Eric and Ernie

Bafta-winning writer Peter Bowker's touching and funny single drama tells the story of Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise's formative years, from children's variety stars to national treasures.

A chance meeting between precocious child-star Ernie Wiseman (Wise) and reluctant performer Eric Bartholomew (Morecambe) on the children's variety circuit saw the start of an unlikely friendship.

Encouraged by his well-meaning but determined mother Sadie, because, "You aren't good at anything else," Eric became the funny man to Ernie's "feed". After a successful stint in children's variety, they worked their way up the ladder of live performance, but, after a disastrous television debut in the series Running Wild, Morecambe and Wise learned to trust their own instincts and just make people laugh – and laugh they did.

Starring Victoria Wood as Sadie and Jim Moir (Vic Reeves) as Eric's father, George, the cast list also includes Bryan Dick as Ernie Wise; Daniel Rigby as Eric Morecambe; Reece Shearsmith as Harry Wiseman, Ernie's dad; and Emer Kenny as Joan, Eric's wife. The producer is Timothy Bricknell and the director is Jonny Campbell.