British Comedy Guide
Spike Milligan
Spike Milligan: The Unseen Archive

Spike Milligan: The Unseen Archive

  • TV documentary
  • Sky Arts
  • 2022
  • 1 episode

Documentary featuring never before aired film, interviews and scripts from inimitable comedian and poet Spike Milligan. Also features Hastie Milligan Harrower, Al Murray, Joanna Lumley, Eddie Izzard, Ian Hislop and more.

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Key details

Genre
Documentary
Broadcast
2022
Channel
Sky Arts
Episodes
1
Features
Hastie Milligan Harrower, Al Murray, Joanna Lumley, Eddie Izzard, Ian Hislop, John Antrobus, Silé Milligan Harrower, Jane Milligan and more
Directors
Sebastian Barfield
Producers
Sebastian Barfield and Siân Price
Company

In this documentary, we delve into a treasure trove of recently unearthed archive to tell a brand new story of Spike Milligan. Film, scripts, letters, objects, photographs, recordings, art - they all come together to paint a portrait of a comic genius. But one plagued by crippling mental illness, insecurity, and an enduring lifetime struggle to reinvent what comedy could be.

The archive takes us on a surreal and revelatory journey into Spike Milligan's brain. Key pieces of archive will be jumping off points to explore a part of his character or specific chapter in his life. These range from an unpublished play called The Snow Goose that Spike returned to again and again after it was rejected by the BBC; home movies of sunny afternoons in the paddling pool; through to a simple annotated envelope that read: "I went into the now overgrown garden in 127 Holden Rd. I found this little toy... I broke down and cried. I feel I wanted those yesterdays with the children to come back."

This is THE definitive story of Spike Milligan... In his own words.

Additional details

Also known as
  • Lost And Found: Spike Milligan (Working title)
Picture
Colour

Website links

Broadcast details

First broadcast
Wednesday 7th December 2022 at 9pm on Sky Arts
Episode length
90 minutes
Most recent repeats
  • Wednesday 13th November 2024 at 10:00pm on Sky Arts
  • Friday 13th September 2024 at 12:00am on Sky Arts
  • Saturday 3rd August 2024 at 11:20pm on Sky Arts

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