As ITV pays tribute this Christmas

ITV is to pay tribute to Les Dawson in two hour-long shows this Christmas.

Les Dawson Forever will include some previously unseen material, including what is believed to be the oldest surviving audio of his act.

The tape is from a Blackpool show in 1967, the year he shot to fame on TV talent show Opportunity Knocks.

The first of the tribute shows, which will air at 9pm on ITV3 on Wednesday December 21, will feature Les's youngest daughter Charlotte in 1993, listening to the tape.

Ex On The Beach star Charlotte, who was only 18 months old when her dad died, also meets Opportunity Knocks director Royston Mayoh to hear about how he auditioned for the show.

The programme also features Les's comedy partner Roy Barraclough reminiscing about how the pair's famous characters Cissie and Ada came to life after a producer overheard them mucking about on the studio floor between takes in recording.

Although Les was keen to try out the characters on television, Roy was not so sure, saying 'I don't think the public are ready to watch two fat men in frocks.'

Roy speaks about how he and Les would try to make each other laugh during the sketches. Les would often throw in ad-libbed funny names while Roy would try and crack up his comedy partner with imaginatively named confectionery.

In another segment, Barry Cryer returns to Yorkshire Television, the home of filming for Sez Les - Les Dawson's first TV series to look through personal memorabilia that Les kept from his time on the show.

The second instalment of Les Dawson Forever, which goes out the following night, shows former Sez Les director David Mallet watching footage from tapes recorded at Yorkshire Television's studios in Leeds, that have lain untouched for nearly 50 years.

It also features Les's wife Tracy revealing her favourite clip of Les's career: performing Sonny and Cher's I Got You Babe with karaoke superfan Penny Morgan on Cilla Black's Surprise Surprise. It was to be Les's last TV appearance, and was only shown after his death in 1993.

Les Dawson Forever also features interviews with Ken Dodd, Johnny Vegas, Johnny Ball, Andy Hamilton and dance troupe the Roly Polys.

• Radio 4 is to pay tribute to Ronnie Corbett in a show going out on New Year's Eve. Liza Tarbuck fronts the show which will feature Barry Bryer, Harry Hill and Michael Palin. Corbett died at the age of 85 in March.

Published: 5 Dec 2016