Well i dont think anything can beat the Andre Previn sketch with Eric trying to play the piano and then saying Im playing all he right notes. But not necessarily in the right order

To be honest they seem to be on every channel this Christmas, BBC2 C5 ITV.

I did like the Angela Rippon News interruption.

Glenda Jackson was always brilliant on the show !

The GREATEST sketch in the history of comedy. 13 minutes of sheer brilliance.

Shirley Bassey - Smoke Gets in Your Eyes.

Don't you mean Andrew Preview??

I'm sorry but it's not even the best M&W sketch which is of course the breakfast preparation to the Stripper! In the C4 50 Greatest, Preview came in 12th and the breakfast 6th. Not that I'm saying that's definitive but it's a fair indication of popular opinion.

We will just have to agree to differ. I would have the stripper as their second best sketch. With regards to that C4 greatest 50 a little Britain sketch where "andy" kept jumping into a pool was voted number one. That in itself was a bigger laugh than the very unfunny sketch

I have to agree that the breakfast sketch is number one for me, although Andre Previn is a close contender.

I remember watching M&W on TV discussing the making of of the "Stripper" sketch, and they saw things that they weren't happy with, (i.e. one of the grapefruits wasnt chopped fully in half, and Ernie didn't beat the eggs in time to the music, but for the viewers it was comedy magic.

The Previn sketch was actually a re-working of a sketch from their 1960s ATV series

It was indeed

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqHH1UQqIMs

8 years later though was so much funnier

Apparently Gene Kelly was shown a video of their Singing in the Rain version and loved it

The ironic thing with regards to Morecambe and Wise is IMHO an awful lot of the "bread and butter" sketches haven't aged particularly well whereas for instance the Two Ronnies stuff still feels fresh AND funny. Granted the M&W blockbusters will never age......

I'm looking forward to seeing them on The Good Old Days from 1959 tomorrow on BBC4 at 10 p.m. and there's a repeat of the 1976 Christmas show on BBC2 tonight at 5.40 p.m.

After weighing up the pros & cons I have to declare these two sketches as equally great.
But loved the Shirley Bassey one too - she was a great sport.

'Thats nothing, desperate dan's has three cowpies and hes stil hungary'.....

Shirley Bassey in a boot!

I also love the Breakfast sketch and the André Previn sketch equally.

It's interesting to watch Ernie in the André Previn sketch. When Eric is playing, Ernie is beside the piano happily dancing away. Also, Eric's expression when André says "You're playing all the wrong notes" is a classic. It perfectly conveys "Drat, he noticed".

I think if I had to choose betwen the two, I would probably go for the Breakfast sketch. It's so much fun! Armstrong and Miller did the same routine as a tribute and did a pretty good job although the original will always be the best, of course.

Another sketch I like is the one with Elton John - "Won't you play a simple......Musical demon, set your honey a dreamin'...." and Eric keps getting it wrong.

I have to vote for the Glenda Jackson Cleopatra sketch. A constant stream of very funny jokes and very funny moments.

Every time I see that sketch, I look at the Orchestra laughing in the background. Somehow it's sheer good natured fun.

I'd have to go for the breakfast sketch as well

Is it just me or is it difficult to find some of these sketches on YouTube ?

I was trying to find the one which I think was a parody of South Pacific where the TV newsreaders and suchlike do acrobatic tumbles at the end

the Singing in The Rain one......... all I can find is a clip from one of those '100 best' type shows with talking heads

Glenda Jackson as Cleopatra

Elephant John


A great sketch certainly but not one from any of the Christmas shows


One of my favourite Christmas sketches is one from 1971 where Eric played Robin Hood, Ern played Little Ern , Ann Hamilton was Maid Marian and Francis Matthews was Richard I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHykNxT5IgY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhWdv3a2FiA

Yes, as others have said, its Andrew Preview of course

The line "not too heavy on the banjos" cracks me up every time I hear it