ITV3 to air Eric Sykes’ This Is Your Life episode
The programme is to mark the 100th Birthday of Eric Sykes
ITV has acquired an episode of Thames Television‘s biographical documentary series This Is Your Life to stream on ITVX and air on ITV3.
The archive edition will air to celebrate the life and work of the iconic writer, comedian, actor and director Eric Sykes, to mark the centenary of his birth next month.
The special episode which originally aired on ITV on Christmas Day, 1979, will stream on ITVX from 30th April, just a few days ahead of what would have been Eric Sykes’ 100 birthday on 4th May. The special will also air on ITV3 on the same date.
Eric Sykes famously recalled his appearance on the episode in his autobiography; ‘If I Don’t Write It, Nobody Else Will…’ where he described being lured to the New London Theatre under the guise of attending a press interview, before being greeted by Eamonn Andrews, holding a large red book.
Eric Sykes was also celebrated by LWT’s The South Bank Show on ITV. Later revisited by Sky Arts.
The 45-minute-long episode featured tributes not only from Eric’s family but from a host of showbiz greats including Bill Fraser, Tommy Cooper, Frankie Howerd, Max Bygrages, Spike Milligan, Johnny Speight, Harry Secombe to Zsa Zsa Gabor and Sean Connery amongst others.
ITVX will also be making the classic Thames Television comedy The Plank available from 1st April, which was written, directed by and starred Eric Sykes, alongside contemporaries Tommy Cooper, Jimmy Edwards and Roy Castle.
Not available on any other streaming platform, revisit the life of the legendary Eric Sykes on 30th April on ITVX and ITV3. This Is Your Life began on the BBC in 1955 before switching to ITV in 1969 where it remained until 1994 when it returned to the BBC until 2003.
