''Eric, Ernie and Me'' is a 2017 television film based on the relationship between British television double-act

Morecambe and Wise Eric Morecambe (John Eric Bartholomew, 14 May 1926 – 28 May 1984) and Ernie Wise (Ernest Wiseman, 27 November 1925 – 21 March 1999), known as Morecambe and Wise (and sometimes as Eric and Ernie), were an English comic double act, working i ...

and their writer

Eddie Braben Edwin Charles Braben (31 October 1930 – 21 May 2013) was an English comedy writer and performer best known for providing material for Morecambe and Wise. He also worked for David Frost, Ronnie Corbett and Ken Dodd. Life and career Braben ...

. It starred

Stephen Tompkinson Stephen Phillip Tompkinson (born 15 October 1965) is an English actor, known for his television roles as Marcus in '' Chancer '' (1990), Damien Day in ''Drop the Dead Donkey'' (1990–1998), Father Peter Clifford in ''Ballykissangel'' (1996–9 ...

as Eddie Braben,

Mark Bonnar Richard Mark Bonnar (born 19 November 1968) is a Scottish actor. He is known for his roles as Max in ''Guilt'', Duncan Hunter in ''Shetland'', Bruno Jenkins in ''Casualty'', Detective Finney in ''Psychoville'', DCC Mike Dryden in ''Line of Duty ...

Eric Morecambe John Eric Bartholomew, (14 May 1926 – 28 May 1984), known by his stage name Eric Morecambe, was an English comedian who together with Ernie Wise formed the double act Morecambe and Wise. The partnership lasted from 1941 until Morecambe's de ...

and

Neil Maskell Neil Maskell (born 1976) is an English actor, writer and director who is known for his appearances in British crime and horror films such as '' The Football Factory'' and ''Kill List''. Early life Maskell was born in London. As a youth, he pl ...

Ernie Wise Ernest Wiseman, (27 November 1925 – 21 March 1999), known by his stage name Ernie Wise, was an English comedian, best known as one half of the comedy duo Morecambe and Wise, who became a national institution on British television, especially ...

. It was written by

Neil Forsyth Neil Forsyth (born 1978) is a Scottish author, television writer and journalist. Early life Forsyth grew up in Dundee, Scotland where he attended the High School of Dundee and his first writing appeared in a Dundee United fanzine. He gradu ...

. The one-off drama premiered on

BBC Four BBC Four is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It was launched on 2 March 2002

on 29 December 2017.

Production

Forsyth had the idea for the show after reading Braben’s memoirs, '' The Book Wot I Wrote'', and travelled to Pwhelli,

North Wales , area_land_km2 = 6,172 , postal_code_type = Postcode , postal_code = LL, CH, SY , image_map1 = Wales North Wales locator map.svg , map_caption1 = Six principal areas of Wales common ...

to meet with Eddie’s widow Dee. The Braben family subsequently gave their support to the project. Stephen Tompkinson, a lifelong fan of Braben’s work, agreed to play the lead role. Mark Bonnar and Neil Maskell joined the cast as Morecambe and Wise, Liz White as Dee Braben and Rufus Jones as producer John Ammonds. The film was directed by

Dan Zeff Dan Zeff is a BAFTA Award-winning United Kingdom, British TV director and writer currently living and working in the UK. He works across Drama (modern genre), drama and comedy television, comedy. Recent work includes the highly acclaimed ''Inside ...

Plotline

The film runs from 1969 to 1977. It shows Braben and Morecambe and Wise being put together by

Bill Cotton Sir William Frederick Cotton (23 April 1928 – 11 August 2008) was a British television producer and executive, and the son of dance band leader Billy Cotton. The TV and radio presenter Fearne Cotton is related to him, as he was her paternal ...

, former Head of Light Entertainment at the

BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board ex ...

, and their changing relationship as they worked together at the BBC until 1977. It shows the pressure that Braben was put under as '' The Morecambe and Wise Show'' became the most popular television show in Britain, peaking at 28 million viewers for their 1977 Christmas show, and the two occasions when that pressure led to Braben leaving the show due to nervous exhaustion.

Reception

''Eric, Ernie and Me'' was very well received. ''

The Observer ''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. It is a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', whose parent company Guardian Media Group Limited acquired it in 1993. First published in 1791, it is the w ...

'' said "what a lovely programme, rewatchable often", the ''

Sunday Express The ''Daily Express'' is a national daily United Kingdom middle-market newspaper printed in tabloid format. Published in London, it is the flagship of Express Newspapers, owned by publisher Reach plc. It was first published as a broadsheet i ...

'' called it "beautifully realised nostalgia" and '' The List'' said the film was "absorbing and heartfelt" and called Braben "one of British comedy's unsung heroes".

Filming locations

''Eric, Ernie and Me'' was shot in

Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...

Worthing Worthing () is a seaside town in West Sussex, England, at the foot of the South Downs, west of Brighton, and east of Chichester. With a population of 111,400 and an area of , the borough is the second largest component of the Brighton and Hov ...

and

Cardiff Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingd ...

Awards

''Eric, Ernie and Me'' was nominated for a number of awards including two

Broadcasting Press Guild Awards The Broadcasting Press Guild (BPG) is a British association of journalists dedicated to the topic of general media issues. History The Guild was established in 1974 as a breakaway of The Critics' Circle. Currently it groups over 100 staff and fre ...

, a Broadcast Digital Award and a

Royal Television Society Award The Royal Television Society (RTS) is a British-based educational charity for the discussion, and analysis of television in all its forms, past, present, and future. It is the oldest television society in the world. It currently has fourteen r ...

Cast

* Liz White as Dee Braben * Rufus Jones as

John Ammonds John Ammonds, (21 May 1924 – 13 February 2013)Graham McCanObituary: John Ammonds ''The Guardian'', 15 February 2013.Retrieved 16 February 2013. was a British television producer of light entertainment programmes. Ammonds was born in Kenningto ...

Alex Macqueen Alexander Tulloch Macqueen (born 30 November 1973) is an English actor. He has appeared on television, film and radio in the UK in productions such as ''Holby City'', ''Doctor Who,'' ''Hut 33'', ''Peep Show'', ''The Thick of It'', ''Keeping Mu ...

References

External links

''Eric, Ernie and Me''

BBC Four BBC Four is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It was launched on 2 March 2002

, December 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
Forsyth, Neil (28 December 2017). "Eric, Ernie and Me", ''Writers Room''

. Retrieved 5 May 2020. {{Morecambe and Wise 2017 films 2017 television films BBC television dramas British biographical films Biographical films about entertainers Cultural depictions of British people Cultural depictions of comedians Morecambe and Wise Television shows set in England 2010s British films