released on Blu-ray before.
The episodes were recovered as telerecording film prints, and have also been remastered in high definition to preserve as much detail as possible, in lieu of the missing master tapes.
Network also promise exclusive screening events, with details yet to be confirmed: "The discovery of any lost television series is an event to be celebrated... so we're making an event of it, with a public screening of the Likely Lads film and episodes, plus a very special guest Q&A with series writers Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais."
Here is a preview clip of The Likely Lads - A Star Is Born.
Another from Faraway Places:
And here is an excerpt from Till Death Us Do Part - Sex Before Marriage:
Till Death Us Do Part
One of the most controversial - and popular - comedies ever made, Johnny Speight's classic sitcom caustically satirised the less acceptable aspects of entrenched working-class culture in the form of highly opinionated, true-blue bigot Alf Garnett - as played by Warren Mitchell. Making the jump to feature films in 1968, Till Death Us Do Part sees the return of all four series regulars and is featured here as a brand-new high definition transfer from original film elements.
1939. War is declared. But Alf Garnett's got bigger problems on his plate - he's only been married to Else for a few weeks and they're already sick of the sight of each other!
First released: Monday 28th January 2019
Blu-ray
DVD- Distributor: Network
- Region: B
- Discs: 1
- Minutes: 100
- Subtitles: English
- Catalogue: 7958177
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- Distributor: Network
- Region: 2
- Discs: 1
- Minutes: 96
- Subtitles: English
- Catalogue: 7954982
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The Likely Lads
Spinning off from the incredibly popular 1960s sitcom and its BAFTA-winning 1970s sequel, James Bolam and Rodney Bewes star as Terry Collier and Bob Ferris, two life-long friends with vastly different outlooks on life! Written by comedy legends Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais - who would go on to further success with series like Porridge and Auf Wiedersehen, Pet - The Likely Lads is presented here as a brand-new high definition transfer from the original film elements in its original theatrical aspect ratio.
Thelma's continued annoyance at her husband Bob's disruptive friend shows no sign of abating. But when Terry lands himself a new girlfriend Thelma sees her chance to finally get Terry married off and out of her and Bob's life forever! Her solution of touring the north of England in a caravan, however, leaves a lot to be desired...
First released: Monday 1st April 2019
Blu-ray DVD- Distributor: Network
- Region: B
- Discs: 1
- Minutes: 90
- Subtitles: English
- Catalogue: 7958111
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- Distributor: Network
- Region: 2
- Discs: 1
- Minutes: 86
- Subtitles: English
- Catalogue: 7954728
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BCG may earn commission on sales generated through the links above.